Courageous Leadership: Leading with a Clear Vision and without Need for Validation

Are you a courageous leader?

Courageous leaders are visionary and innovative. Innovative leaders cannot exist without courage. They must have the guts to go in a new direction. They experiment. They try new things. They say new things. They are courageous enough to stand for something that no one ever stood for. They stand up against the status quo and speak their truth despite prevailing mainstream opinions. They risk being laughed at for their views, their approaches, their perspectives.

Courageous leaders dare to self-discover to gain greater self-awareness. They don’t fear seeing things about themselves they may not like. They self-examine. They don’t look away. They look anyway. They question their own assumptions.

Courageous leaders show interest in how their behavior is perceived so they can figure out if there’s a gap between their own perception of their behavior and others’ perception of their behavior. They ask for feedback.

Courageous leaders don’t depend on validation by other people. They’re not afraid to say green when others say blue. The only confirmation they look for is how their leadership serves those they lead and the vision they pursue.

Courageous leaders use their leadership position or ability to be the voice of the voiceless without being as arrogant as to “speak for them.” They may represent the voiceless, but they don’t speak for them without figuring out first what the people they speak for really want to say. They speak for the voiceless even when it’s unpopular.

Courageous leaders inspire through high-vibration energy. They pay attention to their own energy and cultivate a high vibration so they can encourage and inspire through it, sometimes even more than through their words… because their energetic presence speaks for them.

Courageous leaders act with a clear intention. They may change their minds, but they don’t constantly adapt their view depending on what favors them the most. They also are transparent about their intention.

Courageous leaders are present with others. They lack the need to put the biggest weight on themselves and their own interests. Instead, they focus on the people and causes they lead. They are purpose-driven, not self-interest-driven.

Courageous leaders are brave enough to admit when they make mistakes or when they need help. They know that they are not supposed to be perfect, and they have no issue with bringing in people to complement their own skills. They know about their shortcomings and they don’t cover them up.

Courageous leaders do not tolerate corruption. They don’t back down to corruption attempts. They don’t bow to lobbyists and they don’t compromise their integrity in exchange for material or financial compensation. They also don’t support systems that favor corruption. Being corrupt is just not an option for them.

Courageous leaders are not afraid to share power. They are unimpressed by hierarchies and titles, and they are not authoritative. They don’t feel threatened by the thought of having equals, of delegating, of other people’s brilliance.

Courageous leaders allow others to shine. They celebrate other people’s greatness and genius, just like they celebrate their own. They don’t need sunglasses when they stand next to brightly shining people. Their eyes love seeing brilliance.

Courageous leaders strive towards new consciousness, which is driven by vision, evolution, compassion, love. Not old consciousness, which is driven by fear, suffering, threat and pain. Connectedness and unison rather than separation. Peace rather than war and conflict. Courageous leaders have no need to defend antiquated structures and paradigms that keep the same groups in power and systematically exclude others. They look back to learn and forward to drive positive change.

Courageous leaders… That’s what we need more of. Are you one of them?