Throughout the ages, people have searched for the
precise ingredients that constitute great leadership. In measured
proportions, great leaders are said to demonstrate bold but reasoned judgment,
spirited but calculated risk-taking and an assertive but reflective
disposition. Complicating the matter are the expectations and needs of those
being led. Followers want leaders who make decisions decisively but
inclusively, interpret situations with rational and emotional intelligence and
exude confidence and humility.
The list of characteristics that comprise great
leadership is so long and contradictory, that the aspiring leader is left to
ask, “Where on earth do I start?” Fortunately, there is a clear starting point.
One leadership characteristic—or more accurately, virtue—informs and
strengthens all others: Courage.
Aristotle called courage the first virtue, because
it makes all of the other virtues possible. In addition to being the most
important human virtue, it is the most important business virtue, as well.
Think about it: Other important business concepts like leadership, innovation
and sales wither in the absence of courage. Leadership takes making bold and
often unpopular decisions. Leadership takes courage. Innovation involves
creating ground-breaking but tradition-defying ideas. Innovation takes courage.
Sales requires being repeatedly rejected before closing a deal. Sales takes
courage. Take away courage, and sales, innovation and leadership lose their
potency.
Contrary to popular belief, courage is a teachable
and learnable skill, and most everyone has the capacity to be courageous.
Moreover, nearly all courageous acts represent one or more of three types of
courage:
TRY Courage: The courage of initiative and action— making first attempts, pursuing
pioneering efforts and stepping up to the plate.
TRUST Courage: The courage of confidence in others— letting go of the need to control
situations or outcomes, having faith in people and being open to direction and
change.
TRY Courage: The courage of voice— raising difficult issues, providing tough
feedback and sharing unpopular opinions.
The good news is everyone has the capacity for
being courageous. I know this firsthand. From an early age, I’ve had a gripping
fear of heights. What did I do about this fear? I became a high diver! Fear is
an invitation to courage, and I accepted the invitation. Over a long period of
time—and by trying, trusting and telling courage—I was able to dominate my fear
of heights instead of letting it dominate me. Though I remain afraid of
heights, I was able to master my fear enough to perform more than 1,500 high
dives from heights that scaled to over 100 feet.
These days I devote my life to helping people and
organizations be more courageous, to discover so much power packed up in them.
The most important lesson I have learnt is that the entire workforce wins when
everyone shows up to work each day with more courage. With less fear and more
courage, workers take on harder projects, deal better with change and speak up
more willingly about important issues. In short, courageous workers try more,
trust more and tell more. As a business leader and entrepreneur, your job is to
put courage inside of people— to encourage them. By applying the three
different types of courage, as well as the tips above, courage can be put to
good use in your own workplace.
Entepreneurs Organization
