May 29, 2025
“These are the times that try Men’s Souls”.
The Crisis: Thomas Paine
Thomas Paine, on December 23, 1776, in a series of pamphlets on the Crisis, wrote, “THESE are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country, but he that stands by it now deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.”
Paine was writing about the need for leadership courage to face a tyrant in 1776. One wonders what Paine would write if he were living today. Leaders today are facing enormous demands and challenges that require leadership courage in the U.S. and around the world. Leadership courage is essential at all times, yet especially critical in uncertain, divisive, and complex times. Leadership and courage are often considered as stand-alone terms. This is a misperception. The primary superpower of any leader is the ability to make choices, and the choice to lead requires courage. Leadership is a powerful word defined by John Maxwell as an influence or adding value to those you serve and lead to moving forward. Mark Miller, the author of Chess, not Checkers, refers to Leadership as building people up and getting things done. Courage is another powerful word, defined as the mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty. The Latin origin of “courage” is cor, meaning “heart.” Courage can then be considered the power of the heart to serve. The combination of ‘term’ and ‘creating leadership courage’ is a potent combination for serving and leading. This Thursday’s leadership insight poses three questions about leadership courage. What is leadership courage? Is it a missing trait in Leadership today? What are seven sets of questions and practices a leader can use to build their leadership courage?
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What is leadership courage?
Marlene Chism, in “Conflict to Courage,” views courage as foundational to addressing conflict and leading with clarity. She emphasizes that courageous leaders do not avoid, appease, or act aggressively; instead, they engage in honest conversations, seek clarity, and set intentions for positive outcomes.
Mark Miller identifies courage as one of the five core traits of leadership character, defining it as the willingness to take bold action, make difficult decisions, and give the team a clear direction, even when it means forging a new path.
John Maxwell teaches that courage is not about the absence of fear but about taking action in the face of it. He emphasizes that leaders become courageous by taking action, not by merely thinking or hoping for it, and that courage is essential for progress and influence.
Leadership courage can then be defined as influencing yourself and others to move forward in the face of risk and uncertainty, or, as Dr. Brene Brown writes in Dare to Lead, despite discomfort and fear, due to one model of moral and mental strength: perseverance, purpose, and determination to move forward.
“The 9 pm news bears witness to the lack of leadership c”ourage daily”
What is the State of Leadership Courage today in Leadership? Is it missing in today’s leaders?
The answer to his question may seem, as Mark Miller often says, “a blinding flash of the obvious.” The 9 pm news bears witness to the lack of leadership courage daily. Recent research and reports suggest that courage is less visible and less valued in leaders today than it was in the past.
Kouzes and Posner’s 2023 Study:
Their ongoing research study highlighted in the Leadership Challenge “Characteristics of Admired Leaders” research found that while the top four characteristics (honest, competent, inspiring, forward-looking) have remained steady since 1987, the percentage of people selecting “courageous” dropped from 22% in 2017 to just 13% in 2023, the steepest decline among all 150 traits measured. Leadership Challenge co-author James Kouzes suggested in an article by Wiley publication, Characteristics of Admired Leaders: A Conversation with Jim Kouzes, that followers are seeing less courage in their leaders or are prioritizing other qualities such as stability and support in a post-pandemic world.
Gallup and McKinsey: Gallup’s recent follower surveys show that hope and trust are now more highly prioritized than courage, especially among younger generations. McKinsey’s research highlights the need for bold, courageous Leadership in volatile times but also notes that many leaders retreat into risk-averse behaviors when under pressure
Forbes: Forbes reports that fear-driven Leadership is widespread, with many leaders hesitating to make bold moves, which stifles innovation and agility
Do followers report that their current leaders lack leadership courage?
Followers, as noted by the Gallup State of the Global Workplace and The Gallup -Walton Family Foundation report on Teaching for Tomorrow: Educators on the Future of Their Profession
Both describe record lows of active engagement and a lack of connections with Leadership. Both studies suggest that in all sectors, followers who don’t feel cared for or recognized, this is especially especially in Generation Z, are seeking other positions
Leadership courage is a leadership muscle that needs work. All muscle decline is usually gradual, and the process of development is an inside-out choice of hard work. This process starts with some inward-focused questions and then actions.
Below are seven sets of practices posed as questions to build courageous leadership
Ask Yourself, are you where you want to be?
- The Self-Awareness Question
Take a brutally honest self-assessment of your Leadership and assess if your Leadership practice and actions are aligned with your vision, values, purpose, motivations, and mindset .” Ask yourself where you want to be. Practice regularly assessing your strengths, weaknesses, values, and emotional triggers to understand how you respond to fear and risk. A colleague or coach who knows you and will be honest is indispensable in this process
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- The Commitment to Action Question
Make a plan to take small steps to achieve significant steps in developing your leadership courage. Plan to take decisive steps, even when the process is uncomfortable and outcomes are uncertain. Take time to reflect and learn from successes and challenges. Courage grows through action, not contemplation.
What is it like to be on the other side of me?
Ryan Leak
- The Foster Open Communication Question
Ask others, “What is it like to be on the other side of me?” Listen and encourage honest dialogue, give and receive feedback, and address conflict as growth directly rather than something painful and uncomfortable to avoid it
“what is it like to be you?
- The How to Empower Others Question
It takes courage to let go of control, seek help, and delegate responsibility. Trust your team and create a safe environment where others can take risks and innovate. Take time to ask, “What is it like to be you? This will build and strengthen connections and develop leadership courage in you and others.
Practice a model for mistake response of Fess up, Fix up, Learn, and Move on
- The Embrace Discomfort, Vulnerability and Learning Question
Intentionally seek to listen, learn, and act. Admit mistakes, ask for help, and see failures as opportunities for growth and learning. Practice a model for mistake response of Fess up, Fix up, Learn, and Move on, for you and those you serve and lead
- The Commit to Continuous Learning: Question
Seek new experiences, reflect on setbacks, and adapt your approach
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- The Model Courage: Question
Leaders demonstrate the behaviors they want to see in their team, especially in moments of uncertainty or adversity. Legendary Basketball coach Johnny Wooden often said, “The most powerful leadership tool you have is your example.”
Leadership courage is essential for progress, innovation, and trust. While recent data shows a decline in how much followers value or see courage in their leaders, the need for courageous Leadership has never been greater. By focusing on self-awareness, action, communication, empowerment, and vulnerability, leaders can bridge the courage gap and inspire their organizations to thrive, even in these uncertain and turbulent times.
The leadership questions for you then are;
In what areas can you develop leadership courage, and when will you start?
How evident is Leadership courage in your practice?