Leading with courage requires us to overcome our fears and feelings of hopelessness in the pursuit of the action we believe is the right choice. Courage empowers us to face difficult situations even if we run in to roadblocks that cause us to feel uncertain or overwhelmed.
Courage comes from the French meaning, to give heart. Leading courageously gives encouragement to others and in today’s times is required to pursue our dreams and be the best we can be. This can be difficult though, especially in some organizations. In general, people do not like to rock the boat or sway from the company cultural norms.
So many leaders have shared their frustration with me about disparity between what they had hoped their company culture would be and what it actually turned out to be. Starting a company and setting values and norms and keeping them can prove challenging. To build a strong positive culture, have clarity on your direction, develop and communicate your company values and hire the right people (competence and values fit). Reward and recognize the behaviors that contribute to the results you see and the culture you are nurturing.