Stepping It Up: Managerial Courage is Key
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During the final year that I worked in corporate America, I was designated as an Ombudsperson in addition to my primary job. So if employees felt that they were not getting satisfaction from their manager or their manager’s manager, they could come to me. And I was to research the situation and get it resolved before it escalated any further.
I don’t think it will surprise you when I say that about 90% of the time, the manager knew about the situation and if there had been more honest communication between the manager and the employee, I would never have been involved. Often, despite the manager being aware of the situation, they hadn’t dealt with it head-on because the employee was perceived as difficult or the perception was that they might open a can of worms and it could mean extra time and potentially extra work. And yet, because they hadn’t had a conversation, we were putting in extra time and work because there hadn’t been the courage to deal with the problem honestly and directly. And when the conversation was held, kindly yet directly, the situations were usually resolved.
The reality is that it takes courage to be a manager and that those who really embrace courage become more than managers, they become leaders. 
Are you consistently willing to have a conversation…
- When you know someone will react negatively to what you are saying, perhaps becoming angry or upset with you
- When you are uncertain that you have all the answers
- When you may be opening up a can of worms that won’t end with one conversation
- When employees aren’t getting along
Over the next couple weeks, I will be writing more about courage and how to step up your ability to be courageous. It’s not easy, but it is rewarding.
Tags: Business Success, intellectual performance, Leadership, motivation, Success
Authenticity, Executive Leadership, Get Committed, Inspiration, Resilience, Strengths, Success, Values-Driven Business & Life | Ann Potts September 13, 2011
Ann Potts is a highly credentialed Strategic Executive Coach & Motivational Consultant with more than 20 years experience in corporate leadership roles. An uncommon background gives her unique insight into the power of harnessing inner strengths to engage on a challenging corporate playing field.
