Brown recounts how a pickleball injury became the catalyst for understanding both personal and organizational transformation. After experiencing debilitating back pain from an overserved ball, Brown began working with a trainer named Tony, who diagnosed her with a weak core and poor functional strength. Tony’s assessment revealed that Brown was compensating for core weakness by overusing inefficient muscle groups—a pattern that would lead to recurring injuries. His prescription was clear: intentionality and consistency over wild intensity, combined with a deep, broad, and disciplined commitment across multiple life domains, including sleep, nutrition, stress management, and mindset.

Brown’s breakthrough came when Tony instructed her to “find the ground”—not merely the physical floor, but a connection between mind, body, and the earth as a source of stability and power (10). This concept of “strong ground” became both a physical technique and a broader metaphor. Brown learned to consciously engage her core muscles and establish what Tony called an “athletic stance,” creating stability that could withstand force (10). She adopted the mantra “strong ground” as a grounding practice for moments of uncertainty, fear, or overwhelm.

Brown’s journey parallels the organizational transformation work she facilitates with global companies. She draws explicit connections between individual strength training and organizational development, noting that both require assessing dysfunction before building new capabilities. This analysis is particularly relevant in the current moment, as Brown published this work during a period of rapid technological change, particularly the integration of artificial intelligence into workplaces. Her argument that organizations cannot simply layer new tools onto dysfunctional systems speaks directly to contemporary anxieties about AI displacement and workplace transformation.

Brown identifies three converging forces that disconnect people from their humanity: the persistence of fear- and shame-based leadership despite evidence of its harm; the belief that vulnerability equals weakness; and the false dichotomy between performance-focused training and culture-building initiatives. She challenges the notion that “what makes us human will ensure our relevance” by observing that many people are not currently “good at being human”—they are disconnected, distrustful, and emotionally dysregulated (19). Her critique echoes broader societal concerns about polarization, dehumanization, and the erosion of social connection that have intensified in recent years.

The chapter builds toward Brown’s central thesis: Both individuals and organizations need functional strength, core stability, and genuine connection to navigate rapid change. She argues that technology built on dysfunction remains dysfunctional regardless of its sophistication, and that human wisdom and connection must be foundational to any transformation. This represents a continuation of Brown’s decades-long work on vulnerability and courage, now applied specifically to organizational contexts facing unprecedented disruption.

Chapter Lessons

• Physical and organizational strength require addressing core dysfunction first, not building new capabilities on top of existing weaknesses.
• Finding “strong ground” means connecting mind and body to create stability and power.
• Transformation requires deep, broad, and disciplined commitment across multiple domains, not quick fixes or isolated tools.
• Human connection and wisdom are the foundation of organizational strength, especially during technological disruption. In an era of AI integration and rapid change, organizations that protect and cultivate human capacities for collaboration, meaning-making, and courage will be more resilient than those that view technology as a replacement for human capabilities.

Reflection Questions

• Where in your life might you be compensating with “inefficient muscle groups”—using workarounds or quick fixes instead of addressing core weaknesses? (8). What would it look like to build functional strength in that area?
• Think of a moment when you felt physically or emotionally unsteady. What practices or mental reminders could help you find “strong ground” when you encounter similar situations in the future?