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As a Courage Coach and consultant in courageous leadership, employees at all levels ask me intriguing questions. Below are four questions and answers that you might find interesting:

 1)  A director of HR shared a situation about a courageous hiring decision that demonstrated courageous leadership when she was confronted about hiring an “outsider.” What would you have done?

She said, “While it would have been the risk-free and popular decision to merely promote an internal favorite to a recently vacated executive position, I decided to take a significant risk in hiring a stellar candidate external to the organization who could lead a very important department from competent to excellent. This choice, even during times of economic uncertainty dictated structural change and altered “business as usual.” It took courage to approach....

Want to be happier and more successful? First, it starts with being courageous. We're not talking about jumping from high buildings like Superman. We're talking about making smart choices and supporting yourself with self management techniques and good friends. Here are some discussion points and action items you can do alone or with friends:  Start Being • Start saying: “I declare my intention to be courageous,” then you will exhibit your personal courage. • Start being one hundred percent accountable for how you design your life. • Start perceiving yourself as courageous. • Start changing the way you organize your time. • Start something that...

You people in the West make it too difficult. If you want to be happy, stop doing the things that are bad for you and start doing the things that are good for you.     — His Holiness The Dalai Lama You are the light of your world. Just the way you are. Your light offers other people the opportunity to see situations in a new way. How? Your light is your courage. How bright is yours? Below are a few tips to stop doing old behaviors and start discovering your Being. Stopping unhealthy behaviors encourages you to purify your heart and renew...

The word “courage” seems to be such a “big” word in our culture since it is frequently associated with sensationalism and tragic circumstances; yet, it simply means, “heart.” On the extreme, courage is associated with the whistle blowers witnessed at WorldCom and Enron. Too me, “simply courage” is best quoted by Robert Louis Stevenson: “Everyday courage has few witnesses. It is no less noble because no drum beats and no crowds shout your name.” How often do you witness every day courage? In 2012, would you be willing to embrace the etymology of the word and claim courage in your life?...

What prevents us from making the changes we know will make us more effective leaders? Great question. I may be the only executive educator who actually measures whether the participants in my leadership development courses actually do what I teach--and then measures if they are seen as becoming more effective leaders. At the end of my sessions, I ask leaders (who have received 360-degree feedback) to follow up with their co-workers and ask for ongoing ideas about how they can continue to become more effective. A year later, about 70% do some version of this recommended follow-up (as reported by their...

Once in a while I read a poem that makes me stop and reflect on the lost courage I have accumulated in my life. Much of the accumulative suffering is couched in regrets. Regrets represent lost courage, usually layered in blame. Do you have the courage to confront this question: "What percentage of your spirit is filled with regrets?" Linda Ellis' poem "The Dash," moved me to reflection. With our gnat-like attention span we don't take time to reflect and welcome introspection much less "simple courage" behaviors. Simplicity takes talent, intention and advocates! THE DASH I read of a man who...

 Making yourself look good doesn't mean kissing up. Dr. Wayne Dyer is widely credited with the wise saying, "You teach others how to treat you." Well, I'm a big believer in that statement. You teach others to regard you as important by respecting your own time and energy, not by always asking "How high?" when they say "Jump." An executive in my coaching practice, "Stan", is a key account director for a global consulting company that works with big-name clients worldwide. His clients are very demanding and will call at all hours of the day or night with requests both...

There isn't a super hero "out there" who can save you from your situation, fix your problems, or take away your fears. You have to tap into your own super hero; to identify the fears that are holding you back and to make a decision to reclaim the power you have yielded. I recently spoke at a leadership conference for women who work in the consulting industry. About 5 minutes before I was due to begin speaking, a woman attending the event asked if I ever got nervous. "Often," I replied, "Particularly about five minutes before I'm about to take the...

Courageous leaders recognize defining moments and apply courage at work. This conscious action is vital to their success. By developing the following behaviors in yourself, you?ll be better able to call upon your courage when needed. 1. Constantly affirm your strength and determinationRealize that no one expects you to be perfect. They do, however, expect you to do your best. Take time for daily reflection so you can evaluate your resources and how you can best use them. When you know how your strengths can benefit your organization, you'll be able to do what you believe is right and see...

WE ALL SEEM to feel the shifts of uncertainty that are occurring at multiple levels in our lives, including our spirit. Acknowledging these feelings about how we approach our daily our lives will hopefully open up an opportunity to stop and reflect about our behavior patterns, prompting us to ask questions. Ask yourself: Are you stuck in denial, apathy, self-doubt or blame? If these few samples of obstacles to everyday courage resonate with you, then you're stuck in the past unable to embrace the major transitions going on in our culture for the past several years. Please know that it...

What does it take to create radical change?While "change" on a small level can be created through the smallest of things: a small deed or thought or a small shift in awareness. Radical change requires more from us.  Not only does it call on us to do big things, but to do them perpetually.  Our unrelenting pursuit and tenacious belief that we can create radical change is what fuels us when something seems hard or impossible. Creating a global climate of tolerance and love is possible.If you are wondering how to begin, there are no shortage of best-selling books with instructions on...