Courage is not the opposite of staying in your comfort zone. Too much courage can be disadvantageous just like too little courage can be. Rather, we believe courage is a delicate balancing point between being comfortable and being careless. Too little courage will make you stay in your comfort zone, too much courage will drive you off a cliff in a careless and reckless manner. Finding this right balance for you is the essence of being courageous.
Courageous individuals are often lauded and admired in today’s business world. But we believe, that courage is a team effort. To find the fine balance in courage, you need a team with different personalities and preferences. The various members of a team each play a role in balancing between the team’s comfort zone and carelessness zone. Courageous leaders without a courageous team are just lone wolves going for their own win and prestige, failing to create a movement of change.
Sometimes we refer to others as “they are courageous” as if they are born that way. But every team can be courageous. We believe, courage is not a fixed personality trait you either have or you don’t, but rather it is a teachable behavior that can be carefully nurtured and grown with the right approach and mindset. It is not difficult to be courageous together, there are clear steps and elements to cover in your Courageous Teams Journey. Practice makes perfect.
Often the advice to be more courageous is synonymous with increasing risk. We believe that there is so much more to courage than just your risk appetite. To find the courage balance your team needs to address all facets of what it means to be courageous: linking your work to your vision, taking bold action, embracing emotions, considering alternatives, planning your resources and yes, stepping out of your comfort zone. It requires a true holistic approach.
Courage to Change is our evidence-based approach to help leadership teams become more courageous. It is an end-to-end change program that follows the five steps below.
Define an irresistable Northstar for your team that brings together your organization’s goals with your team’s purpose.
Objectively assess your team’s current courage balance with the Courageous Teams Index and set priorities for change.
Dig deeper into the areas of priority to find opportunities for real change through shifts in mindset and behavior
Develop a structured plan with measurable steps to successfully achieve your team’s potential
Understand what it is that makes your team push through the hard parts, not give up and flourish through change.
We have proprietary instruments and frameworks to guide you through each of these steps.