Courage under fire. How to lead well under pressure.
Why courage is our most important leadership asset and how to use it.
Welcome back! It’s September. We’re back at school, back at work and yes, thanks to the UK heatwave, I’m still sat at my desk with two fans and the window open.
But bring on the autumn. It’s the best time of year for me. I find it far more energising as a “fresh start” than bleak old January, and a great time to get motivated.
Today, I’m going to talk about the one thing I think we all need as leaders. But first…
“What do you want to achieve by the end of this year?”
Terrifyingly, UK stores are already full of Christmas decorations, so now is a great time to reflect on what you want to get out of the next three and a half months professionally.
Follow it up with:
“What’s the first next step I can make toward getting it?”
Do it. Do it now! Dec 31st is for parties and frivolity, not for frustrated reflection on what could have been… And let me know how you get on when you do this short exercise.
Now. To business.
I’ve been thinking a lot about courage recently. Specifically, what it means to lead courageously. To be brave in decision making.
This is largely due to the coaching I undertake with communications professionals. Corporate Communications is often listed as one of the most stressful professions in the world and it’s one that definitely takes courage if you want to lead well.
Why is this?
Think about the consequences for an organisation’s reputation when things go wrong. Think about the decisions that have to be made every day in a business for things to go right.
And think about the pressure you undoubtedly feel as a Director of Communications when you have to push for the “right decision”, knowing it may not be popular, but knowing it must be done if you are to preserve trust and integrity as an organisation. (And also as a human being!)
When I led Communications at a hospital, these were the kinds of decisions we had to make every day. I remember announcing the result of a healthcare service change consultation that was going to affect a proportion of local people, but open up that service to many more across a broader geographic area. It meant moving a service to a different location.
It was the right thing, but it was a difficult thing. And part of my role was to advocate for complete transparency in that process. Exposing our decision making publically. This is of course the right thing to do - the NHS in England is funded by public money and transparency supports safety - but it’s not easy to stand above the parapet and wait for the arrows to hit you.
So courage.
Think about that in your role. What does it mean to lead courageously in your profession?
Are you doing it? Are others around you doing it? If not, why not? What’s the worst that could happen if you were to be brave? To say the unsaid? And to push for the right thing, even when it’s not the easy thing?
I want you to think about that this week and apply it in your role.
Find one area where you can be a little bit braver. And sit with how it feels when you do it. The results may amaze you. And hopefully encourage you to keep going.
The world needs more courageous leaders
It’s easy to get discouraged when we think about the s**t show that is modern day life. From economic tailspins to climate change to endemic racism and discrimination, there’s a lot of heavy lifting for us to do as leaders.
But we must.
We are the ones that can take up the mantle and make progress every day. Showing up and making the brave decisions that pave the way for others to come after us.
It take self-care too. So make sure you look after yourself, so you can look after others. What are the ways in which you show self-care? I’d love to know and we can share with the community to support each other too.
A new model for leadership
With courage in mind, I’m developing a new leadership coaching model and I’d love your feedback. Although it’s focused on Communications leaders, as that’s where my industry experience lay before coaching, it’s applicable to anyone that wants to lead well.
It’s all about the Five Cs:
Courage. Commitment. Curiousity. Compassion. Clarity.
I strongly believe we need more courageous leaders. And that those leaders need more support.
I’ll be sharing more on this model in the coming weeks, but if you’d like to know more and you’re ready to start coaching now, I can help.
Working with me as your coach opens the door to a new way of leading
When you join me as a one-to-one coaching client, you will understand exactly what it means to show up courageously and why the world needs this from you now, more than ever.
I will support your journey to being an authentic, effective leader that is courageous, committed and yes, credible (another C!)
I can’t wait to meet you and watch you overcome your imposter syndrome. It’s time to shed any self-limiting beliefs that may be preventing you from becoming the leader you know you can be.
Sign up for a free strategy call on my website, or just reply here and we can fix a time to chat about where you need to go and how I can support your journey.
Here’s to September and getting s**t done!
Louise