Managerial courage : A truly collective effort

What if we stopped putting the “brave manager” on a pedestal?

We talk a lot about managerial courage. It often brings to mind someone like a capeless superhero — the kind of person who speaks uncomfortable truths, makes the hard calls, and never hesitates.

But let’s be honest: that’s not how things usually go.

Most managers don’t need to be heroic. What they really need is a healthy workplace, clear expectations, and a team that’s got their back. Courage isn’t just about guts — it’s mostly about the environment.

Psychological safety research has made this pretty clear: teams where it’s okay to take interpersonal risks — like asking questions, owning up to mistakes, or pitching bold ideas — tend to learn more and perform better than others (1).

In short, it’s not just about what the manager’s made of. It’s about what surrounds them.

And in today’s workplace, with all the uncertainty, restructuring, and mental overload, it’s time to rethink courage. Not as a solo mission, but as a collective act. Not a nice-to-have — a must (2).

The lone courage myth

In many workplaces, courage is still seen as something individual — even heroic:

→ “A good manager never backs down.”
→ “You’ve got to have a thick skin.”
→ “She’s not afraid to confront people.”

So when we hesitate, worry about how someone might react, or put off a difficult conversation, it’s easy to feel like we’re falling short. Like we’re not brave enough.

But the data tells a different story. Studies show that up to 70% of employees avoid difficult conversations at work. More than half deal with toxic situations by simply… ignoring them (3).

This isn’t about being “too soft” or not cut out for leadership. It’s just human. These conversations are risky. We’re afraid of damaging relationships, being seen as unfair, starting a conflict, or hurting our own reputation.

And those fears get amplified by the environment we’re in:

• A culture where mistakes get punished
• Heavy hierarchies
• A general lack of trust

But when your peers have your back, when your leadership supports your decisions, when your team knows where you’re coming from — it becomes a whole lot easier to step up. Courage isn’t just something you either have or don’t. It’s something that grows — or shrinks — depending on the people and culture around you.

Facing what’s holding you back — together

Courage isn’t about having no fear. It’s about recognizing what’s holding you back… and moving forward anyway.

And those blocks can run deep:

→ Fear of conflict (“What if it goes sideways?”)
→ Fear of disappointing others (“They’ll think I’m not good enough”)
→ Fear of looking foolish (“What if I mess this up?”)

Just naming those fears is powerful. Naming them as a team? That’s a game-changer. Because the people around you can offer a few things that make all the difference:

✓ A mirror — a teammate who reminds you that your fear is normal… but might be blowing things out of proportion.

✓ A reality check — someone who helps you separate real risks from imagined disasters.

✓ A safety net — knowing someone’s there for you after the tough conversation takes a huge weight off.

✓ Clear support — a leader who says, “We’ve got your back,” when a tough, unpopular decision needs to be made.

Some people call this a “courage circle” — a group that helps you get ready for hard things, follow through, and process what happens after. Because here’s the truth: courage doesn’t happen despite others. It happens with them.

What makes courage truly collective

Some teams make courage feel easy. Natural, even. So… what’s their secret?

1. A climate where it’s safe to take risks

In other words: psychological safety. That looks like this, day to day:

• Owning up to a mistake doesn’t lead to embarrassment
• Asking a question — even a “silly” one — doesn’t get you judged
• Pitching a different idea doesn’t land you in trouble

Teams with this kind of climate tend to have a stronger learning culture, grow faster, and perform better overall (4).

2. Small, bold actions — seen and appreciated

Courage doesn’t always look heroic. Most of the time, it’s subtle:

• Telling someone their behaviour crossed a line
• Admitting in a meeting that the team won’t hit the deadline
• Asking to shift a mandate to protect the team’s well-being
• Turning down a new project because the workload is already too much

These may seem like small acts — but when they’re acknowledged, even with a simple “Thanks for bringing that up,” they send a strong message: “Around here, honesty isn’t punished. It’s valued.”

And in a world where stress and disengagement are still running high, this kind of recognition isn’t just a nice touch (5). It’s a real lever for psychological health and team engagement.

3. Simple practices that build courage — one step at a time

Another great way to grow team courage? Make space for small, shared challenges — the kind you try on your own, but feel backed by your team. Here are a few that work wonders:

→ The “10% braver” challenge — Everyone chooses one small, bold move to take during the week, with the group cheering them on.

→ The “What’s hard for me” circle — Each person names something they’re struggling with or hesitant about. (We do this often at Boostalab — it always sparks powerful conversations.)

→ The “Courage worth celebrating” ritual — Once a week, the team shines a light on a bold move someone made. A simple, meaningful way to show recognition.

These rituals tie the individual to the collective. They create a space where courage doesn’t just happen — it circulates, strengthens, and starts to feel like second nature.

4. An organization that supports courage — not just the idea of it

You’ve probably heard this before: “We value boldness, initiative, and honesty around here!” But when someone actually brings up a real issue?

• Raises an ethical concern
• Speaks out about ongoing overload
• Pushes back on an unrealistic goal

…they suddenly find themselves labelled “difficult” or “not aligned.”

This gap between the message and the response sends a loud signal: “It’s okay to look courageous — just don’t shake things up.”

But organizations that truly back courage do things differently:

✓ They protect people who speak up — even when it’s uncomfortable
✓ They don’t turn every mistake into personal blame
✓ They work on systems, not just on individuals
✓ They invest in leadership development — especially the kind that builds comfort with ambiguity (2)

That’s where managerial courage meets something bigger: transformation, innovation, and the prevention of psychosocial risks. Because when courage is really supported, organizations aren’t just braver. They’re healthier — and more likely to last.

What about managers?

Even if courage is a collective effort, managers still play a key role — they can model and encourage the behaviours that make courage possible. For example:

✓ Sharing their intentions openly
✓ Normalizing mistakes by owning theirs
✓ Asking bold questions (“What might I be missing?”)
✓ Publicly recognizing small acts of courage

These are learnable skills — and they’re often the starting point of a courageous team climate.

Managerial courage: a team sport

Managerial courage isn’t magical or heroic. It’s:

✓ The ability to name your own blocks — fear, limiting beliefs, avoidance reflexes
✓ The support of a circle of allies to help you plan, carry out, and own hard decisions
✓ A team climate where interpersonal risks are possible
✓ An organization that walks its talk when it comes to boldness

Every hard conversation handled with care, every unpopular decision that protects the team’s health, every disagreement expressed with clarity… helps build a culture where people can be clear-headed, human — and brave.

And maybe that’s what real courage looks like: building teams where no one needs to be a hero to speak up.

Our solutions for growing courage in the workplace

To support your teams in developing the human skills essential to a courageous work climate, we offer flexible, customizable solutions tailored to your reality:

→ Group training: Explore our team workshops and learning journeys
→ Individual training: Discover our accessible, practical, people-first e-learning
→ Training for your LMS: Use our content on your own learning platform
→ Corporate subscription: Give your team full access to our online learning platform

Pick the format that fits your goals and your professional reality! Take the quiz to see what solution fits best!

References

1. Edmondson, A. C. (1999). Psychological safety and learning behavior in work teams. Administrative Science Quarterly.

2. Lee, A. (2025). Managers aren’t feeling so hot right now. It’s costing them their sanity and the global economy billions. Business Insider.

3. Forbes Coaches Council. (2023). Are your employees avoiding difficult conversations? Here’s how to turn them into productive discussions. Forbes.

4. Edmondson, A. C. (2004). Psychological safety, trust, and learning in organizations: A group-level lens. In R. Kramer & K. S. Cook (Eds.), Trust and distrust in organizations: Dilemmas and approaches (pp. 239-272). Russell Sage Foundation.

5. Gallup, Inc. (2023). State of the global workplace: Global insights (Report). Gallup.