Churchill Leadership Trait: Courage

Perhaps the leadership trait most admired by other men is Courage. This is a leadership trait that Winston Churchill had in spades! Courage is both infectious and inspirational. Churchill even today is seen to personify Courageous Leadership. His words and image are frequently used to stand for bravery and defiance. What made him so courageous?

Physical Bravery

Throughout his life Churchill exhibited great personal bravery - much of it bordering on a death wish. His was not however pure unthinking courage - his physical acts of bravery: whether to inspire his troops on the Western Front on 1916, seeking to further his reputation in the Malakand valley in 1897 or by Victoria Cross hunting at Diamond Hill in 1900 - where all designed to achieve something. Ironically, it was with some regret that for all his many decorations none of his medals were for valor.

Moral Courage

Rarer than physical bravery is moral courage. Whether developed through his upbringing or held deep within his genes, Churchill's determination to do the right thing and his belief that he was doing the right thing was unbreakable. As a young man he always believed that he would die young (his father died age 43) and this may explain his near recklessness and physical bravery in early years. After passing the age his father reached, Churchill's in built self-belief that he was destined for great things continued to fuel his moral determination.This meant he was able to take the tough (if still painful) decisions necessary to win the war - for example his order to sink the French fleet at Oran after the French sued for peace with the Nazis and refused alternative options to scuttle or sail to neutral waters. War is painful and tough - the leader has to be able to cope with this reality.

Project Confidence

When times were desperate, battle after battle was lost, to a nation on the brink of capitulation Churchill always seemed to project pure confidence. Without doubt, there must have been some element of "faking it". He never let his guard down and would stamp out defeatism wherever he encountered it - anything less than sheer focussed confidence was unacceptable from his team of leaders. To maintain this, Churchill must have been quite an actor: he knew the harsh realities and at that time when Britain and her Empire stood alone, he didn't know of any way they could win the war. Survival itself looked doubtful! Yet, for the average Brit' at home their leader was totally confident. "Faking it" when you have to, is part of great leadership!

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