Here is my article written for CourageousLeaders.com.au- enjoy
When I think of courage in the context of leadership, I’m aware of a shifting groundswell of an evolution in emerging leaders. A growing number of people waking up to a fresh understanding around what leadership is and what it requires of them. A realisation that leadership comes from a strong and powerfully intimate connection to within. Self-leadership which spans not only how a person shows up in a work environment but across their whole life because it is who they are being, not any longer a role they play. They realise that the old version of courage meant how long they could brave out a situation by pushing and making things happen, how well they could manipulate the truth and convince others through hidden agendas and control strategies.
The new understanding of courage in leadership defines courage as the willingness to be vulnerable, real and honest with themselves and those around them. They realise that vulnerabilty doesn’t mean ‘open to attack’ or weak but rather that they trust themselves enough to show up and go for the truth in a situation no matter what comes up and challenges them. They look at what’s happening from an aware observer viewpoint and not only to jump in and respond to a situation on the surface but more importantly go to what’s really going on in the foundation of the issue thereby transforming rather than band-aiding. They can be seen as a maverick but are certain of who they are and have learned to be independent of the good opinion of others. They lead daringly from their heart (courage coming from an old French word cor or cuer which means heart or with heart) and while they use their expert rational and logical intelligence, they don’t override their heart intelligence and amalgamate the two seamlessly.
I, for one am excited by the courage that it requires to embrace this view on leadership and freed up by the empowerment that comes with taking personal responsibility.