Etech’s 12 Character Commitments: Part – 10
Over 12 years ago we made the decision to implement a new philosophy on leadership that supports our vision to make a remarkable difference for each other, our customers, and within our communities. Our goal was to inspire the Etech leadership team to embrace the challenge to conform our company to a servant-led organization. The pillars of Etech’s servant leadership culture are our 12 leadership commitments.
Those commitments are:
- Being a positive influence
- Valuing others
- Leading with integrity
- Leading with humility
- Leading with courage
- Being a team player
- Communicating well
- Holding yourself and others accountable
- Adapting to change
- Being a lifelong learner
- Being creative
- Embracing, living, and casting our vision
I encourage each of you to read, embrace, and self-evaluate. Today I will address Courage.
At Etech, leading with courage is taking risks boldly; making decisions confidently; taking initiative; and having resilience and security during tough times. The thing about courage is that anyone can be courageous, it is a choice, not a skill. During the onset of the pandemic, I witnessed so many leaders at Etech displaying courage at this unprecedented time. In turn, I saw team members responding positively and with confidence.
1. Embrace what you believe
Show courage by standing up for yourself and your opinions in challenging situations. Don’t be afraid to take a stand and defend what you believe in. This isn’t always easy especially when it is your leader that you are debating, but it is worth it. Some of the best ideas at Etech have come from courageous disagreements!
2. Be the first to volunteer
Demonstrate courage by taking on tasks that are outside of your comfort zone. Not being afraid to take on a challenge will help you build credibility and confidence with your team.
3. Embrace creativity
Take a risk and share your innovative ideas with your team. Showing that you can think outside of the box will demonstrate your courage and influence your team to look for ways to find creative and better solutions.
4. Take responsibility
Own up to your mistakes and take accountability for them. Showing courage and maturity in this way will enhance your integrity and credibility.
5. Ask questions you don’t want to ask
If you’d like to know more about how you are perceived as a leader, the best (and possibly scariest) question to ask others is this: “How do you experience me?” Ask this question of your peers and team members and tell them that you want honest feedback. Demonstrating this kind of vulnerability takes courage but will help you grow as a leader and enhance your ability to influence.
6. Lean in and Love
It takes courage to really lean into difficult situations and show others you really care about them. However, once you experience situations like this with your team and team members, instead of it being an act of courage, it becomes a part of the culture. When that happens, being able to make a remarkable difference becomes business as usual!
I encourage you to lead and serve with courage, it is a choice you get to make each day.
Until next time, may you make a difference in the lives of the people you touch each day.
