34.

MANAGERIAL COURAGE

UNSKILLED

Doesnt take tough stands with others

Holds back in tough feedback situations
Doesnt know how to present a tough position
Knows but doesnt disclose
Doesnt step up to issues
Intimidated by others in power
Hangs back and lets others take the lead
Is a conflict avoider unwilling to take the heat of controversy
Afraid to be wrong, get in a win/lose situation, or make a tough personnel call

SKILLED

Doesnt hold back anything that needs to be said

Provides current, direct, complete, and actionable positive and corrective
feedback to others
Lets people know where they stand
Faces up to people problems on any person or situation (not including direct
reports) quickly and directly
Is not afraid to take negative action when necessary

OVERUSED SKILL

May be overly critical

May be too direct and heavy-handed when providing feedback or addressing
issues
May provide too much negative and too little positive feedback
May put too much emphasis on the dark side
May fight too many battles
Select one to three of the competencies listed below to work on to compensate
for an overuse of this skill.
COMPENSATORS: 3, 7, 10, 11, 12, 19, 23, 26, 31, 33, 36, 41, 56, 60, 64

Copyright 1996-2004 Michael Lombardo and Robert W. Eichinger. All rights reserved

SOME CAUSES

Avoid conflict
Cant take heat
Fear of being wrong
Fear of losing
Get emotional
Like to keep nose in own business

THE MAP

Saying what needs to be said at the right time, to the right person, in the right manner,
is managerial courage. Everybody sees things, observes things, knows things or learns
things that others need to hear. Many times its not positive. Something went wrong.
Something is being covered up or over. Something is not being done right. Someone
isnt performing well. Someone is holding something back.. Someone is going off on
the wrong track. Some people speak up and maybe take some heat. They have
managerial courage. Some people keep to themselves. They do not.
SOME REMEDIES

1.

Check it out

Its best to be right when presenting negative information about someone else
or someone elses unit or process or mistake. Be careful with hearsay and
gossip. Better that youve had direct contact wit the data It doesnt put anyone
else in jeopardy, check it out with other sources. Think of all the things it
could be other than your interpretation. Check out those possibilities. Wok on
your message through mental interrogation until you can clearly state in a few
sentences what your stand is and why you hold it. When you end up feeling or
better yet knowing youre right, go wit it.
2.

Delivering the Information

The basic rule is to deliver it to the person who can do the most with it. Limit
your passing of the information to one or as few as possible. Consider telling
the actual person involved and give him/her the opportunity ti fix it without
any further exposure to risk. If thats not possible, move up the chain of
command. Dont pass indirect messages via messengers.
3.

The Message

Be succinct. You have limited attention span in tough feedback situations.

Dont waste time with a long preamble, particularly if the feedback is
Copyright 1996-2004 Michael Lombardo and Robert W. Eichinger. All rights reserved

negative. If your feedback is negative and the recipient is likely to know it, go
ahead and say it directly. They wont hear anything positive you have t say
anyway. Dont overwhelm the person/group, even if you have a lot to say. Go
from specific to general points. Keep it to the fats. Dont embellish to make
your point. No passion or inflammatory language. Dont do it to harm or out
of vengeance. Dont do it in anger. If feelings are involved for you, wait until
you can describe them. Not show them. Managerial courage comes in search
of a better outcome, not destroying others. Stay calm and cool. If others are
not composed, dont respond. Just return to the message. More help? See
#31 Interpersonal Savvy.
4.

Bring a solution if you can

Nobody likes a critic. Everybody appreciate s a problem solver. Give people

ways to improve; dont just dump and leave. Tell others what you think
would be a better paint a different outcome. Help others see the
consequences you can ask them what they think and you can tell them what
the consequences are from your side if you are personally involved. (Id be
reluctant to work with you on X again).
5.

Tough concern

Dont forget the pathos of the situation even if youre totally right, feelings
may run high. If you have to knock someone down, you can still emphasize
with how he/she feels or you can help pick him/her up later when the
discussions turn more positive. Mentally rehearse for worst case scenarios.
Anticipate what the person might say and have response prepared so as not to
be caught off guard. More help? See #12 Conflict Management.
6.

Timing

Organisations are a complex maze of constituencies, issues and rivalries

peopled by strong egos, sensitives and empire protectors. Worse ye, they are
populated by people which complicates organizations even further. Political
savvy involves delivering negative messages in the maze, with the minimum
of noise with the maximum effect. Tread boldly but carefully. Deliver
messages in private. Cue the person what you are coming to talk about. I
have a concern over the way X is being treated and I would like to talk to you
about it. Consider but dont be deterred by political considerations. Pick the
right timing. A relaxed setting. With time to spare, dont try to fit it in the
elevator. If possible let the person pick the timing and the setting. More help
See #38 Organisational Agility and #48 Political Savvy.

Copyright 1996-2004 Michael Lombardo and Robert W. Eichinger. All rights reserved

7.

Laid Back?

None of your business? Tend to shy away from managerial course situations?
Why? Whats getting I your way? Re you prone to give up in tough situations,
fear exposing yourself, dont like conflict, what? Ask yourself whats the
downside of delivering a message you think I right and will eventually help
the organization but may cause someone short-term pain. Hat if it turns out
that you were wrong? Treat any misinterpretations as chances to learn. What
if you were the target person or group? Even though it might hurt, would you
appreciate it if someone brought the data to your attention in time for you to
fix it with minimal damage? What would you think of a person you later found
out knew about it and didnt come forward, and you had to spend inordinate
amount of time and political currency ti fix it? Follow your convictions.
Follow due process. Step up to the plate and be responsible, win or lose.
People will think better of you in the long term. More help? See #12
Conflict Management.
8.

Is it personal?

If you are personally involved and you are delivering a message to someone
who didnt meet your expectations, sick to the facts and the consequences for
you. Separate the event from the person. Its OK to be upset with the
behaviour, less so with the person, unless its a repetitive transgression. Most
of the time he/she wont accept it the first time you deliver the message, Im
not happy with the way you presented my position in the staff meeting.
Many people are defensive. Dont go for the close in every delivery situation.
Just deliver the message enough so that you are suer he/she understood it.
Give her/him time to absorb it. Dont seek instant acceptance. Dont seek a
kiss of your ring. Just deliver the message clearly and firmly. Dont threaten.
More help? See #11 Composure.
9.

If you must.

Sometimes the seriousness of the situation calls for more drastic action.
Keeping in mind you are doing this for the collective benefit of the
organization and that personal gain or vengeance is not at stake, be prepared to
go all the way, even if it pit you against a colleague or even a boss. If your
initial message is rejected, covered, denied, hidden or glossed over and you
are still convinced of its accuracy, go up the chain until its dealt with or
someone in power two levels or more above the event or person asks you to
stop. If you have a mentor, seek his or her counsel along the way. A caution
in a study of whistleblowers, 100% of the failures spoke in general terms,
tying their message to lofty values such as integrity. All the successes dealt
with the specific issue as it was problem and consequences. They didnt
generalise at all.

Copyright 1996-2004 Michael Lombardo and Robert W. Eichinger. All rights reserved

10.

Put balance in your messages.

Dont get the reputation of being the executioner or the official organization
critic. Try to deliver as much positive information as negative over time.
Keep track of the losers if you have to work with these people again, do
something later to show goodwill. Compliment them on a success, share
something, help them achieve something. You have to balance the scales.
Pick your battles. If you get the reputation of a Cassandra or a Don Quixote,
anything you say will be discounted and youll meet increasing resistance,
even when youre clearly right.

Copyright 1996-2004 Michael Lombardo and Robert W. Eichinger. All rights reserved