Welcome to Dare to Lead (DTL), BetterUp's cohort-based leadership development program built on Dr. Brené Brown's curriculum. This guide walks you through everything you need to know to make the most of your experience.
Please note: Depending on your cohort and organization, certain details of your experience — such as coaching options and program timing — may look slightly different from what's described here. If you have questions specific to your program, reach out to your program administrator or reach out to support@betterup.co
What Is Dare to Lead?
Dare to Lead is a multi-modal leadership development program designed for people managers and directors. It combines:
- Self-paced learning through video lessons and interactive exercises
- Dare to Lead Small Groups — facilitated sessions with a close-knit peer group
- Large Cohort Workshops — full-wave sessions connecting the curriculum to your organization's strategy
- AI Coaching — available 24/7, trained on the Dare to Lead methodology
1:1 Coaching (if included in your organization's program) — individual sessions with a certified Dare to Lead coach
Getting Started: Onboarding
When your organization launches its program wave, you'll receive an invitation to create your BetterUp account. Onboarding is structured in four phases and takes about 15–20 minutes total. Members must complete onboarding by the deadline in order to participate in Dare to Lead.
Phase 1: Account Setup
Create your BetterUp account and complete your profile. You'll see a preview screen showing what to expect and how long onboarding will take.
Phase 2: Introduction Video
Watch an introductory video from Brené Brown (~8 minutes) that sets the stage for the program. You'll find her bio and credentials below the video on the same screen. This step is skippable if needed.
Phase 3: Small Group Time Preferences
You'll be presented with a curated list of available time slots for your recurring small group sessions. Here's what to know:
- Select the times that work for you. You'll need to choose a minimum number of slots before moving on. You're selecting a day of week and time of day — not a specific date.
- If none of the listed slots work, you'll have the option to enter your general availability on the next page.
- The registration window is open for approximately 10–12 days. A deadline will be set in partnership with your organization.
- If you miss the deadline, you'll be matched into a group based on your time zone.
Phase 4: Assessments
You'll complete two baseline assessments:
- Daring Leadership Assessment — measures your starting point across four courage skill sets
- Whole Person Model Assessment — a whole-person leadership baseline
After completing your assessments, you'll watch a closing video from Brené Brown and land on your program homepage — ready to explore.
Your Homepage
Your BetterUp homepage is your central hub for everything in Dare to Lead. It's dynamic, meaning it surfaces the most relevant action for where you are in your journey. You may see:
- A reminder for your next small group session
- An invitation to continue your current learning circuit
- Prompts to engage with your AI Coach
- Notifications for upcoming workshops
- Alerts when a new program circuit unlocks
Navigation Tabs
| Tab | What You'll Find |
| Insights | Your personal assessment results across the four courage skill sets |
| Programs | Your self-paced curriculum — videos, interactive exercises, resources, and surveys |
| Schedule | Your upcoming small group sessions and 1:1 coaching appointments |
| AI Coach | Direct, always-on access to your Dare to Lead AI Coach |
Your Learning Journey: The Curriculum
The year-long program is divided into four quarter-length Strength Circuits, each focused on a different courage skill set.
Each 8-Week Circuit Includes:
- Self-paced learning modules (videos, interactive exercises, and additional resources)
- 2 small group sessions to practice and apply what you're learning
- A pulse assessment at the end of the cycle to measure your growth
Between Circuits (~1 Month):
- An integration period to apply your skills at work
- 1 large cohort workshop for all managers and directors in your wave
Small Group Sessions
Your Dare to Lead small group is a core part of the experience. These 60-minute sessions are designed for practice — not lectures. You'll engage in conversations, scenarios, and peer learning with the same group of 12–15 people throughout the year, guided by a Dare to Lead expert facilitator.
What to Expect:
- Your group assignment and first calendar invites will arrive the day your program officially opens.
- Your group is designed to stay consistent throughout the year — same peers, same facilitator.
- Expect to receive reminders prior to each session
How to Join a Session:
- 12 hours before your session, a reminder card will appear on your homepage.
- At session time, your homepage will surface the session as your top action item with a link to join.
- You can also join directly from your calendar invitation.
After Each Session:
A brief post-session feedback survey is required, even if you didn't attend the session, in order to proceed to the next lesson in your digital program. You will find the survey in the Programs section of the platform.
Large Cohort Workshops
Once per circuit, all managers and directors in your organization's wave come together for a 60-minute workshop. These sessions connect the Dare to Lead curriculum to your organization's broader strategy and are hosted on MS Teams.
When a workshop is available, a card will appear on your homepage with a link to join.
1:1 Coaching (If Included in Your Program)
If your organization has included 1:1 coaching, you'll be matched with a certified Dare to Lead coach — a different person from your small group facilitator, intentionally, to offer you multiple perspectives.
Please note, that some programs only include four 1:1 sessions per contract year.
- When you're eligible to match with a coach, your homepage will guide you through the process.
- A banner in the Programs section will also appear to invite you to match — it won't show up until coaching is available to you, and it disappears once you've selected a coach.
Your Dare to Lead AI Coach
The Dare to Lead AI Coach is available to you 24/7 throughout your entire program year. Unlike a general coaching tool, it's specifically trained on Brené Brown's Dare to Lead methodology.
What You Can Do With Your AI Coach:
- Practice difficult conversations before they happen
- Work through values clarification exercises
- Apply specific Dare to Lead tools to real work situations
- Ask questions about curriculum content (e.g., "What's the difference between regular confidence and grounded confidence?")
- Reflect on your leadership journey through a Dare to Lead lens
How to access it: Look for the AI Coach card on your homepage, or navigate directly to the AI Coach tab in the top navigation.
Assessments & Insights
| Assessment | When | Purpose |
| Daring Leadership Assessment | Onboarding (baseline) | Measures the four courage skill sets |
| Whole Person Model Assessment | Onboarding (baseline) | Whole-person leadership baseline |
| Pulse Assessments | End of each 8-week circuit | Tracks your growth each quarter |
| Post-Session Feedback Survey | After each small group session | Helps improve the experience |
Your baseline results and ongoing pulse data are visible anytime in the Insights tab on your homepage.
Before the Program Officially Opens
Once you finish onboarding, you won't have to wait with nothing to do. You'll have immediate access to:
- Orientation & Grounding content in the Programs tab — introductory videos and interactive exercises to get you ready
- Your AI Coach
- Your assessment results in the Insights tab
The full program curriculum will unlock for all members in your wave on the same day.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if none of the small group time slots work for me? After viewing the pre-defined slots, you'll be given the option to submit your general availability. This information is used to help find a workable group for you.
What if I miss the registration window? You'll be matched into a group based on your time zone. The in-platform registration page will show as closed, and you won't be able to select time slots manually after the deadline. Once you are assigned a small group in your time zone, you will be notified with a calendar invite and can find session times listed in your Schedule tab.
What if I need to move to a different small group? Contact BetterUp Support at support.betterup.co. A support specialist will help identify a compatible group for you.
What if I can't attend a scheduled small group session? If you can not attend one of your small group sessions, please complete your pre-work. To stay aligned and ready for the next session, consider connecting with someone in your group to catch up on key insights and reflections. Partnering with a teammate helps keep your learning and connection strong between sessions.
Where do I see my facilitator's name? Your small group lead's name will appear on your session card 12 hours before each session.
Can I access the program before it officially opens? Yes — Orientation & Grounding content, your AI Coach, and your assessment results are all available as soon as you complete onboarding.
Why is my next lesson locked? Future lessons will remain locked until you have completed all previous lessons. To unlock, please go back to previous lessons, marking all as complete, including any post-session surveys.
Can I go back and rewatch videos? Yes! Once a milestone is complete, you can always scroll back to it to view it from the Program Tab and access any activity in the milestone.
Where can I find my digital workbook? Your digital workbook is located in your Welcome lesson, just before Lesson 1. To access it:
- Log in and navigate to the Program tab.
- Scroll to the Welcome lesson.
- At the bottom of the page, find the Lesson Resources and Downloads section — your workbook will be there.
Still have questions? Visit support.betterup.co or reach out to your program administrator.