With all the uncertainty of these times I have been asking myself many questions and doing a great deal of soul searching. Today I am writing to you about the leadership skill, courage. I refer to it as a skill because I believe it needs to be developed. I will write about what it is and why it is essential to leadership. I will also talk about fear and how to face fears and build courage. This is the first in a series of 6 leadership lessons. I will be producing a webcast as well that will be made available to the public at no charge on the topic of courage.
I don’t know about you, but at times I find it easier to despise the difficulties in my life than to endure them well and try to look for the learnings of those situations.
“Experience gives the test first and then lessons afterwards.” – John Maxwell
Amidst the current health and economic trauma that we are witnessing, it can be hard to wait and look for the lessons. Some things, however, don’t change and courage is one of them. It takes courage to lead, regardless of the circumstances or conditions. It is the decision, not the condition, that determines our quality of life and our effectiveness as leaders.
Leadership requires that you make decisions and it ofttimes takes courage to do so. Ask yourself, am I courageous? Do you remember the Wizard of Oz? It was a great example of courage displayed and so much more. Dorothy was very courageous throughout the movie. Did she lack fear? No, but she also did not lack courage. What about her sidekicks – Cowardly Lion, Tin Man and Scarecrow? Cowardly Lion wanted to be brave, as lions are supposed to be. He began his journey to courage with what? Self-realization. He made two statements after Dorothy stood up to him and called him “nothing but a big coward”. His response was “Yes, I am a coward. I even scare myself sometimes.” That was the beginning of his journey down the yellow brick road to developing courage. That road was filled with obstacles, but Lion had a vision for himself and he didn’t quit closing his gap until he obtained courage.
Dorothy went well beyond displaying courage with the Lion. She exhibited courage multiple times. She did so by facing her fears and dealing with them. You and I must do the same. If we don’t, they will become like the 800-pound gorilla in our lives.
Courage is the ability to control your fear in a dangerous or difficult situation. In the absence of fear, there is no courage and if there are no options to bail out, no courage is required. When Lion was bullying Tin Man and Scarecrow, they bailed out. Dorothy chose not to.
Leadership requires courage because even though you don’t need a title you do need courage to lead. It is not easy and can be lonely. Think of the times you have felt all alone as a leader or even someone who was doing something visible and it didn’t work out well. Daring to make mistakes or stand up for what is right takes courage. Breaking traditional rules such as being friends with those who report to you takes courage. The list is long and includes:
being transparent and honest
putting others first
making decisions for long term good that may have unpopular short-term implications
asking for help
being yourself
being vulnerable
admitting you are wrong
allowing others to be in the spotlight
being confident
seeing failures as steppingstones to success
“Courage is rightly esteemed the first of human qualities…because it is the quality which guarantees all others” – Winston Churchill
Build courage by facing your fears. Face your fears by considering this:
Fear is sometimes a good thing… it can save your life from jumping 100 feet into a shallow pool of water.
… F.E.A.R. – It is often False Evidence Appearing Real so is the only thing to fear. Step into it!
Fear derails, debilitates and sometimes defines you if you allow yourself to be consumed by it.
We are born with only 2 fears, falling and loud noises, but now there is a list of about 2,000 fears.
Face your fears by remembering this:
The road to success is often the road less traveled because it is scattered with obstacles such as fear. That doesn’t mean you should avoid it!
If something scares you, you need to address it! It won’t go away if you don’t.
MAP a plan – it will be your road to success and courage. MAP is symbolic and represents Measurable, Attainable and Profitable goals. Your MAP will move you from the Now ground to New ground. Step out of your comfort zone into the game and execute your plan
“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” – Nelson Mandela
Here is a suggested plan of action:
Conduct a self-assessment to determine who you are and where you are at. Be honest.
Determine who you want to become and where you want to go. Be realistic but stretch.
Get in the game by structuring a step by step plan to begin to close the gap
Find yourself a mentor
Fill your mind with solid leadership material. Training. Books. Videos. Movies.
Hang around with winners
Watch yourself grow
Pay close attention to how things are different within and around you. Your life will be changing!
Never stop or give up. Grow continuously. You will be glad you did!
“Courage is being scared to death and saddling up anyway.” – John Wayne