Courage is Built

“Courage is rightly esteemed the first of human qualities because it is the quality which guarantees all others.” ~ Winston Churchill (Great Contemporaries, 1937)

“Courage is no stranger among leaders. Franklin D. Roosevelt had to face the debilitating onslaught of polio. Andy Grove of Intel had to escape the Nazis as a child and then Communism as a young man…”  ~ Sandys and Littman (We Shall Not Fail)

With the backdrop of the current political landscape, I have been reading about the lives of some of our most famous political leaders and the lessons embedded in their leadership. One such leader was British statesman, military officer and writer Winston Churchill. He was known for his courage under fire, ability to inspire, willingness to take risks and his decisive leadership.

As leaders, whether in politics, business or education, courage often requires us to press forward in intentional actions aligned with the best interest of our organization and of those we serve despite the words of doubters and detractors. Riding an armored train as a war correspondent in 1899, Churchill took charge in the midst of an ambush and ensured that the train of wounded was driven to safety. He then returned to the site on foot in hopes of helping any remaining wounded but was captured and imprisoned before making his escape and returning to the war front.

Another example of courage despite the naysayers was Fred Smith who wrote an economics paper at Yale in 1965 that observed the changing world of technology and projected that it would revolutionize the need for rapid logistics and delivery systems (folklore suggests his professor gave him only a C for this paper). In 1973, a 29 year old Smith launched a prototype Federal Express across 25 cities with his own money and eventually received venture capital and launched FedEx as it’s known today (despite running at a loss for the first 26 months!).

Billy Graham is attributed with saying “Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened.” In the many stories of Churchills bravery he consistently put himself at the forefront of risk and danger to see for himself what was happening. Similarly as leaders we demonstrate courage by never sidestepping or avoiding problems. Avoiding problems weakens leadership; facing them instills courage in others. Whether it’s delivering tough news or managing layoffs or restructuring, approach challenges with steadiness and empathy. Stand in the storm - alongside those affected - not aside from it.

A quote sometimes attributed to Churchill states “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” In the 1930s Churchill was stripped of his office and resigned from the government. At 40 years of age Churchill literally started over by crossing the channel to fight as a reserve officer. Sandys and Littman describe it as, “Near the midpoint of his life and career, Churchill took the greatest of all risks. He swallowed his pride and started over, from the bottom. He somehow senses that to succeed he must first embrace his failure.”

Have you ever experienced failure and defeat - either within your current role - or in an experience that necessitated a fresh start? I have experienced both. These experiences were difficult, messy, humbling - and a necessary part of my journey. R.G. Ingersoll suggests that “The greatest test of courage on the heart is to bear defeat without losing heart.” I wish for you risk and failure in a measure that will test your courage and your heart - that won’t leave you broken and that will leave you stronger than you could ever know.

“Proving courage under fire is something one does over time, in many different arenas. Think about how you might improve your reputation for courage, and start taking action.” ~ Sandys and Littman