The Leadership Contract Field Guide

Chapter 7Leadership Is Hard Work—Get Tough

Courage. It's a word that has been coming up a lot in my discussions with leaders. Many are realizing how critical it is to their success. This is not a new idea. In fact, Greek philosopher Aristotle said over 2,000 years ago that “Courage is the first of human qualities, because it is the quality that guarantees the others.” This is true in life, and it's certainly true in leadership.

Unfortunately, too many leaders lack courage. Many have a tendency to play it safe, take the easy way out, defer unpopular decisions for as long as possible, or stay under the radar at all costs.

As you know, this is what the third term of the Leadership Contract is all about. This term acknowledges the fact that leaders must be courageous because it's not an easy job to be a truly accountable leader. You'll encounter many situations as a leader that require courage and personal toughness to tackle the hard work.

After all, holding people accountable isn't easy. Managing poor performers isn't easy. Accepting candid feedback about how you need to grow as a leader isn't easy. Confronting your personal gaps takes courage.

Instead of getting tough, too many leaders choose to wimp out. But if you are really going to be accountable as a leader, you have to understand that you can't take the easy way out. It's no longer good enough for you to be a bystander. You have to get tough. Everyone—your team, your department, your boss, and your organization—is counting ...