Managerial Courage

By: Susan Spale, MBA

Every company wants to increase productivity and profits. Many recognize that the way to do so is through people. But in today's turbulent environment, the energy and innovation required to generate and sustain business growth has been eroded by a lack of trust ­ by employees, by leaders, and by the public.

If you think your manager isn't looking out for your interests, you have to expend the energy to do that yourself. If you don't trust your employees, you must spend time checking up on them. Profits aren't made by doing a job well, they are made by doing it better. When a lack of trust erodes creativity and risk-taking, your competitors are in a better position to find newer, better and cheaper ways to do things.

Emotional Intelligence (EQ) researchers say that too much emphasis has been on one's intellect and technical competency, not on the role of trust and relationships in impacting the bottom line. At a time when employees need meaning, trust and connection in organizations, one of the most important roles of a manager is to become an "architect of trust."

The term "managerial courage" for me, reflects this need for leaders to become "architects of trust." It is through personal action and relationships that leaders develop trust and gain commitment from employees.

Demonstrating managerial courage means being a risk-taker; putting yourself out there. The difficulty of this is often highlighted for me when discussing morale issues with a group. At one such discussion the group came up with many suggestions for improvement, some of which would require some changes in how the senior managers interacted with employees. Guess what happened when we talked about how to present those ideas to the senior managers? The room got silent. Why? It's a risk to say what you really think, even when the ideas are good ones.

Demonstrating courage is difficult, but it is especially important for managers to walk the talk in this regard. Whether speaking to an employee about performance, bringing up an idea that may not be popular, or being honest about something you see happening that you don't think is ethical, being authentic, demonstrating the courage of your convictions, earns respect. When your words and your actions are congruent, you build trust.

If you're a manager who hasn't always been very comfortable taking a personal risk to expose your thoughts and beliefs ­ try these simple steps, and see if you gain some valuable insights about yourself and the people you work with: a) ask direct questions, find out what employees really think and feel; b) listen to their responses and acknowledge them; c) strive for consistency in your words and behaviors, and d) get out of your office ­ it's key to building personal relationships.

More and more it is becoming important to build trust. Trust starts person to person. So, demonstrate courage, and know that though it may be difficult, it can have a powerful and positive impact on your employees, and the bottom line.

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. Martin Luther King