Strong Ground: The Lessons of Daring Leadership, the Tenacity of Paradox, and the Wisdom of the Human Spirit

In this chapter, Brown explores the concept of “negative capability,” a term coined by poet John Keats in 1817, which refers to the ability to remain present with uncertainty, mystery, and doubt without rushing toward premature conclusions or fabricated certainties (59). Brown frames this capacity as essential to courage and effective leadership.

The chapter’s central argument draws from Keats’s letter to his brothers, where he identified negative capability as the quality that enabled Shakespeare’s genius. Brown contextualizes this 19th-century poetic principle within contemporary challenges, particularly the cultural tendency to manufacture certainty when faced with ambiguity. She points to the COVID-19 pandemic as a stark example, during which widespread discomfort with uncertainty drove many people toward conspiracy theories and fabricated “facts.” This observation reflects broader sociological research on how communities respond to crisis with either critical thinking or defensive certainty.

Brown positions negative capability as a practical leadership skill, emphasizing that leaders who can authentically say “I don’t know” or advocate for slowing down decision-making processes demonstrate courage rather than weakness (61). This argument reframes vulnerability in professional contexts, challenging workplace cultures that equate certainty with competence. The chapter builds on Brown’s established body of work on vulnerability and courage while introducing a more philosophical framework for understanding how individuals can remain grounded amid ambiguity.