Qualities of a Courageous Leader

Written By: Sharie Flores with Amy Tang

When the COVID pandemic hit, I had a client who did not let go of a single person even though his industry was heavily impacted. Instead, he paused all hiring efforts and worked with his team to redistribute their workload.

His decision to prioritize his team benefitted him and his business in the long term. Today, his business continues to grow. As a courageous leader, he demonstrated adaptability, resilience, and support for his employees as the pandemic impacted businesses and jobs nationwide. As business owners, it takes courage to bet on yourself and your business by taking an initial loss to save your team and ensure they can still provide for their families.

From small start-up organizations to large, global companies, it is essential to have leaders who can be courageous. While courage is a behavioral trait, it can also be learned. However, sometimes your organization may need someone in that position who can be fearless and responsible.

Courageous leaders can improve your organization through the following:

• Boost employee morale and build support and trust in leadership

• Increase in efficiency, effectiveness, and productivity

• Decrease in workflow constraints

With these improvements in the leadership and teams, organizations will also see an increase in revenue. So, how can your organization look for courageous professionals?

Adaptability

As organizations grow, changes happen. Courageous leaders are the ones who are excited about the growth of their organization as they see new opportunities. However, although they are excited and can quickly adapt to these changes, sometimes, people don’t like change. So, the leaders need to ensure a safe environment for their employees and ensure communication throughout the new processes and procedures. By doing this, employees can overcome their fears and become more confident with the new organizational structure.

Resilience

For leadership professionals, every day in the workplace is different. Different and complex business issues arise, making it difficult for someone to make tough decisions. However, courageous leaders are resilient - they keep calm, do not get intimidated easily, and move forward. They see these issues and challenges as opportunities for growth.

Accountability and Responsibility

Mistakes can happen, and as humans, sometimes we feel the need to blame someone. Some may think courageous people act “tough” in sensitive situations. However, a courageous leader knows when they make a mistake. They also know when to admit the error on behalf of their team, as they are the ones who are dedicating work and tasks to them. They are unafraid to say, “I’m sorry - that was my fault.” Admitting fault does not weaken a person; they are seen as stronger. And so when employees see their leaders admit fault, they are more likely to trust them and can move forward to prevent the issue.

Assertiveness and Advocacy

Courageous leaders are also fearless in standing up for themselves and others. They stay aligned with their organizations’ values and ethics and would not hesitate to speak up if they disagree with another professional. They support themselves and are not afraid to express their needs and speak up on behalf of others.

These are a handful of behavioral traits that a courageous leader has, of course, this list is not limited.

At Momentum Talent Strategies, we specialize in nurturing a culture of accountability within your organization. As your fractional HR and accountability partner, our focus is on aligning your workforce with your business goals, and we are committed to identifying and developing courageous leaders to meet them. Our meticulous employee planning process ensures your team is well-equipped for your organization's long-term growth. Contact us today to discover how we can help you cultivate accountability and empower courageous leaders within your workforce.