7 traits of a courageous leader
In last week’s post, we established that courage in leadership is the first key to unlocking all other leadership virtues.
As history has shown, those who are bold enough to take risks and lead change when the odds are stacked against them will eventually emerge as winners. In today’s VUCA world, the call for courageous leadership is louder than ever.
Here is a great example of one such courageous leader. When the founder of 99 Speedmart, Lee Thiam Wah, was 8 months old, he contracted polio and lost the use of legs, leaving him wheelchair bound for life. He came from a poor family background and never went to secondary school. But his courage gave him the determination and drive that led him to sell snacks from his porch, and today he has opened more than 1,500 99 Speedmart stores across Malaysia. You can read his inspiring story here.
Now, demonstrating courage in leadership is not an easy task. It’s about deciding to power through despite your fear, but it is precisely the kind of behaviour your team is looking to model; to push ahead at times where they’d rather play it safe and wait for the storm to pass.
According to an article in Forbes, here are 7 traits we should emulate if we want to grow to become a courageous leader:a
1. Confront reality head-on
Face the facts about the current state of our team or organisation, no matter how ugly it is.
2. Seek feedback and listen
We all have blind spots. Unfiltered feedback from the team is not always easy to hear but is precisely what we need if we want to level up our leadership.
3. Say what needs to be said
Muster the courage to put our unpopular opinions on the table. Speak frankly and directly without being rude.
4. Encourage constructive debates
By doing so, we are reinforcing the idea that a better answer will emerge from the tension of diverse opinions.
5. Make decisions and move forward
Especially in the current volatile environment, it feels unsafe to commit to a decision. Avoid the crutch of ‘analysis paralysis’ and take the lead. Forward movement is better than no movement.
6. Take swift action on underperforming staff
Have the courage to call them out. Not only are we helping the organisation, ourselves and the other team members, we are also helping them. The magic lies in how we say it, not what we say.
7. Communicate openly and frequently
Keep the lines of communication open, even when we don’t have all the answers. Don’t be afraid to say, “I don’t know.”
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