Courage

Connecting says you matter. Collaborating says we matter. Courage says truth matters.

It wasn’t until eighth grade that I ran into a leader who understood and practiced all three People Skills: Connecting, Collaborating, and Courage. You connect with people by showing genuine interest in them, and you create cooperation when you make leadership a dialogue. But you can’t finish the work without courage.

The leader I’m referring to was a teacher and basketball coach. I clearly remember him sharing his inside-out perspective. On a regular basis, he would share what he was doing to become a better person, leader, and coach. Then he would ask us what he could do to be a better coach. We could never think of anything because he was already doing the work. But then he asked another question.

He asked us — as individuals and as a team — what we were working on to become better people and team members. No one had ever asked me that before. I was only in eighth grade. But it gave me permission to think better of myself. To start re-imagining my life.

Many leadership practices don’t come naturally for most of us. That’s why we must use our minds and imagination to create the leader we need to be — the re-imagined leader. To practice courage, we begin with ourselves, just like the coach was doing. He started by confronting himself. This shouldn’t be a surprise. This entire work is an inside-out proposition.

Over the years, I have learned what relationships and organizations wanted from me as a leader. Some of those attributes were already part of my temperament, so they were easier to develop. Some were not.

When you don’t have what people want, things get difficult — and that requires more courage to grow. Courage is an element of character, not a gift. It has to be cultivated through practice. Courage is what creates breakthroughs personally, interpersonally, and professionally.

While I am a strong believer in God-given strengths, leaders must hold themselves to a higher standard. We must become almost agnostic to our strengths, because strengths alone will not see us through. The most important role of a leader is to do what needs to be done — regardless of what they’re good at or what they want to do. So while it may be strategic to align our strengths to our work, the nuances of leadership call us higher.

COURAGEOUS LEADERSHIP

Below is a list of attributes I look for in leaders I bring into my inner circle. Regardless of their strengths, roles, or contexts, these practices reflect the level of character and competence I value most. I am committed to modeling them while expecting and developing them in others.

You may agree with some and push back on others. That’s fine. But don’t miss the point. You need your own list — one you’ve thought through, defined, and decided to pursue. One that shapes how you lead yourself and how you develop the people who matter most to you.

Because this is a you-and-me proposition, I’ll use “We” in front of each attribute.

1. We do what needs to be done.

It sounds obvious, but it’s not. What needs to be done is often not what I’m best at. It may not fit my strengths, my preferences, or my timing. Most of the time, it’s the very thing I’d rather avoid. But I do it anyway.

I work hard to stay self-aware. I study people, temperament, and strengths because I want to build strong teams and a healthy culture. That matters. But I never let it distract me from what matters most — the facts, the priorities, the few things that truly move the organization forward.

I am constantly asking: what cannot be ignored right now? What must be done?

What needs to be done is usually the hard thing. That’s why it becomes the first thing. Not the convenient thing, not the comfortable thing. The necessary thing.

Then we go after it. We don’t overthink it, and we don’t hide behind strengths or wait for ideal conditions. We rise to the challenge, figure it out, and go to work.

2. We are mission-minded.

If the mission isn’t clear, what needs to be done rarely becomes clear. Confusion at the mission level always shows up as confusion in execution.

I take responsibility to know the mission, believe in it, and align myself with it. Without that, no work I do will be effective or lasting.

So I keep the question in front of me: how does this move the mission forward? If it doesn’t, it’s a distraction. If it does, it deserves my focus, my energy, and my best work.

3. We are organized in mind and speech.

Effective communication is a hallmark of leadership. It includes oration, but it begins long before I ever speak — with clarity of thought and conviction.

I do the interior work. I filter, sharpen, and shape my thinking so my words carry weight. Communication is not about the volume of words but the precision of them. Exactness matters.

I use imagination to turn everyday language into imagery that creates clarity and direction. People should be able to see what I’m saying, not just hear it.

Clear and memorable communication is never accidental. It is the result of disciplined thinking — and it remains one of the most valuable leadership practices I pursue.

4. We are responsive.

Few things make a stronger impression than a leader who responds. Whether it’s the server at a restaurant, a customer service representative, or a teammate, a timely and thoughtful response gets our attention.

I take that seriously. I make myself reasonably accessible and respond with intention across every channel — phone calls, voicemails, texts, emails, and the various platforms we rely on. Not rushed, not careless, but present and clear.

Responsiveness communicates respect. It builds trust. And it tells the people I serve that they matter.

5. We are persons of faith and positivity.

Faith sits at the center of my life and leadership. It fuels everything — hope, love, justice, courage, temperance, and wisdom. This is not passive belief. It is a growing, active faith that transforms how I think, how I lead, and how I endure.

Because of that, I refuse to live in negativity. I don’t ignore reality, but I choose to interpret it through the lens of faith. I look for meaning in every situation, trusting that God is at work even when it isn’t immediately clear.

My faith shows up in how I live. I love my family very much, and I discipline my words and tone. I treat people with respect, and I practice forgiveness — quickly, consistently, and without keeping score.

This kind of faith doesn’t just inspire me. It steadies me. And it shapes the kind of leader I am becoming.

6. We are constantly learning and growing.

Growth is not optional for me — it is a responsibility. Just as spring brings new life, learning is the source of new growth in my leadership. If I stop learning, I stop growing. And when I stop growing, I limit everyone around me.

So I invest the time. I read, I listen, I ask questions. Learning keeps me curious and grounded. The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don’t know — and that humility keeps me moving forward.

I refuse to get stuck or live off yesterday’s insight. I won’t become a broken record, repeating the same ideas year after year. Growth keeps my thinking fresh, my words relevant, and my leadership effective for the season I’m in.

When I grow, everyone benefits.

7. We have an owner’s mindset.

I think and act like a conscientious, industrious owner. Rather than waiting to be told what to do, I take initiative and accept responsibility for outcomes.

I protect the organization as if it were my own, stewarding its resources with discipline and serving the customer with equal conviction.  Both matter, and I carry them together.

I work to ensure the owner’s vision is not just stated but experienced — lived out through the team and felt by the customer.

8. We keep short accounts.

I keep my key relationships current. I don’t let things drift, and I don’t allow small issues to become large ones. Through regular, clear, and constructive communication, I build alignment, confidence, and trust.

I offer timely feedback — encouragement where it’s earned and correction where it’s needed. I address issues early, directly, and with respect. Over time, misunderstandings diminish because nothing important is left unspoken.

This creates a “game time” culture — energy, clarity, and a shared commitment to win. My people habits are not accidental. They are intentional, and they build strong, lasting relationships.

9. We are confident in our roles.

We align ourselves with the needs and leadership of the organization and take the time to discover, define, and fully commit to our primary responsibility, bringing discipline to it day after day.

We are at home in our roles — not because they are easy, but because they are clear. We know what is ours to own, and we own it.

Through consistent faithfulness, we earn trust. Over time, that trust becomes credibility, and we are recognized as subject matter experts in our field.

10. We are physically, mentally, and emotionally fit.

We lead ourselves toward physical, mental, and emotional health because we understand this truth: we cannot give what we do not have. Staying fit and disciplined is a challenge, especially for leaders carrying full plates — but it is always worth the effort.

Physical discipline fuels mental clarity. Exercise is not just about the body — it is about healthy emotions and a refreshed mind that sharpens focus and builds resilience.

We take responsibility for our strength and stamina because leadership demands both. The pressures are real, and the pace is not slowing down.

Over time, fitness becomes less about appearance and more about capacity — the capacity to lead well, endure difficulty, and finish strong.

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