I have never hired for courage before. I have looked back at my past job descriptions and the word courage is no where to be found. This bothers me.

I’m going to start hiring for courage. I’m also going to start looking for more of it in my relationships and the people I commit to.

Courage is a powerful trait. Courage is the fuel that enables a lot of things. It takes courage to:

Say no to a customer
Not to come down on price
Disagree with your boss
Suggest a new product
Show your weaknesses
Start something new
Start over
Try a different approach
Fire a customer
Take risks
Hold your ground when you believe you are right
Admit your wrong
Not go with the crowd
Highlight errors and mistakes
Express unpopular opinions
Call out the elephant in the room
Be accountable for your mistakes (it’s easy to be accountable for your successes)
Put others first
Try new things
Accept criticism
Start a business
Be different
Be uncomfortable
Try
Fail

Courage is at the heart of all great efforts. Courage allows us to do the hard stuff. It allows us to be OK with being uncomfortable.

All the great successes I have witnessed have come about because someone had the courage to do something different, to challenge the status quo, to take a risk, to be willing to fail.

Change and growth can not take root without courage. Knowing this why aren’t we all looking for the courageous?

I know I’m going to start!