The following article is dedicated to Dean and Teresa Frey.  Dean and Teresa are excellent examples of courageous leadership.  Dean and Teresa follow Biblical principles in their life and display the courage of their convictions.  Winston Churchill said courage is the most important attribute of a leader, because without this one—none of the others matter.  Thank you Dean and Teresa for your courageous examples of leadership!

The longer I lead people; the more I realize the importance of courage.  Courage is following through on the principles you hold dear even when it hurts.  Anyone can espouse great principles, but influence begins when you model the principles.  Remember, people buy into the leader before they buy into the leader’s vision.  An important question to ask yourself, “Are you the type of leader people should follow when principles are put to the test?”  In other words, are your principles just words or your core convictions?  If they are your core convictions—then in surrendering them—you surrender your leadership!   I read a couple of quotes that teach the principles of courage.  One memorized quote can keep your resolve firm in times of duress.  I have made it a habit to sum up discussions into one-liners that captures the essence of the subject.  Joseph Joubert said, “There are single thoughts that contain the essence of a whole volume, single sentences that have the beauties of a large work.”  With this thought in mind, let’s discuss the single thoughts that capture the essence of the whole concept of courage.  Notice how each of these quotes captures different aspects of courage.

Nothing splendid has ever been achieved except by those who dared believe that something inside of them was superior to circumstances – Bruce Barton

He that would be superior to external influences must first become superior to his own passions – Samuel Johnson

Obstacles will look large or small to you according to whether you are large or small – Orison Swett Marden

Courage is convictions in action – Orrin Woodward

What the superior man seeks is in himself: what the small man seeks is in others – Francois La Rochefoucauld

All the significant battles are waged within the self – Sheldon Kopp

True courage is a result of reasoning.  A brave mind is always impregnable – Jeremy Collier

Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear—not absence of fear – Mark Twain

Courage is a special kind of knowledge: the knowledge of how to fear what ought to be feared and how not to fear what ought not to be feared – David Ben-Gurion

The beauty of the soul shines out when a man bears with composure one heavy mischance after another, not because he does not fell them, but because he is a man of high and heroic temper – Aristotle

What you have outside you counts less than what you have inside you – B.C. Forbes

If I were asked to give what I consider the single most useful bit of advice for all humanity it would be this: Expect trouble as an inevitable part of life and when it comes, hold your head high, look it squarely in the eye and say, “I will be bigger than you.  You cannot defeat me.” – Ann Landers

To have character is to be big enough to take life on – Mary Caroline Richards

Little minds attain and are subdued by misfortunes; but great minds rise above them – Washington Irving

These are phenomenal quotes on the attributes of courage!  Have you displayed courage in your life?  Have you experience courageous leadership examples that helped you have courage before?  Can you give me your definition of courage and a time you experienced courage in action?  How about an example where lack of courage hurt an organization, community or country?   A courageous example strengthens the resolve of others around them.  Please share a courageous or uncourageous example in your life and the results of the example to help teach others.  God Bless, Orrin Woodward