Courage

At the heart of many employee relations problems rests a lack of trust and the reason for the lack of trust is often a lack of courage.

A supervisor, fearing to confront a poor performer, permits the person to drag down the rest of the team. The other team members, irritated at having to work with a slug, begin to question the boss's integrity and reliability.

An employee, shy and seeking to fit in with others, refrains from stating his honest opinion. The others interpret it as manipulation.

A person who is without fear does not have courage. Courage requires the presence of fear. It involves the ability to overcome fear to an extent that permits the person to take effective action. Fear is directly tied to a lack of control. The greater the sense of control, the less the fear. The less the sense of control, the greater the fear. The courageous person sees and acquires control in a situation where others would feel powerless.

Organizations that teach people to be courageous, such as police and fire departments and the military, do so by having the people do courageous things. Boot camps are filled with activities that build the confidence and self-discipline that can bolster courage. Courage is never guaranteed - a person who may have physical courage may lack moral courage and vice-versa - but the odds of being courageous can be increased.

A simple but not glib bit of advice to people who wonder how to become courageous is, "Fake it." Since we become courageous by doing courageous things, each time a challenge is faced and handled, self-confidence and self-discipline, the essential elements of courage, grow.

Another factor may also be triggered. Individuals who worry excessively often fear that the worst case scenario will always occur. The more they confront, rather than flee, their fears, the more they are acquainted with the reality that their worst case images are usually groundless and are the exception instead of the rule. That sense of reality, when combined with greater confidence and discipline, will create a climate in which courage can thrive.