The signs of real courage in Leadership

Courage is a word that is often associated with leadership. We look for this quality in leaders above many others, and for good reason, when we see it demonstrated it generates a high level of trust and respect in colleagues. When those emotions are built, then we are inspired to action based upon belief and a desire to deliver for reasons above and beyond our own immediate needs. We are prepared to go the extra mile because we see the willingness of our leaders to confront their own difficulties and uncertainties before they ask others to do the same thing. A leader that shows courage in the face of a situation is usually a leader that many of us want to be associated with, we find it hugely motivating and engaging. We mobilise from the heart.

Yet, how do we define acts of courage in a leader? What do colleagues really respect? I would suggest if we are to accept the insight of Nelson Mandela that, "courage is not the absence of fear but the triumph over it. The brave person is not someone who feels afraid, but who can conquer that fear," then we must ask ourselves the most searching questions in the most personally challenging situations as leaders. These are not always the moments that are obvious to others - but they do have a massive positive impact when they are dealt with. The impact on ourselves and those we are surrounded by is huge if these moments are faced with courage. However, because of the demands they place on a leader's inner most emotions they are often not faced into.

Courage in leadership is not always about great single visible acts and deeds. Such moments are very often forced upon us by situations and circumstances where we have no choice but to act. What is often perceived as courageous acts in leadership are very often no more than situations where are choices are predefined.

As important are certain situations where we face choices where the outcome may not have immediate consequences if the more difficult choices are not made. In my experience the below position require great courage to act, precisely because you don’t have to act, and in that very act you invite a level of increased risk, exposure, difficulty or sacrifice. At those moments we know how courageous we truly are. I hope this is helpful to somebody in their leadership journey. These are the moments you must show courage above all else.

1. Are we prepared to let go of the levers of control?

Devolving decision making to others whilst maintaining responsibility is a transformational step in the journey of any leader. Often we achieve short term success through tight control and being involved in micro decision making. The moment we face the the choice of empowering others to take control of their own destiny or trying to maintain control of that ourselves is a defining one. We can stick with comfort blanket of micro management, or be brave enough to give others the opportunity. The even more defining moment occurs when having made that step a colleague has their first setback. Can we accept responsibility for the actions of that person and work with them to improve, or do we revert to type? Leaders that do that show faith and trust and allow colleagues to lead whilst accepting responsibility for actions see a transformation in accountability, ownership and engagement - but the first steps lie with us. As JC Watts brilliantly reflects, "It doesn't take a lot of strength to hang on, it takes a lot of strength to let go." Are we brave enough to let others lead?

I have a very personal example of that in a previous article I wrote titled, "Release the power of people. Let them lead."

2. Will you deconstruct your previous achievements?

Being prepared to accept what gave success today may not give us success tomorrow is hard - especially when your on top. It is very easy to become precious and protective about the things we have done - especially when they have been success'. However very often whats gets us to one level will not take us to the next. Bill Gates points out, "success is a lousy teacher as it seduces smart people to think they cannot lose." Leaders who have the courage to accept that even in achievement we must be prepared to unpick what has been built to deliver more success tomorrow, are focused on building success upon success. If that means removing the blocks of what they have built today to build something new then that is what will done. Timing of such moments is also critical, it is so easy to hang on to long before making moves and the spiral of success has already turned into the spiral of failure, by that stage enacting change can be much more challenging.

3. How willing are we to purse a path of unfamiliarity?

It is easy to do what we know, yet that will also give us the results that we know. To transform we sometimes need to embrace solutions we do not know. Leaders play a fundamental role in such an approach. But they most firstly be prepared to deal with there own doubts and insecurities over doing something different. Giving others confidence and reassurance to join you on that path is based on your own persona and confidence levels. Deal with your own hesitance first then lead your colleagues along that path. The secondary prize of such a mindset was brilliantly captured by AJ Darkholme, he observes, There is a stability in pursuing a path of uncertainty, because you never allow yourself to be misled by what you know." To maintain a personal growth mindset we do need to challenge our assumptions and doing things that are unfamiliar means we have to learn and develop approaches ourselves. We grow through the courage to embrace something new and different and not simply stick with what we know.

4. Are you happy to deal with the elephant in the room?

It is easy to avoid real issues - we simply busy ourselves with tackling the easy ones and the ones we are comfortable with. Facing the real issues is not easy as it forces us to face uncomfortable truths - but the courageous leader will deal with the real issues because they will lead to a better tomorrow. Making the tough calls and not the easy ones is a very clear sign of our courage. It is also a very visible one to our colleagues and those we lead. Most people see the elephants in the room - they just avoid them. What makes a leader stand out to people is their desire to be the one who stands up and says "This needs dealing with." People see them they also see avoidance when they are not dealt with. Not Ignoring the elephant in the room is a sign of genuine ambition and intent to improve. If people see our willingness to address such challenges then their confidence grows that we are serious about improvement - not merely paying lip service. We should all absorb Ellen Wittlinger's fantastic analogy that "when there is an elephant in the room you can simply pretend it is not there and just discuss the ants."

5. Are we prepared to change from a course that we have set.

Sometimes we get it wrong. Leaders are not immune to errors, in fact quite the contrary. To push the boundaries of what is possible and to explore areas that have not been covered before means there is a high degree of probability we will occasionally go down an incorrect avenue. Being prepared to put our hand up and say stop and the do something about that is important on many levels, but it starts with a choice. Are we brave enough to accept responsibility for our own errors? That is especially the case when it is a path you have sponsored and promoted as the right way to go forward. Because its your course does not make it always right the right course, if it is wrong it is wrong. Recognise that and shift trajectory, people watch how we deal with our own errors of judgement, it defines their approach to their own mistakes. Nobody likes to be incorrect, but the reality is we all are occasionally - the differentiation lies in those who are prepared to accept that fact. In leadership we don't always have people prepared to point it out - so we need to be able to see it in ourselves and certainly accept it..

We often perceive as courage in leadership associated to great visible acts and deeds, indeed many leaders like us to think that way as it heightens the impact associated with courageous acts. It is undoubtedly the case that there are occasions where leaders must and do demonstrate such acts. Yet real courage in leaders is often what we do not see - it is the choices we make when there is no obvious immediate gain and the circumstances can be hidden or only have longer term benefits. Real courage in leadership is not about the single great deeds, it is about the situations where we are prepared to risk our own perceived position and security for the greater long term good of others - at that point we really see what lies at the heart of us. For we should not only respect the spectacular choices that are made in the world we must also learn to value the hidden ones, they often have a value which far outlasts the former.

Likes, comments and shares are always appreciated.