Leading with courage

With just a few weeks left in a review of the competencies defined in the report Competencies for the College Presidency (sponsored by Academic Search and written by Kevin R. McClure and Jorge Burmicky, Ph.D.) we reach the characteristic I might have listed as perhaps the most important--leading with courage.

It didn’t take long for me to figure out as president that pretty much the only issues that made it to my desk were difficult—anything that wasn’t difficult had already been handled by someone else. That was followed by the related realization that there would never be complete information…and that some would insist on waiting for that nirvana before any decision could be made. Similarly, I found that process was almost always in dispute…and that, strangely enough, folks who agreed with my decision found the process sound (or perhaps too slow) while those who disagreed felt that important data were overlooked, not enough time was taken, the right people weren’t consulted, etc. I'm sure I'm not alone in those experiences, and that some version of them apply to executives outside higher education as well.

It will always be easier to do what has been done, to wait for more information, to hope for more consensus, to see if things will work themselves out. The ability to (quoting the report) “listen but ultimately take action” is an act of courage—the courage to making decisions not everyone will agree with, the courage to decide without certainty about the results, the courage to be accountable for the times that decisions won’t work out.

Executives face difficult decisions—really, that's the job, and their legacy as leaders is often defined by their willingness and ability to do so. Successful leaders consult, they listen, they think…and then they have the courage to act, and to handle the consequences of their actions.

One of the most rewarding things about serving as executive coach is the ability to help leaders and their teams act with courage. Interested in a conversation about this topic? Send me a message...