2010—Ways to Claim Your Courage!

Hope you’re having a good holiday season.

A few weeks ago I wrote about how you can step up to your next level and become a courageous leader in 2010. I shared of one of my favorite quotes: “He who hesitates on each step spends his life on one leg” (-- ancient Chinese Proverb). Below I offer two ideas about how you can take charge and step up:

•  Ask for the tough projects, the project no one wants. People applying the essence of courage seek out difficult tasks and take risks that force them to perform above their usual skill and knowledge levels. The tough project could be anything that challenges you to reach out, such as moving to another department to gain experience, develop new skills, and broaden your scope of the business. Try not to match your style or skills to fit an absolute (perfect) checklist. Instead, express your expectations, cultivate new abilities and ask for the job.

Every one has courage to varying degrees and it is exercised through conscious choice. The size of the project, your position, title or industry does not matter. You get the benefit of courage by practicing it! Ask yourself: At work, when did you last feel like you were displaying your best? Is your job alluring? Are you a happy conduit to your company’s success?

•  Exit quickly bad situations. How quickly do you size up a situation, take a stand and confront an uncomfortable issue, such as abuse? From the bully coworker, Type-A compulsions, aggression, victim mentality, sarcasm, or struggle with self-doubt, bad habits keep most of us too long in a problematic situation. Ask yourself: Do you conduct business with people you like and respect? Do you accept (or deal out) rudeness? Begin by seeking what joyfully motives you at work, and what causes the most stress. Your enthusiasm either simmers or boils there.

I would love for you to share your courage comments by posting them below.

Sandra Ford Walston is known as The Courage Expert and innovator of StuckThinking™. She is an organizational effectiveness consultant, speaker, internationally published author of bestseller COURAGE, trainer and courage coach. She is certified in the Enneagram and MBTI®. Please visit www.walstoncourage.com.