I hope you’re following along as we countdown the final 100 days of 2022 - you can join us anytime. Learn more about the program HERE.

In this eighth and final segment of our Learning to Lead series, we’re going to talk about courage.  The courage of a great leader.  It may seem like a given, that leaders are always courageous.  Not necessarily.  There are times when it is downright scary to be the leader, the one calling the plays.  The weight of responsibility on your shoulders when you make decisions that could negatively impact hundreds, even thousands of employees and their families – if you get it wrong.  It is daunting and humbling.

The thing to remember is that when you accept a leadership role, you agree to do whatever is necessary to protect your company and your team.  You make the hard choices and difficult decisions.  You cannot back down from the adversity.  You step into it, evaluate the circumstances, make the decision, and call the play!  And you always, always accept the outcome – good or bad.  It’s yours and yours alone.

I think this quote says it all.  Stepping into the challenges and facing them demonstrates a commitment to leading at a higher level.  With each struggle we face, we grow.  There is no growth in complacency.  There is no growth in waiting on the sideline for someone else to make the tough decisions.  Growth is facing what lies ahead.  It is those moments that define us and teach us something about ourselves.

Would you rather follow a leader who made an informed and difficult decision that had a less-than-desirable outcome?  Or a leader who couldn’t muster the courage to make a decision for the fear of looking bad?