Hello You,
It’s an easy mistake to make—thinking Be Braver is Be Brave. Many people do it. Ask me how Be Brave is.
I often find myself stressing the significance of why I chose to call it Be Braver and not Be Brave.
Why Be Braver?
The reason is relatively simple but intrinsic to the way I model courage and the why of my work. It bears repeating, especially for new subscribers.
Firstly, the first letter from each of the 8 pillars, underpinning the 4 core modules, spells Be Braver. The final R stands for resilience and risk. While this wasn’t the reason for choosing the name, it helps understand their significance.
Secondly, my work is about helping people to be braver—not just brave on a singular occasion. Again and again.
I also work with people not because they aren’t or haven’t been brave before. I work with those who don’t understand how to practice courage and bravery as well as they might. That doesn’t mean it isn’t there. That the haven’t already. Some do recognise it of themselves and their teams. Others may not. All have some.
Courage and bravery—quiet, personal, moral, commendable courage—are things we all practice and choose. Yet, my research over the years, talking to countless men and women about their bravery and courage, has shown time and time again that we often don’t recognise it in ourselves.
Recognising Everyday Courage
In fact, we often misattribute in others. Largely as we misunderstand it and have been acculturated to see it in a very particular way. Quite cleverly one might suggest. It perhaps keeps its powerful change making and potentially revolutionary impact in check and under-utilised?
If we don’t believe we are brave, if we don’t understand what courage is, how to build it, practice it, and lean on it, we avoid using it. We miss out on one of the most essential abilities we have as human beings.
Not only to become who we want to be and achieve the things we aim for, but we also miss out on reducing the stress, discomfort, and anxiety that arise when challenges or opportunities present themselves.
It keeps us limited and not limitless.
Building a Framework for Courage
I want to offer all of us—leaders and teams— a model, language, and framework to draw upon when we face difficulty and adversity. When we need to innovate, create, try new things, and make difficult decisions.
So we can recognise and understand what brave looks like, as individuals or as a collective. So that when the need for it comes again—which it will for all of us—we understand how to best use our bravery and courage in pursuit of the things that matter. That we don’t lose out on the experiences, changes, or creations we desire. Suffer more than we need. Lose the things that we deserve, because of an inequity in how we perceive courage.
Dates for a workshop series and bootcamp are coming soon - get in touch ASAP if you want to secure places on the wait list?
Being Brave-Ready
My courageous mission is to help individuals, and collectives, to be brave-ready. Not because we haven’t been brave, but because we will all need to Be Braver again.
A challenge which has been posed to me a few times over the years has been, “No one likes to think of themselves needing to Be Braver.”
Isn’t it likely to alienate people as a concept? No-one wants to admit that they don’t think they aren’t brave? Or that their teams need to be braver?
Which sort of misses the point. It’s not because you aren’t or haven’t been brave; it’s about being brave-ready. Knowing you are prepared to Be Braver when the moments demand it. As the Be Braver collective talks about it, being Brave-washed.
A Be Braver practitioner is ready. Prepared and has a mindset which is limitless not limited.
Preparedness for the Unexpected
Having a blueprint, a mindset, and a preparedness. So that when a client rejects your work and you don’t win the contract—it doesn’t derail your ability to go again. You don’t get knocked sideways or backwards.
It prepares you for the challenge of seemingly impossible business decisions, tackling ethical discussions, approaching clients who haven’t paid you, and applying for jobs without fearing rejection because regretting not having applied would be worse.
It means you no longer stay silent in meetings for fear your idea won’t be recognised - You care more about the opportunity to share and learn in pursuit of who you are becoming.
It means you know there will be times when you don’t speak up about inequity and there will be times when you do. That both will be hard but you are proud of your decisions and values aligned actions in both scenario’s because you know what brave looks like in those situations for you.
Brave-ready practitioners aren’t limited by discomfort, uncertainty and fear of failure or rejection. They see these as signals to practice a Be Braver mindset.
Embracing Courage in Difficult Situations
It means when the business asks you to deliver decisions or work you don’t agree with—you know how, when, and where to approach it. Without being diminished, conflicted, or despondent.
No one wants to think of themselves as forever held back by getting in their own way, when they know they have it within themselves to find a better path. We also want to ensure we aren’t carrying the weight and responsibility of decisions or outcomes that are systemic, cultural, and beyond our control. We need to be able to situate ourself and our courage.
The Pride in Being Braver
There is great pride in those who have the courage to say, “I want to Be Braver in the future.” I certainly do not see any of the clients or organisations that work with me as lacking. I see them as ambitious, abundant, creative, growth-focused, and innovative. Creating the life, businesses, teams, and success however they choose to define, shape, and create it.
Wanting to Be Braver is a smart, intelligent decision to be prepared for the future. Knowing that many factors are beyond our control, the best thing we can do is understand and know how we, individually and collectively, prepare ourselves. So that when opportunity or adversity presents itself—we have a toolkit ready to approach and travel the path.
Growing Courageous Cultures
In a rich conversation with an EDI leader recently, we discussed an analogy once given to him about his role—as a farmer, tilling the soil. It had me thinking about Be Braver as something of a fertiliser.
Giving teams nutrient-rich soil through the pillars of the mindset, to grow ideas and solutions, tall and strong. Enriched with all the ingredients, knowledge, and wisdom packed into the program and mindset.
Robust roots built on strong values, beliefs, behaviours, knowledge, and resilience.
Bamboo shoots up strong and tall once it has done the groundwork of establishing its roots. It can withstand inevitable storms as it continues to grow, remaining resilient through all seasons.
Cultures, teams, and leaders with a Be Braver mindset build and grow from a solid courageous foundation. One where the brave are always prepared to Be Braver.
Inspiring Courage Means Sharing Failing
Sharing difficult decisions and what isn’t working as well as what is. Is part of leading with courage. It’s the harder part that I often find is the bit people struggle with the most. Does ‘vulnerability’ not often get penalised rather than rewarded? Isn’t showing failures a weakness?
Or does it demonstrate authenticity, truth and build trust and the right behaviours we want to see? Calculated risk-taking, growth, ambition, learning.
I did get a decline from the Office of Julia Guillard to interview her for the book. Once the first one has been a roaring success, she will want to contribute to the second I have no doubt.
I also didn’t secure a programme for a client I was so excited about delivering for. But have an absolutely brilliant programme design ready to go for some-one else now. It will impact my quarterly target. But I’ve got new leads and will put my efforts there.
Peers are killing it on linked in. My engagement figures are dipping and my following is growing slowly, but surely. Sometimes my lack of accreditations and titles means I lose out on opportunities. I don’t have the resources to gain them. It slows me down.
I started this space to help me get my book written. Thinking it would speed me up. It’s slowing me down, but I practice my writing so I think that helps.
Does sharing this feel comfortable for me? Not really to be honest. But It’s honest.
To Share Or What To Share? That Is The Question
We question knowing what to share and what not to share, as successes and failures.
I believe, and the research supports it too, that courage inspires courage. That means we need to know when quiet courage has been experienced or chosen.
There are cultural costs to our organisations and communities from only painting artificial pictures of the truth. Of success. Ignoring the reality of what courage asks of us. Personally and professionally.
The number of leaders I have heard that talk about the disconnect between the glamour of the Town Hall and bloodied reality of the day to day.
When trust and respect are absent from leadership with the wider organisation, you find fear, apathy and cowardice.
Leaders need to walk the talk if they want others to follow. Shoulder that which they need to. No need to alarm or overshare. However, unless others know that they are indeed carrying their fair share, how will others see the equity in carrying theirs?
Courageous Cultures Need Leaders Who Demonstrate Courage
Many organisations promote and advocate for cultures which embody bravery and courage. Wanting to recognise the rewards of it. Is it in your organisations company values and behaviours? Or entrepreneurial, risk taking?
Are they demonstrating the behaviours or practices that come with it? Intelligent risk-based decision making will mean failures, undesirable outcomes and difficult choices. Conflict, uncomfortable conversations and creative tension. That is the necessary path of courage. Progress and innovation.
Which means everyone needs to be equipped with the human skills, the self and interpersonal skills, to both live and lead with courage.
As women, those marginalised and less represented, there is unquestionably more decision-making labor to do in this space. The behaviours and messages we communicated aren’t always received equitably.
Somewhat of a double-bind that Adam Galinsky talks about. I probably share more of what is not working than I do of what is, but then I also recognise I have attribution and negativity bias to keep in check when I feel uncomfortable, exposed and lesser than.
I’d love to hear from you. You know that by now I hope.
When you choose to switch from a subscriber to a Client, or work with me as your coach, we‘ll start from recognising where you’ve already been brave. Before we look to Be Braver.
Keep on keeping on, and if you found this useful, please do pass it on?
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Watch out for the new Finding Clarity Workbook coming out NEXT WEEK
2024 Masterclasses Registration Open - Sign Up Today
If you want early release prices and to secure your spaces register today and email hello@be-braver.com
More Information On Curriculum & Timetable Here
Create Connection: Dates For The Diary
Plan ahead and get some dates in the diary for some online connection sessions in September/October.
Be Braver practitioners and leaders, past, present and future. Coming together to connect, inspire and share challenges. Learning and lessons.
Courage inspires courage. Quiet courage, commendable courage. Personal and visible bravery. We will make space to explore, celebrate and discuss the difficulties, challenges and successes it brings.