Why cowardly lions make poor leaders: teaching courage

By William Seidman I’ve been asked to help develop a “change leadership” program. This seemed strange; so much is written about leadership and there are so many training and coaching programs. Why create a new one? A new program may be essential because (1) most leadership programs are not specifically about leading through change and (2) most leadership programs don’t have enough impact. I asked my network of friends, including many who teach leadership and are executive coaches, How could so much have been spent on leadership development and coaching and yet most organizations still have dismal leadership? It’s not so puzzling when you know that most training and coaching programs aren’t about real world situations and so don’t apply. What then is missing? The answer is:  a focus on being courageous. Leaders must have a confidence and willingness to take risks despite considerable uncertainty and resistance. How do you teach someone to be courageous?]]>