I recently engaged in a wonderful conversation to explore how courage could be used as an excuse for maverick behaviour – for example where someone doesn’t want to adhere to good business process or implement a decision they don’t agree with. 
When organisations decide to embrace courage and invite their people to unleash more of it personally then leaders must be ready to engage in conversations to define what this looks and feels like in a constructive way.
I see people confusing courage with aggressively asserting an opinion and often at the expense of others. Or at its worst, having the courage to defy a decision and making their own way forward without engaging in a conversation to explore any implications.
I do not believe this is courage at its best. Yes they have decided to face their fears and rather than retreat from a conversation or avoid sharing what they really think – have made a conscious effort to be courageous. However people can sometimes swing to the other end of the pendulum and instead of toeing the line as they have done previously, they display what could be perceived as maverick behaviours.
It is important to encourage people to find constructive ways to engage in these courageous conversations with each other; and because they haven’t done it before they fumble their way through or bluster their way through!!
Courageous leaders engage in plenty of conversations to determine and agree on the behaviours they are going to use in the team to bring courage alive – dare I say it – it is a journey of exploration. And it needs to be very real and very confronting.
