Being Courageous and Comfortable as a Leader

Great leaders are courageous. But often not in the way we hear through history or through stories.

Great leaders make their team more important than they are. One of the most courageous moments is that very first hire for your business. Going from being responsible for yourself only - to being responsible for others. Suddenly, all of the ways you might fail in private are now shared with another individual.

Challenging your team takes courage - but it’s more courageous to be unbiased, wise, calm and balanced. So many leaders range from hot-headed, narcissistic reprimanding… to some leaders not even wanting to have difficult conversations.

In both cases it’s another example of ego, and the importance of getting ego under control.

There is a perception that when you have a team, that team is here to serve you. In fact, it's the other way around. You're here to serve your team.

Your team isn't here to do everything for you. You're there for them. You're responsible for their career. You're responsible for their growth, their safety and peace of mind.

Empower your team to be courageous themselves. You should never be in a position where you're reprimanding somebody or ‘shouting someone down’ - challenging them because they’re at a ‘lower level ‘than you. They should have the courage and comfort to speak up.

It's courageous to be humble. It's courageous to put your ego to one side - when having conversations and when making decisions.