Brené Brown says the key to surviving AI is rejecting Jack Welch’s advice and embracing humanity. The problem is humans ‘can’t stand each other’

Brené Brown, a renowned researcher and professor, warns that the modern workplace is facing unprecedented levels of uncertainty, making it difficult for people to be brave. In a recent speech at the Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit, Brown noted that people are not okay and that successful leadership today requires self-awareness, managing one’s nervous system, and the ability to slow down decision-making.

Despite her optimism about technology, Brown believes there are still many skills deeply rooted in humanity that cannot be replicated by AI. She criticizes humans' inability to stand by each other, attributing this to the rigid leadership principles of Jack Welch, a former General Electric chairman and CEO. Welch's advice, which has been adopted by many Fortune 500 companies, now fails to fit the needs of today’s complex and uncertain world.

Brown argues that the "vitality curve" advocated by Welch, which ranks employees into top 20%, middle 70%, and bottom 10% groups, fosters fear and undermines collaboration and authenticity. She emphasizes that fear cannot be maintained for long periods and that our biology does not support prolonged periods of fear. Instead, Brown advocates for vulnerability, authenticity, and emotional intelligence in leadership, which are often lacking in a Welch-style leadership model.