Brave Together by Chris Deaver & Ian Clawson Summary

Brave Together explores how leaders and teams can harness co-creation to drive innovation, overcome fear, and build thriving cultures. It combines principles like the Mirror Test (self-awareness for integrity) and Hero’s Sacrifice (prioritizing collective success) to reframe creativity as a collaborative force. The book draws on insights from Apple’s cultural shifts under Tim Cook and Disney’s NextGen projects, offering actionable strategies for turning adversity into creative power.

This book is ideal for corporate leaders seeking strategic alignment, creative professionals aiming to unlock team innovation, and entrepreneurs building collaborative startups. It’s also valuable for anyone interested in transforming workplace dynamics or personal relationships through shared problem-solving.

Yes. Endorsed by thought leaders like Marshall Goldsmith and Daniel H. Pink, Brave Together provides a fresh alternative to hustle culture by prioritizing co-creation over competition. Its frameworks, tested at Apple and Disney, offer practical steps to combat burnout and foster environments where diverse ideas thrive.

• The Mirror Test: Aligning actions with core values to build trust.
• Hero’s Sacrifice: Releasing ego to empower teams.
• Compass Passion Principle: Channeling setbacks into creative fuel.
• Co-creator Mindset: Shifting from "me" to "we" in problem-solving.

The book argues creativity isn’t solitary genius but collective problem-solving. Examples include Apple’s shift from secrecy to cross-team collaboration on AirPods and Disney’s multi-studio synergy for Marvel films. It emphasizes measuring creativity by audience impact, not individual output.

Some may find its emphasis on collaboration overly idealistic for highly competitive industries. However, the authors acknowledge challenges through case studies, advocating for incremental cultural shifts rather than overnight changes.

1. Mirror Test: Daily self-reflection to align actions with values.
2. Compass Passion Principle: Mapping team strengths to shared goals.
3. Become the Future: Prototyping ideas through rapid experimentation.

Co-author Chris Deaver advised Tim Cook’s leadership team during Apple’s transition to a $1 trillion valuation, helping integrate cross-functional collaboration into product development (e.g., iPhone, AirPods). The book reveals how Apple moved from “think different” to “work different together”.

“Adversity isn’t a wall—it’s the raw material for creative breakthroughs.”

This underscores the book’s theme of transforming challenges into collaborative opportunities, illustrated by Pixar’s iterative storytelling process.

• Use daily check-ins to identify ego-driven decisions (Mirror Test).
• Host passion mapping sessions to align team strengths with projects.
• Replace “sprints” with co-creation workshops to prototype ideas.

The authors argue vulnerability fuels innovation by enabling teams to share imperfect ideas without fear. For example, Disney’s NextGen team openly debated risky tech upgrades for Star Wars attractions, leading to groundbreaking immersive experiences.

It predicts a shift from competition-driven hierarchies to co-creative networks, where success hinges on diverse perspectives. The book cites remote work tools and AI collaboration platforms as enablers of this transition.

Chris Deaver co-founded BraveCore, a leadership consultancy, and advised Apple, Disney, and Nike. He co-hosts the Lead with a Question podcast and contributes to Fast Company and The World Economic Forum.

Unlike solo success narratives (e.g., Atomic Habits), it prioritizes collective achievement. While Lean In focuses on individual empowerment, Brave Together advocates systemic cultural redesign through shared ownership.

Yes, including Apple’s post-Steve Jobs cultural reboot, Pixar’s collaboration model that outperformed Disney’s silos, and Nike’s customer co-creation strategies. However, specific financial metrics or internal memos are not disclosed.