If you consistently do these exercises, even when they make you uncomfortable, you will set yourself up for success when the bigger, less frequent Courage challenges come.

When leaders allow fear or discomfort to make decisions for them, that is called cowardice.  Courage, like the other Six Habits of Character (Humility, Integrity, Selflessness, Duty, and Positivity), is like a muscle that needs exercise.  When a leader ignores the daily exercise of these muscles, those muscles atrophy and become weak and vulnerable.

We define Courage as “acting despite perceived or actual risk.” The first question a leader needs to ask themselves is “Is this a real risk or is this just something that is worse in my head than it probably is?  Am I so focused on the negative outcomes that are possible, that I am convincing myself that they are probable?”

The mind games that fear plays create the scenario where a leader allows those fears to make the decisions for them.  When that happens, that leader is choosing cowardice.

Leaders, we must intentionally head to the character gym and get our workouts in.  Muscles don’t get in shape by talking about exercising them.  They don’t stay in shape by exercising them only when we feel like it.  And our muscles will never grow unless we push them outside of their comfort zone and break a sweat.  

Courageous leaders – leaders who people admire for making tough choices, being decisive, and staying consistent – become courageous by exercising Courage intentionally in the daily workouts that life brings, so they are ready when they need Courage to make the big choices leaders are called to make.

Here are three Courage Exercises that leaders will face regularly.  If you consistently do these exercises, even when they make you uncomfortable, you will set yourself up for success when the bigger, less frequent Courage challenges come.

1. Don’t put off a tough conversation:  Bad news doesn’t get any better with age.  Do it now.  Make the call.  Set up the meeting.  And then address the issue at hand.  Don’t let the voices in your head tell you to wait.  It will probably go better than the voices in your head are telling you it will.  (Perceived Risk)
2. Challenge a former peer on their behavior:  This is one of the most common reasons leaders let problems fester.  They hesitate to address an issue with someone they used to work with as a peer.  People are watching.  Stepping up in this situation is not easy.  Courage is required at the moment.  If you don’t choose Courage, what are you choosing?  If that former peer holds that relationship to be as important as you do, they will accept the correction and respect your position.  
3. Tell your boss what they don’t want to hear:  Yes. This takes tact.  But somebody needs to have the Courage to tell that leader what the leader needs to hear.  Will it always go well?  Probably not.  But you will have exercised the Courage to do what needed to be done, even when nobody else is willing to do it.  

Each of these challenges are common occurrence for all leaders.  If you ignore them, it is like hanging out in a gym full of workout equipment and never getting on a machine.  You can walk around the building all you want.  But just because you are in the gym does not mean you are in better shape for being there. You need to put in the work.

When we do, our Courage muscles will get stronger.  We will see our impact grow on the people we are called to lead.  And we will become the Courageous Leader that people respect, admire and want to follow.

Question: 

• Which of these tests are you facing this week?
• What will you choose? Courage or cowardice?