The courageous conversation that needs to be had …
Everyone is talking about the importance of, and need for, courageous conversations:
- Dr. Adam Grant (Organisational Psychologist & author) talks about gaining knowledge, wisdom and understanding through productive disagreement
- Patrick Lencioni (Founder of The Table Group & author) argues the necessity for productive conflict discussions to achieve high performance
- Dr. Brené Brown (Researcher, Professor & author) offers knowledge on leaning into vulnerability to remain curious and generous when rumbling
The labels may be different, but these are all courageous conversations.
insium’s Workplace Courage Questionnaire (wCQ) identified the 3 conversations that most need courage are:
- Having a difficult conversation
- Delivering a difficult message regarding workplace change
- Giving feedback to a more senior colleague
What are the courageous conversations that need to happen in your workplace? What would be the benefits of (more) courageous conversations in your workplace?
insium has the knowledge and skills to build courage in others, and also, has developed practical tools to help you and your team to engage in courageous conversations. Tools such as:
- The 3Cs of Workplace Conversations
- #worthwhile #risk #willing
- Courageous Conversations Checklist
These pragmatic tools will support you and your team to have a courageous conversation, to have a difficult conversation, to disagree constructively, to deliver a difficult message, to have voice, to give feedback, to have the courageous conversation that needs to be had.
Each of these tools is easy to understand, easy to remember, easy to apply.
Let’s discuss how we can support your workplace to have these courageous conversations.
My Courageous Self
“I am a mapmaker and a traveller ... I have the data and I use that data to chart a course.” ~Dr. Brené Brown, “Atlas of the Heart”
In “Atlas of the Heart”, Brené shares her conversations with Dr. Kirk Goldsberry who is a mapmaker and cartography scholar. He explained that there are two ways to make a map:
- Actual exploration to collect your own data, and
- Using data provided by others
He also explained that maps are about layers and the one thing that all maps do is provide individual’s with orientation. This resonated so much with me as insium’s “My Courageous Self” program is based on map-making via collecting data on self through:
- Reflection – collecting your own data, and
- Feedback from others – collecting data provided from others
Participants of the “My Courageous Self” program each create their own map of past courageous acts. Through collecting data on self, the layers in each map are identified and time is spent understanding the interactions of the layers – or as Dr. Goldsberry explains, “the story of the map.” Participant’s understanding of their own narrative provides the motivation to apply this understanding to future acts of courage, providing the orientation to chart their own course.
This truly unique program is for everyone in your workplace who wants to (continue to) be brave. If your team has participated in the Dare To Lead (DTL) program, we will dig in further and build on each of the four courage building skills – rumbling with vulnerability, living into our values, BRAVING trust and learning to rise. If your team has not participated in DTL, “My Courageous Self” will provide opportunity to understand each of these skills as the maps evolve. Either way, all participants will have the chance to identify the many layers of their own map of courage and understand how these layers interact; participants will store knowledge of past courageous acts to apply to future courageous acts.
My Map of Courage
Stories of courage …
We know that #courageiscontagious. We know that we are inspired to courage upon witnessing or reading of the courageous acts of others. You can find a number of courageous stories at our website, Leading with Courage. Following are our two most recent blogs that might inspire you, plus one more to anticipate:
Moving to Sydney – A Time I Felt Courageous, by our guest blogger, Jasmine Garbino. In her story, Jasmine shares that “It’s better to learn from a bold decision than to regret a missed opportunity.”
Space and Nature is one of my reflections of having walked the Camino de Santiago recently.
And be sure to look out for “How Can We Find Courage in Everyday Moments?”, which will be published early in the new year. Our guest blogger, Zoe Raftopoulos expresses that … “courage doesn’t always show up in dramatic moments; sometimes it reveals itself in the careers we choose and the dreams we chase.” Zoe will inspire you to be courageous in 2025 and chase your dreams.
If you’d like to share your story of courage with us, we would be honoured to share it with our network.
Books that we’re reading …
The following books were recommended by two participants of a recent Dare to Lead program that I facilitated; I am grateful to them both:
- “Note to Self”, by Rebekah Ballagh. This is a beautiful toolbox for helping manage emotions; a wonderful resource that you can dip in and out of, finding wisdom on every page.
- “Chatter – The Voice in Our Head (and How to Harness It)”, by Ethan Kross. This book is interesting, easy to read, and offers simple, pragmatic tools to help the voice in your head work for you rather than against you; to help the voice in your head become your inner coach rather than your inner critic.
What are you reading?
One of my favourite pages from “Note to Self.” I find that we/I often need to be reminded of the final point.
#bethecourageyouwishtoseeintheworld
Dina
(@CourageChick)
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#nature #space #strong #wellbeing #pospsych #walk #camino #learn #friends #grateful #love #beauty #resilience #heart
