Behavior 7: Demonstrate Courage
“You are accountable for your actions, your decisions, your life; no one else but you.” — Catherine Pulsifer
Do you accept responsibility for your behaviors? How do you hold yourself accountable for your actions? When you say you will do something, do you follow through?
Within our personal and professional lives, demonstrating courage and taking responsibility for our actions takes practice. Whether it’s a disagreement about a project at work or setting a goal at home that you fail to achieve, we can practice this servant leader behavior by starting with a few simple steps.
Step 1: Challenge non-useful beliefs
In servant leadership, challenging non-useful beliefs is a great start to demonstrating courage when your ego tries to get the best of you. When you talk down to yourself and fill your mind with untrue thoughts, you create blocks to accomplishing your goals. If you don’t believe you will succeed, think you’re not smart enough or think you’re not good enough, chances are it will be a lot more difficult to achieve your goals. Take a step back, breathe and know you can do it. Focus on building yourself up with positive thoughts. Speak up if you need to and let those around you help keep those positive thoughts flowing.
Step 2: Accept responsibility and speak up
Within the workplace, you can demonstrate courage by confronting reality and accepting responsibility. If issues arise, find their root and work toward finding a solution. Being honest about the problem without fear provides clarity. If you did something wrong, take ownership. Admit you made a mistake and move forward in a positive direction. Don’t feel embarrassed or ashamed; keep your head up and speak up. This not only adds trust in yourself, but in your co-workers around you. If you’re unsure about your ability to complete a task, ask for assistance.
Step 3: Ask for help
Another key step toward a courageous lifestyle is asking for help. Throughout our many experiences in life, we get the idea that asking for help is a weakness. If we can’t finish all our tasks by ourselves, we are useless. If we bottle all our emotions without the help of others, we are brave. These are examples of non-useful beliefs that get the best of us. As a servant leader, asking for assistance and guidance is courageous. Putting yourself out there and letting your team, partner, family, and friends know you need help is the key to a peaceful life and one where everyone can work together to achieve a great outcome. Let communication with others be a constant flow in your life.
As you challenge non-useful beliefs, take responsibility, and communicate effectively, you will come to realize that demonstrating courage makes you feel more successful, calm, productive, and honest with yourself and others. Let those good vibes flow, knowing you are in control of your own beautiful life.
Social Media Consultant for the Servant Leadership Institute