Leadership Courage & the Old Kanye

 

Now hear me out...

I learned a great deal about leadership courage by listening to the words of Kanye West (the old Kanye).  And yes, I can hear the virtual gasps and feel the virtual eye rolls as I share this thought out loud. Whether you agree with his beliefs or not, there is no denying that he's a talented artist. As I sat the other day listening to his debut album "The College Dropout", hearing the song Jesus Walks inspired me to write again after a long hiatus, and the subject of leadership courage was the first thing that came to my mind. 

Leadership courage refers to the ability to make difficult decisions and take risks to achieve goals, even when faced with uncertainty or opposition. As I listened to the lyrics of Jesus Walks, I thought about Kanye being a 26 year-old virtually unknown talent, and the courage it must have taken for him to release this song. The lyrics openly discuss his relationship with God. He was aware that this was not a popular subject in rap music. He even acknowledges how it could impact his success in the verse "But if I talk about God my record won't get played Huh? Well let this take away from my spins. Which will probably take away from my ends." Despite knowing the subject could affect his fan base, radio plays, and ultimately his earning potential, he released it anyway. That took courage.

So what makes someone a courageous leader? Based on my fifteen years of working with leaders across multiple industries and academic research on the topic, I have identified three key characteristics of courageous leaders:

They do what's best, even when it's unpopular and could have negative consequences for them. 

Courageous leaders make decisions based on what’s right, not what’s easiest. Even when facing backlash, they prioritize long-term goals over short-term comfort. For example, Ursula Burns (former Xerox CEO) championing diversity and equal pay. Burns was the first African American woman to lead a Fortune 500 company. She made diversity and inclusion a priority at Xerox and called on other companies to be more proactive in their diversity efforts. 

They show vulnerability

Vulnerability is not a weakness, but a powerful trait of courageous leaders. By openly acknowledging their mistakes or areas of growth, they foster trust and respect. A leader who admits to not having all the answers, or who seeks feedback from their team, creates an environment of openness and collaboration. This paves the way for stronger relationships and more effective leadership. Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun displayed this characteristic when he took responsibility for the 2024 Alaska Airlines mid-air flight blowout, and vowed complete transparency during the investigation. 

They are adaptable

The best leaders are not rigid; they are flexible and willing to adjust strategies as needed. Adaptability is key when navigating change or unexpected challenges. For example, Peter Kern, former CEO of Expedia Group, recognized the opportunity for Expedia to shift its image from one of a travel company to a technology company. Despite the challenges it took to change perspectives, this shift positioned Expedia to be the leading software organization powering travel across the globe. 

The Lesson

Courageous leaders make tough decisions, even when these decisions are risky and could have negative consequences for them. They do what's best even when its unpopular like Ursula Burns at Xerox. They show vulnerability like Dave Calhoun at Boeing, and adapt when needed, like Peter Kern at Expedia. The final lesson? Courage isn't about never feeling fear. It's about moving forward in spite of it. To quote Kanye, when it's time to show leadership courage "The only thing I pray for is that my feet don't fail me now".