When we think of leaders, we might be tempted to think of courageous and heroic figures. The leader is the person at the vanguard of the army, leading the charge and taking the brunt of any enemy attacks. That’s what it means to be a leader in comic books and films after all!
Of course, this is not the reality for most of us. Most people will be managers and parents, where there is very little gunfire or charging. Yet we still all must face life, and that takes courage to navigate those everyday obstacles. Especially in the last couple of years, we have all had to rethink what courage means.
But that doesn’t mean you can rest on your laurels. It is still very important to be courageous and heroic. It’s just that this courage will take a different form.
1. Leading Through Action
The best leaders are action-takers. When we lead through action, we set a positive example for our team and inspire them to similarly take action. In this way, we avoid one of the worst traits that any leader can possess: hypocrisy.
· Few things will inspire dissent in your ranks as quickly as being seen to be hypocritical.
Nobody likes being asked to do things because they feel that their superior is simply unwilling or even afraid to do it themselves. You are in charge and with that comes responsibility. Simply giving the worst jobs to your team and not taking part in them yourself is an abuse of your power.
2. Decisiveness
Leading through action also means being decisive. It means being able to quickly decide and be willing to commit to that action. That does not mean you decide without understanding all the facts. It does not mean justifying things to get to the end in mind you desire. This is where critical errors are made, and costly decisions become a greater issue. Rather this is about making a collective, focused, and informed decision.
Many lesser leaders make the mistake of deferring or avoiding decision-making. They fear that they’ll make the wrong decision and thus lose the respect of their staff.
However, being indecisive is worse than making an unwise or incorrect decision. Being indecisive makes you seem weak. And while taking action can result in a negative outcome, delaying a decision will only ever have negative consequences.
Avoid making the decision appear to come from others and then laying claim to it when it works or worse blaming those who appeared to make the decision when it was you all along. This creates a character issue that no one will follow.
Conversely, it’s nearly always inspiring to see someone who makes quick decisions that are informed and planned out and the leader doesn’t doubt themselves. Decisiveness also builds confidence in your team members. So, long as the information is correct. Make sure you see and hear all sides before action. Avoid rash decision-making based on feelings it only leads to more clean up.
3. Responsibility
How is decisiveness a mark of courage?
Simply, it means that you’re willing to accept the responsibility that comes with the role of being a leader. Being a leader doesn’t mean telling others what to do and it certainly doesn’t mean getting to take all the credit.
Being a leader means taking responsibility for the team. It means protecting them, so they can do their best work. It means making decisions and being willing to deal with the consequences. It’s only when we don’t want to look bad that we avoid making decisions… and that is ultimately a mark of cowardice.
4. Stoicism
Finally, being a courageous leader means that you take your lumps when things do go sour. If you make a mistake, it’s important to not only own up to it, but also stay calm and collected when you’re reprimanded by your superiors, or when the organization risks collapsing.
Likewise, it’s crucial to remain calm in a crisis. That means setting a good example when things seem to be going wrong for the team. Prevent your team from going into a panic. Stay calm and you’ll be able to address the issue in the best possible way.
Where does all this courage and stoicism come from? How can you acquire it if you don’t possess it naturally?
Does it mean trying to act tough?
Not at all.
Being a truly great leader comes from having the right priorities. It means forgetting yourself and, instead, focusing on the goals of your organization and valuing and serving your team before yourself. When you do that, it’s easy to be a courageous leader.
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