In close to 15 years of working in corporate multinational organisations and navigating social systems and life changes. I have had some moments of courage in my life – from small moments like challenging a class bully to big moments like taking a leadership role operating energy asset in high security risk locations. Despite these experiences, I have always wondered if I am bold enough. I have always been curious about how one grows courage and if courage is really necessary to be a good leader.
The scholars have written many articles on what good leadership post pandemic feels like – Servant leadership, Agile Leadership, Compassionate leadership, Inclusive Leadership have received attention yet Courageous Leadership is so hard to practice. Even if we read about it from childhood stories and wish to be courageous, Phrases like ‘a living dog is better than a dead lion’ cautions one to be careful about displaying courage.
I got the opportunity to participate in a conference TIWLC Dubai in March 2024 focused on Leading with Courage, whilst listening to the different speakers and delegates navigate the topic. I understood why courage is so hard to practice and I learnt some new ways to demonstrate courage that do not seem obvious yet they are powerful demonstrations of courage. I will share two examples in this article.
· It takes courage to reconcile: Listening to Clare Akamanzi discuss the journey of reconcilation embarked by Rwanda following the genocide required COURAGE to forgive and try to live again with people that hurt you. Sometimes, We may think that remaining at conflict and revenging for wrongdoing requires courage.
However, I now realise it takes big courage to RECONCILE and the big difference is trying again requires a new standard. For instance, In Rwanda, there is a shift from identifying with ethnic groups to identifying as Rwandan. It takes courage to set new modes of engagement. Leading without courage in this situation would have been to ignore the hurt, bury /deny the past and insistently focus on maintaining what is.
· It takes courage to learn and respond: Listening to Risto Siilasmaa share from his experience as Chairman of Nokia. He mentioned Sisu – “The guts coming through in the face of adversity”. It takes guts to learn and change.
This was a fresh insight as everyone keeps talking about learning and learner mindset. However, we underestimate the amount of vulnerability and humility it takes to decide — I need to learn and Guts to change actions and decisions after learning. The more senior or experienced one is, The more the alarm bells of failure and exposure go off when an opportunity to learn comes around.
This is because Learning also means acknowledging the possibility that what you once knew is no longer valid and accepting an additional responsibility to do something differently based on what you now know – My definition.Learning also means changing and It takes guts to change yourself, change your business strategy, Change from the norm or Create something new
There will be more parts to these series and I like to take my own advice so I decided to try something Wilson Obeneme advocates – Partnering with artificial intelligence – Thanks to Copilot for Microsoft 365, I am leveraging AI for SISU, You can develop Sisu even if you are not Finnish or living in Finland.
Let’s ignite the flames of sisu within you:
- Reflect: Pause and reflect on your own leadership path. What moments demanded courage? How did you respond? Celebrate those instances—they’re the seeds of sisu.
- Courage Checkpoints: Identify areas where you can infuse more courage. Is it in reconciling with a colleague? Learning a new skill? Challenging assumptions? Pinpoint those checkpoints.
- Share Your Story: Courage inspires courage. Share your experiences with others. Write an article, host a workshop, or simply have a heartfelt conversation. Your vulnerability is a sign of courage.
- Learn and Adapt: Remember Risto Siilasmaa’s wisdom. Learning takes guts. Be open to new knowledge (even if it means unlearning and relearning. Adapt your leadership style fearlessly.
- Connect with Fellow humans who value courage through practice: Seek out like-minded individuals. Connect with fellow leaders who value courage. Together, we amplify our impact. Let’s lead with sisu—because the world needs leaders who dare to make a difference. 🚀💪
Would you like to read more on this series? Let me know via the comments.
Feel free to personalize this call to action🌟 If you have any more views, please share! 😊
