Choosing Courage is a new book by Jim Detert, a Professor at the University of Virginia's Darden The lack of courage percolates through every organizational level, but so do positive examples if we only open our eyes to look for them. Words such as ‘be loyal,’ ‘be a team player,’ or ‘don’t rock the boat’ encourage us to conform and not challenge the status quo. As I previously reported in Forbes, there is a difference between being a dreamer and an achiever. If you want to become more courageous, you cannot just read or think about it; you need to do it regularly and make it a habit. You need to learn to be comfortable benign uncomfortable. People choose courage for two reasons; they want to cement their legacy or avoid regret. Some of the small steps Detert recommends to increase your courage barometer include taking on stretch assignments, owning bold initiatives, and innovating within or beyond one’s current organization. Detert outlines a five-step process to learn how to be more courageous: Create the right conditions People prefer to work with those who they know, like, and trust. Developing those factors with your colleagues is a critical first step. Do whatever you can to avoid feeling financially or emotionally handcuffed to your current situation so that it provides you with greater flexibility and freedoms. There is always risk involved with courageous acts, so maximizing job security or the ability to exit safely is paramount. Choose your battles There simply is not enough time or energy to take on every opportunity. As I previously wrote for Forbes, determining your goals and...

One of the key objectives to accomplish this is to focus on actual leadership. But, the ability to lead a team of people toward a successful business outcome isn’t as easy as you’d think. Below are my top tips on how you can become a leader of leaders: