A Recipe for Bold
Any blog called A Bold Leader had best begin with a conversation about what that even means. So here we go, starting with a little context.
While we tend to have a generally favorable image of those called to lead, leaders are not universally righteous, nor are they always good. In fact, among the most recognizable historic leaders are figures like Genghis Khan (subject of the featured pic) and Adolph Hitler. Historic captains have quivers filled with a host of diverse arrows - strength, intelligence, charisma and determination, for example. Even the ratios in which they display these traits are as unique as their DNA; some for better, some for worse.
One characteristic, however, is constant among those who change history. They are bold. In fact, if a leader is not bold, those arrows remain in the quiver – never drawn, never nocked and never shot. Boldness is the one common trait shared by every leader who’s ever made a difference of any kind.
Bold (adj.)
Bold, as an adjective for leadership, can describe a wide variety of influence. Leading boldly certainly describes Washington crossing the Delaware on Christmas to set the course for American independence. It also describes Malala Yousafzai’s fight for girl’s education in Pakistan and even Elon Musk’s dogged pursuit of commercially viable EVs and private space travel.
As far as I'm concerned, all of these examples work. Each of these leaders faced significant threats and obstacles - harsh conditions, cultural oppression, technology deficits - yet each found a way to realize a noble and historic victory. In all three situations, it wasn't enough to possess the moral, intellectual or actual physical high ground. They had to draw on something else to overcome adversity and win the day. They had to be bold where others with the same information and similar resources might have been indecisive, or even meek. They each had the requisite intelligence, drive and experience to know the way, but they charged ahead with something else that closed the achievement gap. Something uncommon. Something not from the head, but from the heart. They were bold.
The head may be where a plan comes together, but the boldness to execute that plan flows from the heart.
Yet bold isn't fearless. Fearless doesn't exist in the psyche of a rational leader. Courage certainly does, but courage is different. Courage isn't the absence of fear. It's the conquest of it.
In my experience bold isn't homogenous at all. It's a complex mix of sometimes competing traits. A good analogy this time of year is to think of bold as a kind of stew - a hearty recipe with just a few key ingredients.
A Recipe for Bold
In a tested iron pot, start with a strong base of moral courage then stir in a pinch of audacity and a healthy portion of confidence (avoid the temptation to substitute the much-more-common arrogance - it overpowers the stew and leaves a bad taste in everyone's mouths). Bring the whole mix to a thoughtful simmer and sprinkle generously with humility, humanity and humor. Skip the hubris.Finally, garnish with as much situational awareness as you can get your hands on.Keep warm and uncovered, ready to serve up at a moment's notice.
So, what might this stew taste like in the real world?
In a recent Bold Leader Spotlight, Bold Business featured Stanley McChrystal, retired US Army General and Founder of The McChrystal Group, describing what it means to be a bold leader in his own words.
“In the military, we say that nobody gets fired for following our doctrine, but we're not hired or trained to follow our doctrine, we're hired to win.”
- Stanley McChrystal
McChrystal's description paints a simple, but vivid picture of what it often means to be a bold leader - Doing what it takes to get the job done. To win.
The trouble is, "what it takes" is sometimes pretty scary. In fact, we're just broaching the subject and I can already almost hear the excuses.
"That's never been done before!"
"Nah, it's company policy we don't do that."
"But what happens if this doesn't work?"
"I'm afraid of who we'll piss off."
These lamentations underscore why our bold stew starts with a strong base of moral courage.
We'll spend a lot of time in this blog exploring the various ways rules (policies, doctrine, and even laws) work for us and against us - as well as how to lead in each case. We'll stare down fear and other impediments to becoming a bold leader, swallowing their bitter, painful repercussions for the sake of victory and living with the consequences - positive and negative. We'll wrestle with important questions like the difference between being bold and being foolish, and whether it's still considered bold if the leader doesn't win.
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In the meantime, Merry Christmas to you and the ones you love this joyous holiday season. Give bold some thought over the next couple of weeks, and I'll look forward to continuing the discussion with you in the New Year.
