Five Steps to Lead With Courage
The government wanted to demolish my client’s church. Its paperwork named the building next door.
When I represented Buftea Baptist Church in Communist Romania, the authorities had repeatedly denied the church permission to repair its building. Now they wanted to tear it down.
That morning, the secret police had detained and interrogated me. After my release, I hurried to court with the church’s documents in my briefcase. The court reporter was calling my case as I entered.
I presented the repair requests and the repeated refusals. Then I showed the judge and prosecutor the mistake in the demolition paperwork. The judge denied the demolition order against the church.
I rejoiced and thanked God. I tell this story in my memoir, Saving My Assassin.
My clients were depending on me to understand their case and explain it clearly. My faith sustained me, and I still had to do that work carefully.
The circumstances you face as a leader will be different. You may need to question a decision, admit a mistake, or speak for someone who is afraid to speak for themselves. Knowing what is right can leave you with another difficult question: how will you act on it?
These five ideas offer a way to think it through: Know. Stand. Act. Lead. Impact.
Know who you are and why you are here
For me, identity and purpose begin with God. I accepted His call to defend Christians whose rights were being violated. The people I represented needed someone willing to take their cases, even when doing so was dangerous.
That gave my work a purpose beyond keeping my position or protecting my reputation.
Before you decide to stay silent, consider who will make a decision without the information you have. A client or colleague may be relying on your judgment without knowing there is a problem. What do they need from you before they act?
Stand for what is true and right
In the church case, I had to show the court what the documents actually said. Believing my clients had been treated unjustly was the reason to defend them; examining the evidence was part of that defense.
Suppose you are asked to approve a report and a figure does not appear correct. Find the source of that figure and ask how it was calculated. Explain what needs to be resolved before you can approve it.
This makes your concern something people can examine. It also gives you room to discover that you misunderstood the information.
Standing for the truth includes being willing to correct yourself.
Act while you are still afraid
I was often afraid for my family and for myself. I prayed for strength, and I could not know how every case would end.
You may be waiting for a difficult conversation to feel easier. There may be preparation you still need to do. There may also be a conversation you are postponing because you would rather avoid it.
If that report is about to be approved, the concern needs to reach someone who can address it before others rely on the information. A private conversation or a request for more time may be an appropriate first step.
Consider the risks to other people and ask for help where you need it. Courage does not require you to have every answer before you begin.
Lead through your example
Now consider the other side of that conversation. Someone brings you a concern about work you have already approved.
Give them time to explain. If they have found a mistake, acknowledge it and help correct it. If you reach a different conclusion, explain why. The person who raised the question should be able to understand how you reached your decision.
My faith calls me to love people, including those who oppose me. Learning to do that took effort. That includes how I respond to someone who questions me.
Consider the impact on others
In the church case, the judge denied the demolition order. The outcome mattered to a congregation whose place of worship had been threatened.
The people affected by your decision also need to know what happens next. If the report was corrected, did the correction reach everyone using it? If someone asked for help, did they receive it?
We cannot control every outcome. We can follow through on what we have promised and recognize when more work remains.
Today, I bring these lessons to my work as a human rights attorney, author, and international keynote speaker based in Dallas. My speaking engagements have included the U.S. Air Force Academy’s National Character and Leadership Symposium.
If you are planning a leadership conference, retreat, or program in Dallas–Fort Worth or elsewhere in the United States, I would welcome a conversation about the decisions your audience faces and what would help them prepare.
Inquire about a speaking engagement or email virginia@virginiaprodan.com.
