In yesterday’s impeachment hearings we saw two men, William Taylor and George Kent, highly credible and deeply devoted to country, thrust into a limelight they never sought in their careers. They stepped forward to tell what they know no matter which political party it might offend, no matter how it might affect their lives and careers. They did this when others refused because they felt compelled to do so.
U.S. Senator and prisoner of war John McCain defined courage as a brief, singular occurrence: “that rare moment of unity between conscience, fear, and action, when something deep within us strikes the flint of love, of honor, of duty, to make the spark that fires our resolve.”
As I wrote in “Courage as a Skill” published in the Harvard Business Review, this definition conjures up an image of the hero who – instinctively, spontaneously, and against the odds — suddenly takes charge and stands up for what he or she sees as right.
Certainly, one type of courage is as McCain described. But more often courage is a special kind of calculated risk taking. It’s not so much an inborn characteristic but a skill that improves with practice. The less often we act courageously, the less likely we’ll do so in the future. Courage needs to be cultivated. If we see too little of it for too long, we can expect a lack of courage to become the norm.
What I call the “courage calculation” – assessing how and when to step forward rather than go with the flow – requires knowing and revisiting core beliefs and a willingness to defend them. It often involves considering the worst-case scenario and making a conscious decision that even that will not stand in the way of doing what is right as we know it.
Being courageous is tough, especially for people who don’t know how to calculate its benefits according to priorities. They lack a key skill. Courage for them is akin to walking off a cliff. And naturally they fear the fall.
Real courage is bolstered by thinking about ways to avoid the fall – knowing this isn’t the only job you’ll ever have, the last breath you’ll ever take – believing deeply, in any case, that you must speak up or take action to protect or to serve. It’s about remembering what you promised to yourself, your family, or your country. And then taking steps that are consistent with those promises.
True leadership involves courage – standing up for what matters most for the people relying on you. Without courage, leadership is empty – more about accruing wealth than guiding and empowering others. It’s false and the person who “leads” without courage doesn’t lead at all.
