Scales of Change, Start With Courage

Balancing the Scales of Courage and Inclusion in Leadership

We often speak of fostering courage, inclusion, and equity within our teams, but how often do we stop to reflect on what we are truly adding to the scales?

In every decision we make, every behaviour we exhibit, and every policy we enforce, we tip the balance in one direction or another. How often do we really pause and ask How are we contributing to creating the conditions for courage and inclusivity? Are we individually and collectively weighting the scales with bias, privilege, and exclusion?

The Scales of Hidden Solutions

In the first image, the scales are tipped heavily with bias, privilege, and discrimination—factors that often remain hidden within the organisational fabric. Power might be a missing weight?

The weight of these might often be invisible and holds back our teams and prevents innovation, inclusion, and the courage needed to speak up. But what if we could actively balance these hidden factors with intentional solutions? This can be where courage calls for leaders to to reflect:

• What actions are you taking to balance the scales?
• Are you fostering psychological safety that encourages brave decisions and actions?
• What would you add to the scale to support courage in your organisation?
• Do you know how to create the conditions for courageous decisions and brave actions?
• Have you considered how these benefit the wider culture and business?

Imagine behaviours, whether positive or negative, adding a small weight to one side of the scale. What would you like to see added or removed?

Courage in an organisation isn't just about the big decisions—it's woven into the everyday interactions and behaviours of the entire team. Are your people empowered to engage in courageous conversations or are they held back by fear of repercussions? Do they have trust in the leadership team?

One tool to foster this environment is through listening circles. These are safe spaces where employees are encouraged to speak openly, listen actively, and share experiences without fear of judgment. Listening circles provide opportunities for team members to express concerns and ideas, allowing for meaningful change and collaboration. In these spaces, we begin to balance the scales—removing the weight of silence and adding the support of inclusion and shared understanding.

The Scales of Inequity

The second image presents the “Scales of Inequity,” showing how courage, when supported by diversity, self-awareness, equity, and inclusion, can balance out the biases, oppression, and exclusion deeply embedded in organisational cultures. This dynamic balance is what I call courageous decision-making—where individuals are empowered to speak out and act on decisions that challenge the status quo, without fear of negative consequences.

The path to creating a courageous and inclusive culture isn’t linear. It takes deliberate effort to cultivate the right conditions. Here are some steps I recommend to help you and your teams along this journey:

• Courageous Conversations: These structured, intentional discussions enable teams to tackle difficult topics such as bias, privilege, and inequity in a supportive environment. These conversations help individuals voice their concerns, challenge assumptions, and develop new perspectives. Through facilitated dialogue, courageous conversations build trust and transparency.
• Psychological Safety Workshops: Psychological safety is the foundation for any courageous action. When employees know they are safe to make mistakes, ask questions, or challenge leadership without fear of retribution, they’re more likely to take the brave steps necessary to create real change. These workshops equip teams and leaders with the tools to create and maintain a culture of safety and open communication.
• Fireside Chats on Courageous Decision-Making: Fireside chats provide an informal yet powerful platform to engage leadership and teams in dialogue about courage. By sharing personal stories of bravery, risk-taking, and decision-making, these sessions create a space where vulnerability becomes a strength and shared experiences inspire action.

All these approaches—listening circles, courageous conversations, psychological safety workshops, and fireside chats—work in tandem to create a culture that doesn’t just focus on EDI metrics but embeds courage into the very DNA of the organisation. When individuals feel supported to Be Braver in their roles, the impact transcends inclusion. It influences retention, wellbeing, staff satisfaction, growth, and innovation.

The Courage to Lead

We partner with leadership teams, from ExCo consultation to strategy sessions, to help them create the conditions necessary for courage to thrive. We can build courageous cultures that are not only psychologically safe but also diverse, inclusive, and equitable. But it all starts with leaders who are willing to add to the right side of the scale.

The scales may be tipped today, but with deliberate effort and intentional action, we can balance them to create workplaces where courage is the norm, and bravery is celebrated.