The trouble with troublemakers
If labels like being courageous were attached to people who spoke up, instead of labels like ‘troublemakers’, the incentive for people speaking up would be very different.
When we lead with courage, we show we are prepared to make bold decisions and will inspire others to do so as well. Research shows when we are able to be courageous and feel we can speak up safely, we feel more connected to others with greater purpose in our lives. To feel engaged at work, we need to know the effort we make is valued.
This is why modern leaders are focused on building cultures of psychological safety. As modern leaders, we can’t just ask people to show more courage. For any meaningful change, we need to display courageous behaviours ourselves.
“It is at the margins where interesting things happen; where new ideas are forged and where actual, real leadership happens, because that is where the status quo is challenged and new ways of being and thinking about the world are modelled and discussed. Leadership at the margins is fundamentally invested in challenging the status quo instead of upholding it.”
- Yves Rees, Academic, writer & activist in Head & Heart; The Art of Modern Leadership
How can you create an environment for courage this week?
You can read more in my latest book, Head & Heart: The Art of Modern Leadership, which is available everywhere.
You can also follow me on LinkedIn and Instagram where I tend to be the most active. See you there!