Why Courage is Key to Strong Leadership

"You defy beings that should cow you into silence. You resist forces that are inevitable for no more reason than that you believe they should be resisted. You bow your head to neither demons nor angels, and you put yourself in harm’s way to defend those who cannot defend themselves. I think I like you."

In Jim Butcher’s 2010 novel, “Changes” (book 12 of ‘The Dresden Files’ series), an enigmatic demigod named Vadderung comments on the character of the series' scrappy wizard protagonist, Harry Dresden. The series chronicles a circuitous take on the hero’s journey as private investigator and professional wizard Harry Dresden faces eldritch monsters, supernatural politics, and intricate plots contrived from the pantheons of virtually every mythos in human history. A rising champion of humanity, he gains in power and knowledge as he unravels the subtle threads of a surreptitious cosmic threat, but the essence of his core principles and values remain immutably the same, even in the face of threats and powers orders of magnitude above his own abilities and experience.

But what can a fictional wizard detective teach us about leadership? Quite a lot, actually. We don’t need to look to the supernatural to find instances in our daily lives where we are confronted by evil. Evil comes in many forms. Injustice, indignity, cruelty, neglect, and indifference are all disciples of malice. As philosopher Edmund Burke remarked: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” But what power do good men truly have over the titans in our world, be they bosses, leaders of industry, pharisees of the culture or simply ill-intentioned neighbors? How do we overcome the oppressive forces in the world beyond our control? The answer is surprisingly simple. Like the Rock of Gibraltar struck against angry tides, know your convictions, and stand up for them. “No” is a powerful word. So is “will.” When put together, “No, I will not…” creates a lever that can move mountains.

Aggression and violence are not necessary in order to stand up to tyrants. When we understand that tyrants derive their power by the results that their cruelty cultivates, we can see the chink in their armor- that a simple, humble, and courageous refusal to submit to tyrannical power erodes their influence. The next time you are subjected to an injustice, try this trick: Instead of rejecting the action, reject the principle upon which it is based. Assert the convictions of your beliefs, and respectfully decline to tolerate or propagate the evil. The subtle but confident demonstration of your convictions will be apparent and a source of inspiration to those around you, especially those whom you lead. Do it enough, and change will happen around you. Borrowing again from Jim Butcher: “There is the world that should be and the world that is. We live in one and must create the other.”