Peter Voyer, Courage in leadership: from the battlefield to the boardroom. 

What is courage?

Most definitions of courage are variations of the one in the  Merriam-Webster Dictionary, which states that courage is "mental or moral strength to venture, persevere and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty." 

So why is this so important to being a great leader? 

Shackleton's story of remarkable courage and bold leadership 

Shackleton embodied the courage of commitment to his crew's survival and the maintenance of their morale against appalling odds.  What are the lessons for today's leaders in facing economic and social disruption?
 

Click on the screen below to find out more about Shackleton's courage

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Embracing risk with calculated engagement

A great leader is one who engages or even embraces risk because innovation and great strides will inevitably involve risk.  As Kathleen Reardon says, "Winning in risky situations often requires being what you haven't been, thinking as you haven't thought, and acting as you haven't acted".

But courageous action – a form of calculated risk-taking – is not an impulsive action born of danger in the moment.  Great leaders have a high willingness to make bold moves only after careful deliberation and preparation.  They teach themselves how to make high-risk decisions in ways which maximise success and reduce career risk.   
Each time we navigate through a crisis and find a little strength in it, we're able to pick out an insight we can learn from; at the same time, we resolve not to get bitter, weaker, smaller. or more frightened, but, rather, to get the tiniest bit braver ...A leader's ability to do this is profound, not only from him or herself, but for the impact it exerts on others and the larger mission. 
https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/courageous-leadership
Such leaders:

  • read situations quickly, but are never reckless and always patient
  • embrace change not only with courage but also with excitement and a pervasive curiosity
  • remain calm and embody poise in the face of crisis.
For you to be a courageous leader, you will have an understanding of the relative benefit of organisational and personal goals, and the actual cost of failure.  You will be able to face up to the potential emotional pain of rejection or embarrassment, or the financial pain of the loss of promotion prospects.  You will not be shackled by a potential loss of adulation and appreciation;  you understand that genuinely courageous leadership is not possible if you shirk criticism and if you require extrinsic motivation. 

7 hallmarks of a courageous leader

  1. You adhere to moral principles – you do the right thing when no-one is watching, and you do it with authenticity and constancy 

  2. You demonstrate the courage to disagree constructively 

  3. You show vulnerability and you commit to doing better, leading to increased levels of trust  

  4. You demonstrate loyalty to above and below at all times, having the courage not to demean or gossip despite the social pressure to join in  

  5. You accept responsibility by maturely owning up to mistakes, without blame or deflection, and engage with accountability, holding yourself and others to account without making excuses

  6. You persevere through to the end, showing devotion to a cause or an idea, persisting in the face of opposition and showing the resilience to bounce forward from setbacks and challenges

  7.  You develop your courage one brave step at a time - by
    a.  holding that difficult conversation
    b.  constructively calling breaches in expectations, whether relating to                performance or principled behaviour
    c.  scrupulously examining your integrity on even the smallest things
    d.  hogging the criticism and sharing the limelight.

 What brave step will you take this week?

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