Challenge Your Potential: Competent Leadership Part 3

Who didn't love the cowardly lion in the Wizard of the Oz? All he wanted was a little courage to get him through the day and keep him from being frightened of his own tail! As with his other yellow brick road friends, the scarecrow and the tin-man, he already possessed what he thought he didn't have; he just needed to dig deep to find it within himself and then use it. Each one of us has our own set of fears that stop us from attaining our true potential.

Administrative professionals who truly want to embrace and practice leadership in its purest form must have courage. Is courage something that someone has, like an asset, or is it something that one generates in the moment that action is required? I believe it's both.

The most critical component in the whole-hearted framework of success is the presence or absence of courage. Without it, success is not possible, leadership will not exist, and personal satisfaction is extinguished. The bottom line: where your courage stops is where your leadership stops. Why is this so?

Robert "Dusty" Staub, the founder and CEO of Staub Leadership Consultants says:

"Courage is the key to accessing, developing and engaging three of the great drivers of leadership effectiveness: integrity, passion and intimacy. Why is courage the key to bringing life to professed values and principles, to learning more quickly from mistakes, to more effective implementation? All of them require stepping beyond our personality, ego structure and habitual patterns."

It takes courage to face our fears and doubts and to then act. It is the exercise of courage that moves us into more honest, direct feedback and more productive relationships.

It is natural to want to do what is easy, practiced, habitual and polished. It is natural to follow the path of least resistance. Yet, to lead with integrity, to learn quickly, to generate and transmit learning, and to implement effectively requires moving through the pain, uncertainty and discomfort of changing our thinking and behavior. Without courage, we take the easier path.

It requires choosing what you most want in spite of doubts and fears and then respectfully challenging those around you. You develop yourself as a whole-hearted leader day-by-day through the choices you make.

Is there ever any guarantee that when you take a risk, you'll get the outcome you want? Of course not. But NOT taking the risk does guarantee you one thing. Nothing will change. Risk taking is inherent to every leadership position.

Each of us has a unique set of skills, experiences, desires and values. What requires lots of courage for one person may require little or none for another.

There are lots of opportunities to act with courage on a frequent and conscious basis. Depending on your personal experience and individual values, one or all of these might require courage:

• Telling the truth when it's easier to be silent
• Speaking in front or large groups
• Expressing what you perceive to be an unpopular opinion
• Telling a close friend or co-worker how you feel about them
• Taking on assignments and projects where you are aware of your shortcomings
• Having a difficult conversation with a boss
• Jumping into a leadership role, even though it's not your job

Claim your courage now. If courage has eluded you in the past, today is a good time to muster some up. If you feel uncomfortable in a situation, listen to your intuition and speak up. Exercise your voice of courage when someone puts you down or when the water cooler gossip gets out of hand. When we take a decisive course of action, we become a catalyst for change and an example of leadership to others.

Building Your Courage Quotient:

Here are some exercises to consider to help you assess and build your courage:

1. Name three people you consider courageous. What actions do they take that exhibit that courage?
2. Think about a situation you would like to influence. What fears will you have to face in order to move forward?
3. Recall a specific situation at work when you were proud of yourself. Maybe you confronted a supervisor who berated you in front of others, or perhaps you devoted personal time to learning a new skill that benefited your career. Relive that experience, and write down the specific behavior you used that elicited the pride you felt. That was courage at work! (Literally and figuratively!)
4. Think of a time when you elected not to act decisively. That was a missed opportunity that can never be reclaimed or relived. Think about how the outcome could have been different if you had acted with courage.
5. State your intent to claim your courage. Write it on a 3 x 5 card and post it where you can see it every day.

Acting with courage more consciously can be a wonderful source of personal and professional satisfaction. It's paramount to practicing informal influence and true leadership.

And remember, courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says... I'll try again tomorrow.

Lisa Olsen provides OfficeArrow members with down-to-earth career advice from her extensive experience as a Career Consultant. An author, trainer, speaker and consultant, Lisa's dedication to building relationship chemistry and helping people power up their potential has been the catalyst for her own success. You can learn more about Lisa and her services here.