Having the Courage to Act

Being a leader is full of difficult decisions. One of the primary reasons why the concept of a leader exists is to ensure that someone will make the difficult decisions. The easy decisions get made by lots of people and it’s fairly easy to find those willing to make them.

It is the difficult decisions that get kicked up the chain to leaders. Let’s not forget that leaders are people, too. Leaders can be afraid in situations or scared of the consequences if their decision turns out to be wrong. But, let’s be clear, leadership is about the willingness to act — there is no such thing as leadership to the status quo.

You will undoubtedly find yourself in situations where you might prefer someone else take a decision off your shoulders. Instead, embrace the difficulty. Imagine what you would hope your idealized leader would do in that situation. How would they gather the right facts? Who’s consul would they seek? What factors would they weigh? And then, gather up your courage and act. It may work out great, or it may fall flat, but your willingness to act is an example of courage and an attempt to improve the situation.

The courage to act counts for a great deal!

To avoid criticism, do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing.

– Elbert Hubbard