Management Perspectives

While I was learning how to lead in the Marine Corps, I was presented with examples of heroes who had sacrificed their lives for the safety and security of their colleagues to ensure mission accomplishment. Their stories were beyond inspiring. As a young student of leadership, these portraits of courage shaped the way I approached my role as a leader. I learned that courage was not just a responsibility, it was an imperative to be successful.

Now, as an author and consultant on leadership development, I often get asked to speak to groups about courage… not on the battlefield, but in the workplace.

Courage can seem like a surprising topic to discuss with business leaders, mostly because of how it is interpreted upon first reference.

When people hear the word ‘courage’, they immediately think of physical courage-the proverbial “jumping on a grenade” to save the platoon. Obviously, this is not the work environment for most people outside of first responders and hostage negotiators.

That being said, courage is still needed in business-arguably, now more than ever. As we approach our post-pandemic world, uncertainty still abounds. We need courageous leaders making difficult decisions, shaping the future, and innovating in ways that add value to their teams, business, and the world we live in.

To understand courage, it is important to understand that it is not action in the absence of fear. It is action in the face of it.

There are plenty of situations we encounter at work that stir our fears and require courage: initiating layoffs in the organisation, accounting for missed performance objectives, and being the person to discuss the elephant-in-the-room issue.

Without courage in these moments, there are significant consequences for us and the organisations we are a part of.

Courage is a learned behaviour, which helps explain why even the most talented individuals shy away from doing what is right and necessary in the moment. Instead, they default to doing the safe thing in the face of fear, like avoid conflict, blame others (or their industry or market) for missed expectations, and not deliver important truths to decision makers.

While unfortunate, this is understandable. Our primal reactions of fight, flight, or freeze can take over when we are faced with fear. These reactions do not serve us in the moments when courageous action is needed. We need to pay attention to our reactions and, in their place, substitute a thoughtful, proactive response in order to override them.

Here are four types of courage leaders need in the workplace, with guidance on how to demonstrate it when necessary.

Managerial courage. When organisations are created, there is an ‘org chart’ that is quick to follow. Every single box on it represents someone with the title ‘Manager’ who, ultimately, is responsible for making sure that things get done: budgets met, processes ensured, and goals aligned. Simple enough, right? Well, add humans to the mix.

When individuals get put into managerial positions, sometimes they are not prepared to do the work of managers-set clear expectations, enforce standards, or have consequences for lower performance.

Managerial courage is having the hard, uncomfortable conversations when it comes to people challenges. It is telling an individual, even if they are really nice, that they are not achieving to their potential. It is having to let a toxic coworker go, even if they are brilliant and possess knowledge that no one else in the business has. Courageous managers are those who dare to do what is right for the business and the culture, even if it is not the most popular or positive action to take.

If you ever find yourself shying away from a difficult encounter, reminder yourself that it is not only valuable for the individual and organisation, but it is necessary for you to do your job well. Then, summon the courage, take the initiative, and have the conversation.

Intellectual courage. There comes a time in everyone’s career where they develop a confidence in an ability to think for themselves and have an opinion of what is needed and what must be done. Yet, this confidence can also be limiting because it may close you off to input from others that can either enlighten you or inform you of ways you can be better. This is a vulnerable place for many of us to be.

Demonstrating intellectual courage is a challenging feat because it requires you to suspend your thoughts and opinions and be open to the viewpoints of others-regardless of who or where they come from- in an effort to get to the best solution. It is an acknowledgment that despite what you know, you may not know everything and it is okay to not have the answers.

This can be uncomfortable in our society, where we applaud those for always being ‘right’. Demonstrating intellectual courage begins with being insanely curious about what you don’t know…and being open to hearing what others have to say and considering their insights and opinions. It can be reflected in the statement, “I don’t really know.
What do you think?”

Moral courage. You have likely heard integrity described as ‘doing the right thing…even when no one is looking’. This is often easier said than done. There are many times when doing the right thing can be uncomfortable and even put you in a position of disadvantage. Moral courage can mean you do not engage in workplace gossip and you confront those who do. It can mean letting your best, most favoured team member go because they failed to follow the most critical of all safety protocols. It can also look assuming the blame for your team’s poor performance, even if you are not the reason results were not met. We need morally courageous leaders in our business, though. They set a high, powerful standard for others to follow.

Social courage. The fourth aspect of courage needed is related to your best career asset: your authentic self. There are many times in our lives when we feel the pressure to conform.

Yet, when we assimilate, we shape-shift into a watered-down version of ourselves and lose our voice, that thing which makes us unique. We find ourselves doing the popular ‘thing’, or participating in group think. What makes us leaders is our own personal qualities, characteristics, and attributes. Those should never be muted. We need to lean into them to share our important point of view.

Just think, the ideas you originate could be the ones that lead to breakthroughs for your organisation. Having the moxie to articulate them, even when they run contrary to dominant thought, can help you distinguish your value to your team.

Courage comes in many shapes and forms. When leaders build intentionally these four aspects of courage-managerial, intellectual, moral, and social-their contributions to whatever team they are a part of enhances, while their self-reliance strengthens, too