Introduction
Given the degree of market uncertainty, political polarization, and labor pool instability, leaders at all levels are struggling. They are uncertain about how to move forward strategically, and how fast to move forward operationally. Given the last three years, they do not want to place themselves or their organization at risk. They know there are many unforeseen variables at play. As a result, they can not easily see the big picture. Therefore, they hesitant on how to proceed. When discussing this current situation with me, many have asked, “What should I do? I am not sure what is the next step.”
After much listening and subsequent reflection, my response has been the following: “It is time for you to find the place of courage inside you, and then to act from this place. This sounds simple, but it will not be easy. Courage is a complex choice, and requires complex actions.”
What Is Courage?
For people of a certain age, the word courage has a direct connection to a book called Profiles In Courage by John F. Kennedy. Published in 1956, this volume of short biographies describes the acts of bravery and integrity by eight United States senators who defied the opinions of their party and their constituents to do what they felt was right. As a result, they suffered severe criticism and losses in popularity.
For others, the subject of courage leads them to the work of Brene Brown, the professor, who is known for her work on shame, vulnerability and leadership, and author of such books as Daring Greatly, Rising Strong, and Atlas Of The Heart. As she writes, “Courage is a heart word. The root of the word courage is ‘cor’ - the Latin word for heart. In one of its earliest forms, the word courage meant ‘To speak one’s mind by telling all one’s heart’.” What ever the source of our understanding about the word courage, I think we need to dive more deeply into the meaning of it.
The dictionary defines courage as “the ability to do something that frightens you” and “strength in the face of pain or grief.” Other sources define the word as “the choice and willingness to confront agony, pain, danger, uncertainty or intimidation,” and “the mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear or difficulty.”
On one level, I like these definitions because they focus on the ability to do something difficult even when there is risk. But a deeper exploration into this word reveals that courage is a quality of mind and spirit that enables someone to act in spite of fear, risk and uncertainty. Courage reflects the moral and mental strength to do what is right, with confidence, determination, and resolution. Upon reflection, it is clear to me that courage come from within. It is a choice to live and act with compassion, and integrity.
Actions Of The Heart
Referencing back to Brene’ Brown’s definition of courage, all of these choices are actions of the heart. The question then is the following: “What are the actions of the heart we need to take at this time period?” The answer is a challenging one.
First, we need to choose a different paradigm of leadership. The traditional leadership paradigm given current events is to default to a command and control form of leadership. It is the way many leaders over time have chosen to cope with the inevitable and constant, messy elements of organizational change within an unstable market. These leaders choose to lead based on their job title and positional authority. Often, they lead from behind through fear, intimidation, and dominance. Their actions generate a forced movement forward, but over time it mostly maintains status quo, and lowers any level of disequilibrium or chaos in order to increase predictability, i.e. stability over change.
However, courageous leaders, who choose to lead from the heart, understand that they must not lead from above or behind, but instead to lead from within. They do this by walking with others through the world of organizational change. These leaders choose a paradigm of collaboration, connection, and co-creation which results in all involved owning and understanding what needs to get done and how it needs to get done. They recognize that courageous leaders do not create followers or subordinates, but instead create partners and colleagues. And within this level of relationship, there is the generation of commitment based on clarity rather than fear.
Second, we need to choose to be vulnerable when dealing with risk and uncertainty. At first glance, this seems like a wildly, non-logical choice. However, when we understand this choice from a larger perspective, we can grasp that it is a very smart choice.
Brene’ Brown in her book, Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience (Random House, 2021), writes “Vulnerability is the emotion that we experience during times of uncertainty, risk, and emotional exposure…. Vulnerability is not weakness; it’s our greatest measure of courage.” Recognizing that vulnerability is a feeling and a choice, she continues, “Choosing to be curious is choosing to be vulnerable because it requires us to surrender to uncertainty. We have to ask questions, admit not knowing, risk being told that we shouldn’t be asking, and sometimes, make discoveries that lead to discomfort.”
When we choose to be vulnerable, we are choosing to ask more questions and to listen to more people and more diverse ideas. In essence, we are expanding our perspective in order to be courageous, i.e. walk with others and to partner with others so we can co-create effective solutions.
Brene’ Brown in her book, Dare To Lead: Brave Work, Tough Conversations, Whole Hearts (Random House, 2018), notes that “You can’t get to courage without rumbling with vulnerability.” As she explains, “A rumble is a discussion, conversation, or meeting defined by a commitment to lean into vulnerability, to stay curious and generous, to stick with the messy middle of problem identification and solving, to take a break and circle back when necessary, to be fearless in owning our parts, and as psychologist Harriet Lerner teaches, to listen with the same passion with which we want to be heard…. Our ability to be daring leaders will never be greater than our capacity for vulnerability.” And for me, this is why choosing to be vulnerable is an action of the heart and it is a wise choice in the face of uncertainty and risk.
Third, we need to expand our networks with new relationships in order to gain more new insights. Herminia Ibarra in her book, Act Like A Leader, Think Like A Leader (Harvard Business Review Press, 2015) note that effective leaders have three networks, namely an operational one, a personal one, and a strategic one. As she writes, “The first helps you manage current internal responsibilities, the second boosts personal development, and the third focuses on new business directions and the stakeholders you must get on board to pursue these directions.” In particular, the third network, the strategic one, “is made up of relationships that help you to envision the future, sell your ideas, and get the information and resources you need to exploit these ideas…. A good strategic network gives you connective advantage: the ability to marshal information, support, or other resources from one of your networks to obtain results in another.” I have seen leaders who have all three networks in place and, as a result, do amazing things during difficult times.
But, upon reflection, I have realized that courageous leaders have a fourth network, namely a wisdom network made up of mentors and advisors who help on a completely different level. John O’Donohue, the late Irish poet, author and priest, calls these people “friends.” As he explains, “In these times of greed and externality, there is such unusual beauty in having friends who practice profound faithfulness to us, praying for us each day without our ever knowing or remembering it. There are often lonesome frontiers we could never endure or cross without the inner sheltering of these friends. It is hard to live a true life that endeavors to be faithful to its own calling and not become haunted by the ghosts of negativity; therefore, it is not a luxury to have such friends; it is necessary.” For me, this wisdom network is made up of “friends” and wise mentors who practice being present when we are stretched, and when asked, are willing to offer guidance, counsel, and insights, all actions that come from the heart.
The convergences of these three actions of the heart, namely to choose a leadership paradigm based on collaboration, connection, and co-creation, to choose vulnerability over control, and to expand our networks with new relationships in order to gain new insights, yields the capacity to be courageous, i.e. to have the moral and mental strength to do what is right, with confidence, determination, and resolution in spite of the fear, the risks, and the endless unforeseen variables and uncertainties that come with being a leader.
The Inner Revolution Precedes The Outer One
“We can’t opt out of the uncertainty, risk, and emotional exposure that’s woven throughout our daily experiences. Life is vulnerable,” writes Brene’ Brown in her book, Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead (Avery, 2012). Being a leader means we have to deal with this uncertainty, risk, and emotional exposure on a daily basis. However, just because these elements are normal does not mean that they are easy to deal with, or that we are comfortable in dealing with these elements. Life may be vulnerable and it may be challenging. But as leaders we still have to make important choices for us as individuals, and for us collectively, i.e. for the company as a whole.
With this in mind, I believe we need to remember the following text from the I Ching, an ancient Chinese book that has served for thousands of years as a study of change in human life, a guide to an ethical life, and a manual for rulers. As the author wrote, “No revolution in outer things is possible without prior revolution in one’s inner way of being. Whatever change you aspire to . . . must be preceded by a change in heart.”
When we grasp the magnitude of this ancient insight, we realize that the inner work of courage will always precedes the outer work of courage. We also understand the importance of doing our inner work on a regular basis and in a disciplined manner. For when this happens, we create the moral and mental strength to do what is right, with confidence, determination, and resolution. We also choose to live and act with compassion and integrity. And given currents events in the world, this is a powerful and transformative action in the face of fear, risk, and uncertainty.
© Geery Howe 2023
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