Courage to Lead

THE COURAGE TO LEAD

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9, NIV)

Leaders know that the best way to ensure success is to take chances. While the average man or woman fears stepping out into a new opportunity. Being overly cautious leads to failure because caution can lead to missed opportunities.

Tom Watson Sr, founder of IBM, understood this principle. A junior executive with the company once managed to lose over $10 million in a venture that was considered risky even by company insiders. When Watson found out about the disaster he called the young man into his office. Upon entering, the young man blurted out, “I guess you want my resignation?” Watson allegedly responded, “You can’t be serious. We’ve just spent $10 million educating you.”

You can’t lead without taking risk. You won’t take risk without courage. Courage is essential to leadership.

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