Courageous leadership: delivering results in turbulent times

Abstract

PurposeIn uncertain times, courageous leaders must be in place, stepping forward to take action to drive results. Because there is really no such thing as a natural-born leader, the organization must constantly develop current and new leaders. Leadership skills and leader behavior are shaped and molded over time, but also can be dramatically changed and improved with a variety of effective leadership development programs. The perplexing issue about leaders and leadership development is the negative press it often receives. The root cause of this problem is not necessarily the content of leadership development programs or even the way that they are delivered, it is the definition of leadership success and the success of leadership development.Design/methodology/approachThe purpose of this paper is to illustrate the success of a courageous leader does not occur until impact is achieved in the organization.FindingsThe courageous leader is one who can deliver on all levels of outcomes in the face of many difficulties, challenges and uncertainties in ambiguous environments.Originality/valueGreat leaders deliver great results, including the impact they have on their organizations or spheres of influence. Without impact, leaders are ineffective. To achieve success in these turbulent times requires leaders to be effective in delivering on five levels of outcomes, including impact and ROI. The courageous leader is one who can deliver on all levels of outcomes in the face of many difficulties, challenges and uncertainties in ambiguous environments.