This past weekend, Wimbledon\u2019s Gentleman\u2019s Finals were held with the victor being Andy Murray.<\/p>\n
We wanted to highlight Mr. Murray as he is a great fit for our discussions around courageous leadership. Here\u2019s a summary of where we feel he applies courage:<\/p>\n
The pressure was on to win Wimbledon and make Britain proud; he certainly did not let his fans down! He became the first British man in 77 years to win Wimbledon.<\/p>\n
Did this take courage? You bet! In 2012 he was runner-up at Wimbledon, and although this is a major accomplishment, it was not fulfilling his dream. He was gracious in his loss, and seemed more determined than ever to achieve his goal.<\/p>\n
Working with his coach, Ivan Lendl, he practiced every day to minimize his weaknesses while making his strengths even stronger. He had a goal and he had a purpose!<\/p>\n
The very essence of leadership is its purpose.\u00a0And the purpose\u00a0of leadership is to accomplish a task.\u00a0That is what leadership does-and what it does is more important than what it is or how it works.
\n\u2013Colonel Dandridge M. Malone<\/p><\/blockquote>\nWhile most of our careers don\u2019t require that we address physical challenges, there\u2019s a need to have a purpose along with a need to address soft skill challenges.<\/p>\n
Common Leadership Challenges<\/h3>\n
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- Conducting difficult conversations<\/li>\n
- Delivering and responding to feedback<\/li>\n
- Addressing and managing conflict<\/li>\n
- Discerning and working on true priorities<\/li>\n
- Saying \u201cno\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Believe it or not, practice helps! Think of some situations that make you uncomfortable, or that you postpone addressing for as long as possible.<\/p>\n
Next, give serious thought as to \u201cwhy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Now it\u2019s time to practice ideal responses. This can be through role playing with a trusted friend or business peer, or by talking to a mirror. (Role playing has the advantage of obtaining feedback.)<\/p>\n
Think of real life examples, plan your ideal response, then practice delivering that response.<\/p>\n
Expect that this will initially feel awkward and unnatural. Your comfort level will grow when your responses sound more like you and less “canned.”<\/p>\n
Do you have the courage to define your purpose and address your challenges?<\/p>\n
12 Components That Require Courage<\/h3>\n
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- Have and live your dream.<\/li>\n
- Document your goals.<\/li>\n
- Commit to your goals.<\/li>\n
- Understand your strengths and the strengths of others.<\/li>\n
- Communicate.<\/li>\n
- Address conflict.<\/li>\n
- Develop others.<\/li>\n
- Delegate.<\/li>\n
- Develop a skill.<\/li>\n
- Remain controlled.<\/li>\n
- Give rewards.<\/li>\n
- Succeed and learn from failure.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n