What does it mean to be strong and courageous? What does it mean to lead with courage?

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 volunteers, managers and parents, where there is very little gunfire or charging. As a matter of fact, we often will discount how important these roles are.

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.

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.

Hypocrisy and status quo have always been my archenemy. I think they are for all leaders as we want to help people and make positive changes through our actions.

There are few things that 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.

As I am writing this article I think of how great leaders join their teams or followers in the trenches. Simon Sinek has a good book titled Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t.

He does good job of planting the seeds of the leaders that truly support their teams and followers. It might be one to explore if you are seeking to build your leadership skills.

Decisiveness

Leading through action also means being decisive. It means being able to quickly make a decision and be willing to commit to that action.

Many lesser leaders make the mistake of deferring or avoiding decision-making. Their fear is 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.

Conversely, it’s nearly always inspiring to see someone who makes quick decisions and doesn’t doubt themselves. Decisiveness also builds confidence in your team members.

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.

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 group, or your own 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.

How to Be the Hero They Need

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, focussing on the goals of your organization and the happiness and comfort of your team. When you do that, it’s easy to be a courageous leader.

I also think being vulnerable is not always weak as it sometimes it where real courage is needed. Your community needs to see your vulnerability from time to time and how you move forward in spite of fear or struggles.

Having empathy and compassion is also something often over looked. Being a leader though is about lifting others up and letting them take the credit. Teamwork and strong community are the gold standard for a business, or an organization, or any team.

Having a leader that can show how to lift others up and praise team members it what brings people together and backing the team’s cause. When you get community members aligned and in synergy and supporting one another there is no obstacle you cannot overcome together.

One last thought I should share… another very courageous skillset for success in life and leadership is being authentic. Having a true self awareness and embracing who you are at your core and being committed to living that way daily is very much an act of leadership. This is something anyone can work on which could very quickly lead to more leadership positions.

If you’d like to read more about authenticity check out my article titled 9 Ways To Live a More Authentic Life. These could be some of the action items you start doing today.

Do you consider yourself a leader? Tell me in the comments your leadership style.

If you are new to leadership, tell me your thoughts on courage. Are you courageous or looking to grow your courage and step into a leadership role? Tell me what role you’d like to grow into or start working towards.

Thanks for reading.
Go get ’em, my friends!

Other Resources…

Blog Articles:

Be Strong and Courageous: How to Lead With Courage