Inclusion Unlocked

7Courage

Courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.

Nelson Mandela

You can't be a spectator of courage. It is not a theoretical concept but active and requires Inclusive Leaders to step into the arena and be proactive rather than waiting for someone else to do the work of inclusion. So what is courage? Jim Detert, in his book Choosing Courage, suggests that courage exists when individuals choose to act in the face of a threat or risk.¹ The risk may be physical or social—bodily harm, ostracism, humiliation, marginalization, or even a career‐limiting move. People often think of courage as belonging to some individuals and not others or being demonstrated by great feats in which people place themselves in danger of physical harm to save or protect others. Yes, some people may have a greater disposition to behave more courageously than others, but courage can be learned and reflects the practice of not sitting on the sidelines. Being courageous as an Inclusive Leader requires you to take interpersonal risks and demonstrate vulnerability.

Small Acts of Courage

Recently, Melissa heard from a colleague at her university a story that gets at exactly this point. Following an incident in which a faculty member, Kate, yelled at a staff member in her department, Melissa's colleague spoke to both parties individually to offer feedback to the faculty member and support to the staff member. Melissa's colleague was disheartened because Kate seemed to reject the feedback ...