Is Courage Your Missing Key to High Performance?

Courage is essential for achieving dreams and goals, yet we rarely discuss how to consciously build and strengthen our courage. What if courage is a muscle you can actively train—in yourself and in your teams?

What is Courage?

Courage isn’t the absence of fear. It’s feeling fear, acknowledging it, and acting anyway.

The root word of “courage” is cor, meaning “heart.” Acting courageously often means following your heart and what matters deeply to you. Whether it’s saving someone’s life or stepping out of your comfort zone to serve others better, courage shows up in many forms—both in heroic and in every day actions.

Courage isn’t the absence of fear. It’s feeling fear, acknowledging it, and acting anyway.

How to start building your Courage muscle:

Start by reflecting on how courage has served you in the past. Think of a time when you were faced with something that took a lot of courage that produced a positive outcome. Find a few examples of this in business and life then review and memorize the feelings of courage you experienced and the triumph of overcoming using that courage. These are now your courage touchstones that you can use to bring in more courage while facing new challenges.

• Dedicate time to reflect and act on areas that require courage.
• Document progress and celebrate even small wins.?

The ABCs of Courage

Here are key activators of courage to help build momentum:

ACTION

Courage often starts with action. Consider areas where there has been hesitation or procrastination. What three actions could help you step out of the comfort zone? Whether it’s reaching out to someone or tackling a long-postponed task, these steps strengthen the courage muscle.

Tip: Reframe fear as excitement. Nervous about something? Tell yourself, “I’m excited to do this.” The chemicals in the brain are the same for fear as they are for excitement—it’s the mindset that makes the difference. Practice reframing your fears to increase your courage.

ALLOWING

Sometimes, courage means letting go and allowing things to unfold. High Performers often feel the need to control things, but stepping back can be transformative. For example, allow a customer to express frustration without reacting immediately or allow time to sit with discomfort instead of rushing to fix it.

Challenge: Identify one area where restraint can be practiced by letting things develop naturally. Or identify one thing you can completely let go to free up space for something better.

BEING

Have the courage to be authentically you. In what ways are your actions not aligned with your true self—professionally or personally? Choose one or two areas to show up more authentically and let go of trying to meet others’ expectations.

Reminder: Being yourself is the most effective way to succeed.

COMMUNICATION

Courageous communication means being honest with yourself and others. Stop sugarcoating thoughts or adding qualifiers. Practice stating needs and feelings clearly and allow them to land without overexplaining.

Exercise: Pick one difficult conversation that you have avoided. Plan to approach it with honesty and courage.

How Leaders Can Inspire Courage in Their Teams

Leaders play a pivotal role in fostering courage within their teams.

Using the ABCs of Courage, leaders can:

Inspire Action

• Encourage team members to step outside their comfort zones by modeling bold actions yourself. Share stories of risks you’ve taken and the lessons learned.
• Challenge the team to identify three actions they’ve been hesitant about and support them in taking those steps.

Emphasize Allowing

• Create a culture where it’s safe to make mistakes. Allow team members to voice ideas without fear of judgment.
• Practice restraint by giving team members space to solve problems in their own way, fostering confidence and independence.

Support Authentic Being

• Celebrate individuality and authenticity. Recognize and encourage each team member’s unique strengths and talents.
• Encourage employees to approach tasks in ways that feel natural to them, even if it differs from the norm.

Foster Courageous Communication

• Promote open, honest dialogue by creating a safe space for team members to express concerns and ideas.
• Model clear, respectful communication, and encourage others to do the same, especially during challenging conversations.

What Does a Courageous Organization Look Like?

A courageous organization embodies bold action, authenticity, and open communication while fostering an environment where calculated risks are encouraged, and failure is seen as an opportunity for growth. Organizations like these are unafraid to innovate, challenge the status quo, and embrace diverse perspectives.

Take Netflix, for example. The company’s culture is built on empowering employees to take risks and communicate openly, which has driven its innovative breakthroughs in streaming. Similarly, Patagonia exemplifies courage by aligning its business practices with its values, such as environmental sustainability, even when it involves taking bold stances that could alienate some customers. These organizations inspire courage by fostering environments where authenticity thrives, mistakes lead to learning, and employees feel confident to act decisively.

The Courage Challenge

Every day, aim to do something that scares you! This is the best and fastest way to build your Courage muscle. Reflect on what actions, allowances, or conversations challenge your comfort zone and address them honestly and authentically. Document progress. Building this key high performance habit compounds courage, making once-daunting tasks feel effortless over time.

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About the creator of High Performance Solutions

Lisa Markman in a Certified High Performance Coach?, corporate trainer, consultant, speaker and facilitator with over 30 years of experience in consulting and coaching business leaders to achieve better outcomes for themselves and their organizations.

Lisa partners with for and non-profit business leaders to support their vision & mission through customized consulting and proven coaching frameworks developing high performance strategies that reduce burnout, improve engagement, increase retention, and optimize performance.