59: Choosing Courage, with Jim Detert, Ph.D., John L. Colley Professor of Business Administration, University of Virginia's Darden Graduate School of Business Administration
Meet Jim Detert:
Jim Detert, Ph.D. is the John L. Colley Professor of Business Administration at the Darden Graduate School of Business Administration, and a Professor of Public Policy at the Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy at the University of Virginia. He is the author of “Choosing Courage: The Everyday Guide to Being Brave at Work.” Professor Detert received an M.A. in sociology and Ph.D. in organizational behavior from Harvard University. He also holds an MBA from the University of Minnesota and a BBA from the University of Wisconsin.
Key Insights:
Have you ever wanted to disagree with your boss, or make a tough decision you knew would be unpopular? Jim Detert, Ph.D. shows us how.
- Why Courage Matters. Courage matters firstly for ourselves. Acts of courage define our legacy, and our biggest regrets tend to be inactions. Secondly, courage is important for organizations. Courage is fundamental to innovation because innovation is about challenging the status quo. (11:16)
- Emotional Intelligence. Emotional Intelligence is not the lack of emotions, rather the ability to read other’s emotional state and channel your own emotions properly. Emotions are information. For example, if you give a presentation in a monotone way, it won’t garner any excitement for the idea. Similarly, ignoring a coworker’s reddening face won’t deescalate a situation. (24:36)
- How to Lead Courage. Leaders must acknowledge that fear exists and work towards a culture that promotes and protects courage. This includes modeling courageous actions, defending employees that are courageous, and examining potential barriers to bravery like financial and promotion incentives.(35:48)
