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Dare: Accepting the Challenge of Trusting Leadership
Not Business as Usual In the current business climate of distrust, cynicism, and fear, Scott Weiss offers a radical challenge to those of us who lead others. His call for authentic leadership means dropping the mask of the Executive Persona as well as the camouflage and doubletalk of traditional corporate communications. It demands an end to our self-deceptions and the deception of others in the name of business as usual. Those who are brave enough to accept his DARE will discover... - More loyal, satisfied clients and customers
- Reduced turnover and more
- Engaged employees
- A more creative, innovative, and collaborative workplace
- Less personal conflict and more genuine relationships
- The passion to thrive, not just survive, in our professions A courageous book that calls on leaders themselves to step up and make the changes that will rebuild trust and restore business integrity for customers, employees, and the global public.
- Reduced turnover and more
- Engaged employees
- A more creative, innovative, and collaborative workplace
- Less personal conflict and more genuine relationships
- The passion to thrive, not just survive, in our professions A courageous book that calls on leaders themselves to step up and make the changes that will rebuild trust and restore business integrity for customers, employees, and the global public.
176 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2013
About the author
Scott Weiss
1 book1 followerScott Weiss centers his life around delivering and driving authentic communication.
From its three offices in Atlanta, New York, and San Francisco, his company, Speakeasy (www.SpeakeasyInc.com), works each year with some 4,500 executives and 350 client companies across five continents.
In addition to speaking engagements with audiences as unique as an international delegation of educators at the Carter Center in Atlanta, many organizations frequently turn to Scott for perspective on issues around trust in leadership. He has been featured in Forbes, Fortune, Inc., CNN Money, and Investor's Business Daily.
Weiss started his career on Wall Street and later moved to Turner Broadcasting System (Time Warner), where he spent ten years as an executive vice president in charge of domestic satellite distribution for CNN, TNT and all Turner networks. He founded and directed Turner Private Networks, where he pioneered the creation and launch of the CNN Airport Channel in forty airports worldwide.
Scott serves on the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, Emory University's board of visitors, and on the board of the Atlanta chapter of Entrepreneurs' Organization. He is the founder and chairman emeritus of the T. Howard Foundation, a Washington, DC-based nonprofit that for the past twenty years has been driving diversity in the media industry through its highly respected mentoring and intern program. He has been a member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and voted in the Emmys for more than two decades.
Weiss lives with his wife of twenty-seven years, Marci, outside Atlanta, Georgia, and is the father of three adult children.
You can catch up with Scott anytime on Twitter (@ScottSpeakeasy) and find out more about his company, Speakeasy, at www.SpeakeasyInc.com.
From its three offices in Atlanta, New York, and San Francisco, his company, Speakeasy (www.SpeakeasyInc.com), works each year with some 4,500 executives and 350 client companies across five continents.
In addition to speaking engagements with audiences as unique as an international delegation of educators at the Carter Center in Atlanta, many organizations frequently turn to Scott for perspective on issues around trust in leadership. He has been featured in Forbes, Fortune, Inc., CNN Money, and Investor's Business Daily.
Weiss started his career on Wall Street and later moved to Turner Broadcasting System (Time Warner), where he spent ten years as an executive vice president in charge of domestic satellite distribution for CNN, TNT and all Turner networks. He founded and directed Turner Private Networks, where he pioneered the creation and launch of the CNN Airport Channel in forty airports worldwide.
Scott serves on the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, Emory University's board of visitors, and on the board of the Atlanta chapter of Entrepreneurs' Organization. He is the founder and chairman emeritus of the T. Howard Foundation, a Washington, DC-based nonprofit that for the past twenty years has been driving diversity in the media industry through its highly respected mentoring and intern program. He has been a member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and voted in the Emmys for more than two decades.
Weiss lives with his wife of twenty-seven years, Marci, outside Atlanta, Georgia, and is the father of three adult children.
You can catch up with Scott anytime on Twitter (@ScottSpeakeasy) and find out more about his company, Speakeasy, at www.SpeakeasyInc.com.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
July 15, 2026
Dare: Accepting the Challenge of Trusting Leadership is a compelling call for leaders to reject fear-based management and embrace a more authentic, trust-centered approach to leadership. Scott Weiss challenges the traditional corporate mindset that often prioritizes image over integrity and control over connection. Instead, he argues that organizations flourish when leaders are willing to be transparent, vulnerable, and intentional in building genuine relationships with employees, customers, and stakeholders. In an era where trust has become one of business's most valuable assets, his message is both timely and timeless.
One of the book's greatest strengths is its emphasis on authenticity. Weiss makes it clear that leadership is not about maintaining an executive persona or hiding behind corporate language—it is about earning trust through consistent actions and honest communication. He encourages leaders to move beyond performative leadership and cultivate workplaces where openness, accountability, and mutual respect become foundational values. His insights serve as a powerful reminder that people follow leaders they trust, not simply those who hold positions of authority.
Another standout feature is the book's focus on organizational culture. Weiss demonstrates that trust is not merely a personal leadership trait—it is a strategic advantage that directly influences employee engagement, collaboration, innovation, and customer loyalty. Organizations that prioritize trust create environments where people feel valued, empowered, and motivated to contribute their best work. The result is not only stronger performance but also healthier and more resilient workplace cultures.
The book also excels in challenging conventional business assumptions. Rather than accepting cynicism, fear, and disengagement as inevitable workplace realities, Weiss presents leadership as an opportunity to restore integrity and human connection. His practical insights encourage leaders to replace transactional relationships with meaningful partnerships that benefit individuals and organizations alike. This perspective is especially valuable in today's business environment, where employees increasingly seek purpose, authenticity, and psychological safety in the workplace.
Ultimately, Dare is much more than a leadership book. It is an invitation to lead courageously by choosing trust over fear and authenticity over appearances. Scott Weiss successfully combines leadership philosophy, organizational culture, and practical wisdom into a transformative resource that empowers leaders to create workplaces where people are inspired not only to perform—but to thrive.
One of the book's greatest strengths is its emphasis on authenticity. Weiss makes it clear that leadership is not about maintaining an executive persona or hiding behind corporate language—it is about earning trust through consistent actions and honest communication. He encourages leaders to move beyond performative leadership and cultivate workplaces where openness, accountability, and mutual respect become foundational values. His insights serve as a powerful reminder that people follow leaders they trust, not simply those who hold positions of authority.
Another standout feature is the book's focus on organizational culture. Weiss demonstrates that trust is not merely a personal leadership trait—it is a strategic advantage that directly influences employee engagement, collaboration, innovation, and customer loyalty. Organizations that prioritize trust create environments where people feel valued, empowered, and motivated to contribute their best work. The result is not only stronger performance but also healthier and more resilient workplace cultures.
The book also excels in challenging conventional business assumptions. Rather than accepting cynicism, fear, and disengagement as inevitable workplace realities, Weiss presents leadership as an opportunity to restore integrity and human connection. His practical insights encourage leaders to replace transactional relationships with meaningful partnerships that benefit individuals and organizations alike. This perspective is especially valuable in today's business environment, where employees increasingly seek purpose, authenticity, and psychological safety in the workplace.
Ultimately, Dare is much more than a leadership book. It is an invitation to lead courageously by choosing trust over fear and authenticity over appearances. Scott Weiss successfully combines leadership philosophy, organizational culture, and practical wisdom into a transformative resource that empowers leaders to create workplaces where people are inspired not only to perform—but to thrive.
August 31, 2018
Dare: Accepting the Challenge of Trusting Leadership by Scott Weiss challenges the status quo that is current in business today. Weiss asserts that leaders in business must change the way they do things in order to fully impact business for the better. While not a strict how to book, Weiss lays out strategies and a way of thinking that can radically change how business is done, how relationships are forged in the workplace, and how trust has a way of working to one's benefit. All of this in turn will lead to more customers, and more satisfied customers, reduced employee turnover, and happier employees, along with a more creative and adaptive workplace. Lofty goals indeed, but Weiss makes these notions seem doable. Overall, the key to success in business is communication, which starts at the top, and works its way down. How effective and clear this communication is matters most in every day business. Highly recommend this engaging and worthwhile business strategy book.
October 1, 2018
Dare: Accepting the Challenge of Trusting Leadership by Scott Weiss challenges the status quo that is current in business today. Weiss asserts that leaders in business must change the way they do things in order to fully impact business for the better. While not a strict how to book, Weiss lays out strategies and a way of thinking that can radically change how business is done, how relationships are forged in the workplace, and how trust has a way of working to one's benefit. All of this in turn will lead to more customers, and more satisfied customers, reduced employee turnover, and happier employees, along with a more creative and adaptive workplace. Lofty goals indeed, but Weiss makes these notions seem doable. Overall, the key to success in business is communication, which starts at the top, and works its way down. How effective and clear this communication is matters most in every day business. Highly recommend this engaging and worthwhile business strategy book.
September 27, 2018
'Dare' by Scott Weiss will serve as a useful book for any business leaders who are unsure of how to lead their staff in a society where distrusting those with authority is the norm. Weiss stresses that this distrust can have a massive impact on businesses if it is not addressed directly and quickly. He advocates transparency from leaders to dispel the distrust that so many workers feel towards their employers. Honesty is key in today's society and Weiss shows how true this is with real-life examples of business leaders who have adopted a transparent management strategy and the benefits of doing so. 'Dare' shows that a more ethical and honest approach to business leadership can make an operation run so more smoothly and efficiently. Perhaps the idea is simple, but in a world where there is so much dishonesty and distrust, it could be revolutionary.
August 27, 2018
Scott Weiss really goes against the typical employee/employer “us vs. Them" and challenges the current climate in most office spaces. Weiss works to encourage leaders to be themselves, to embrace the foundation that makes them leaders.
A huge key point in this book is communication, a shortcoming that many employers share. It’s not always intentional, but it is often the rust on polished steel. Open and honest communications from the top down can help foster healthy employee-management relations and company growth.
This is definitely a book to read for any manager or member of support staff.
A huge key point in this book is communication, a shortcoming that many employers share. It’s not always intentional, but it is often the rust on polished steel. Open and honest communications from the top down can help foster healthy employee-management relations and company growth.
This is definitely a book to read for any manager or member of support staff.
August 18, 2026
A Necessary Challenge for Leaders
There is something uncomfortable about this book in the best possible way. It asks leaders to look at themselves instead of immediately looking for problems in their employees, customers, or organizations. The emphasis on dropping the “Executive Persona” really resonated with me. Too often, professionalism becomes an excuse for hiding behind a carefully constructed image. Weiss challenges that habit and asks what might happen if leaders simply became more honest and human.
There is something uncomfortable about this book in the best possible way. It asks leaders to look at themselves instead of immediately looking for problems in their employees, customers, or organizations. The emphasis on dropping the “Executive Persona” really resonated with me. Too often, professionalism becomes an excuse for hiding behind a carefully constructed image. Weiss challenges that habit and asks what might happen if leaders simply became more honest and human.
August 18, 2026
More Than Another Leadership Book
I expected another leadership book full of familiar corporate advice. What I found instead was a much more personal challenge. “Dare” is essentially asking leaders, “Are you willing to become the kind of person others can actually trust?” That question sounds simple, but the implications are enormous. Trust requires consistency, humility, honesty, and the willingness to admit when you do not have everything figured out. Those ideas are easy to agree with and much harder to practice.
I expected another leadership book full of familiar corporate advice. What I found instead was a much more personal challenge. “Dare” is essentially asking leaders, “Are you willing to become the kind of person others can actually trust?” That question sounds simple, but the implications are enormous. Trust requires consistency, humility, honesty, and the willingness to admit when you do not have everything figured out. Those ideas are easy to agree with and much harder to practice.
August 18, 2026
Leadership Is About Relationships
The biggest takeaway for me was that leadership is ultimately relational. Strategies, systems, targets, and performance measurements all have their place, but none of them can completely compensate for a lack of trust. Weiss connects trust with employee engagement, collaboration, creativity, and performance in a way that makes the subject feel practical rather than abstract. I finished the book thinking less about how leaders appear and more about how they make people feel when they are around them.
The biggest takeaway for me was that leadership is ultimately relational. Strategies, systems, targets, and performance measurements all have their place, but none of them can completely compensate for a lack of trust. Weiss connects trust with employee engagement, collaboration, creativity, and performance in a way that makes the subject feel practical rather than abstract. I finished the book thinking less about how leaders appear and more about how they make people feel when they are around them.
August 18, 2026
Trust Has Real Business Consequences
What I liked most about “Dare” is that it does not treat trust as some vague workplace virtue. It connects trust directly to outcomes that organizations care about, including engagement, loyalty, creativity, collaboration, and performance. That connection makes the argument much stronger. If people genuinely trust the person leading them, it changes how willing they are to communicate, contribute ideas, take initiative, and work through difficult situations.
What I liked most about “Dare” is that it does not treat trust as some vague workplace virtue. It connects trust directly to outcomes that organizations care about, including engagement, loyalty, creativity, collaboration, and performance. That connection makes the argument much stronger. If people genuinely trust the person leading them, it changes how willing they are to communicate, contribute ideas, take initiative, and work through difficult situations.
August 18, 2026
Saying What You Actually Mean
I appreciated how directly this book challenges the culture of corporate communication. There is so much polished language in business that sometimes nobody actually says what they mean. Weiss pushes against that tendency and argues for communication grounded in honesty and authenticity. That message felt particularly relevant. People can usually sense when communication is carefully managed rather than genuinely meant.
I appreciated how directly this book challenges the culture of corporate communication. There is so much polished language in business that sometimes nobody actually says what they mean. Weiss pushes against that tendency and argues for communication grounded in honesty and authenticity. That message felt particularly relevant. People can usually sense when communication is carefully managed rather than genuinely meant.
August 18, 2026
A Different Kind of Courage
This book gave me a different definition of courage. I usually think of courage in leadership as making difficult decisions or taking big risks. Weiss suggests that there is another kind of courage involved, the courage to be honest, vulnerable, humble, and authentic with the people you lead. That may actually be harder than making a strategic decision because it requires leaders to examine themselves. That was probably the most meaningful part of the book for me.
This book gave me a different definition of courage. I usually think of courage in leadership as making difficult decisions or taking big risks. Weiss suggests that there is another kind of courage involved, the courage to be honest, vulnerable, humble, and authentic with the people you lead. That may actually be harder than making a strategic decision because it requires leaders to examine themselves. That was probably the most meaningful part of the book for me.
August 18, 2026
Behind the Executive Persona
One idea kept coming back to me while reading this: your team cannot trust a version of you that does not really exist. The discussion around the Executive Persona made me think about how easily leaders can become trapped behind titles and expectations. There is a difference between being professional and being inaccessible. Weiss makes a convincing case that authenticity can strengthen authority rather than weaken it.
One idea kept coming back to me while reading this: your team cannot trust a version of you that does not really exist. The discussion around the Executive Persona made me think about how easily leaders can become trapped behind titles and expectations. There is a difference between being professional and being inaccessible. Weiss makes a convincing case that authenticity can strengthen authority rather than weaken it.
August 18, 2026
Easier to Understand Than to Practice
This was a challenging read for me because some of the ideas are easier to understand than they are to live out. Everyone agrees that honesty and empathy are important. The harder question is what happens when being completely honest is uncomfortable or when vulnerability feels risky. That is where I think the book has real value. It does not simply praise trust. It asks leaders to accept the personal responsibility that comes with building it.
This was a challenging read for me because some of the ideas are easier to understand than they are to live out. Everyone agrees that honesty and empathy are important. The harder question is what happens when being completely honest is uncomfortable or when vulnerability feels risky. That is where I think the book has real value. It does not simply praise trust. It asks leaders to accept the personal responsibility that comes with building it.
August 18, 2026
The Leaders I Remember Most
I found myself thinking about past workplaces while reading this book. The strongest leaders I have encountered were not necessarily the loudest or most impressive people in the room. They were the ones whose words matched their actions. Weiss puts language around something I had experienced but never really articulated. Trust grows when people consistently see that what a leader says and what a leader does are connected.
I found myself thinking about past workplaces while reading this book. The strongest leaders I have encountered were not necessarily the loudest or most impressive people in the room. They were the ones whose words matched their actions. Weiss puts language around something I had experienced but never really articulated. Trust grows when people consistently see that what a leader says and what a leader does are connected.
August 18, 2026
Simple Principles, Powerful Results
There is a refreshing simplicity to the central message of this book. Be honest. Be empathetic. Be humble. Be willing to be vulnerable. Keep your word. Those principles are not complicated, but they become surprisingly powerful when applied consistently in leadership. “Dare” reminded me that organizations are made up of people first, and people respond very differently when they believe they are being treated with sincerity.
There is a refreshing simplicity to the central message of this book. Be honest. Be empathetic. Be humble. Be willing to be vulnerable. Keep your word. Those principles are not complicated, but they become surprisingly powerful when applied consistently in leadership. “Dare” reminded me that organizations are made up of people first, and people respond very differently when they believe they are being treated with sincerity.
August 18, 2026
What Kind of Leader Are You Becoming?
I would describe this less as a traditional management book and more as a challenge to the character of the leader. Weiss is not simply asking, “How can you get better results?” He is asking, “What kind of leader are you becoming while trying to get those results?” That distinction made the book stand out to me. Performance matters, but the way you achieve it matters too.
I would describe this less as a traditional management book and more as a challenge to the character of the leader. Weiss is not simply asking, “How can you get better results?” He is asking, “What kind of leader are you becoming while trying to get those results?” That distinction made the book stand out to me. Performance matters, but the way you achieve it matters too.
April 16, 2014
Received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
Well, overall I like that this book had a clear main message when it came to communication in the business world: be transparent. The book is about how to be a better BUSINESS leader. I stress the word business because it is not written for people who want to become leaders. This book is for people who are in leader positions and how to improve their communication skills with their employes or peers. This is NOT a how to book.
This book talks about why being a transparents honest speaker with your co-worker will improve your business. Overall great book to read, probability a bit idealistic but educational.
Well, overall I like that this book had a clear main message when it came to communication in the business world: be transparent. The book is about how to be a better BUSINESS leader. I stress the word business because it is not written for people who want to become leaders. This book is for people who are in leader positions and how to improve their communication skills with their employes or peers. This is NOT a how to book.
This book talks about why being a transparents honest speaker with your co-worker will improve your business. Overall great book to read, probability a bit idealistic but educational.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews