So now you may realize that Courage is indeed a key management skill. If you have been reading our 4 part series you know a bit about courage. But you may want to learn more about how to apply this critical management skill in your work. Read on for an example about using Courage in Management.
Courage in managing: an example
Mark had been on a renewed path to discover things about himself that would allow him to be a stronger, more enlightened manager. As one of his management skills, he wanted to cultivate the courage that would help him confront the challenges and risks all leaders face, and to be able to inspire his employees to be courageous, themselves, and to move out of less-effective comfort zones.
He acknowledged to himself that one of his fears that impacted his professional life had to do with confronting authority, and was the reason for his inability to ask for a raise. He decided that he would start by building the courage needed for him to speak to his boss about his desire for a raise.
First he went over his motivations. He knew that the quality of his work and the hours he put in warranted a meaningful raise. While others had asked for and received such raises, Mark had for years simply accepted what was offered to him. But now his new desire to make inner changes made him realize just how strongly he wanted and deserved a raise. He also felt that by being courageous and confronting his fear, he was taking his first step towards becoming the person he wanted to be and a leader who could be a role model and inspire courage in others. Mark understood his incentives to seek a raise and to move beyond his attitude of fear. He felt truly motivated.
Next he prepared and practiced. He went back over his past year’s efforts. He detailed all of the many positive actions he had taken by himself and with his team. He did his best to put aside his emotional fears and replace them with positive energy and the hard data that supported the facts of his success. Next he practiced what he would say, anticipating the hardest questions his boss might ask him and rehearsing how he would answer them.
He had a fruitful meeting with his boss, convinced her of his worth, and asked for double the increase he had received the year before. To his surprise, the V.P. was very supportive and came out with just under the desired raise. Mark felt great! He knew he would he would continue to tap into the new courage he had found inside himself at every new opportunity for the practice and the success.
Without the management skill of courage, managers find themselves avoiding challenging situations or simply coping with them. To be a leader and a role model to your team, develop your capacity for courage by acknowledging your personal fears, affirming your motivations to change, and practicing new and courageous behaviors.
Start building courage as a management skill by asking yourself these questions:
- How will managing without courage impact my team’s morale, productivity and profitability? And with courage?
- What do I fear?
- Why do I fear it?
- When am I courageous these days?
- What actions do I now take that reflect courage?
- Where else can I use these actions?
- What do I gain by being courageous?
- What else do I want to be courageous about?
Adapted from the book Managing From The Inside Out by Jim Hornickel, Director Training & Development, Bold New Directions. For more resources about how to increase your management skills through management training, leadership training, or teambuilding team visit our website at http://www.managementtraininginstitute.com or learn about management training at https://boldnewdirections.com
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