Learning Objective #1: Identify the importance of courage for transformational leaders

Learning Objective #2: Discuss how one develops the courage required for successful leadership

---

PURPOSE: Today’s organizational environment necessitates a leader who is capable of challenging the status quo, working within complex, and changing conditions. Nurse leaders need to be comfortable with increasing uncertainty, ambiguity, and change. Today’s atmosphere requires the leadership talents of nurses who influence others from a foundational base of core values. Given this assertion, transformational leadership offers the basis for a leadership paradigm built on moral and ethical underpinnings. Transformational leadership requires highly personal characteristics. The one attribute deemed most essential to successful transformational leadership is courage. The purpose of this study was to understand and describe the development of courage in transformational leaders. By understanding the process, perhaps courage can be developed in the next generation of nurse leaders and those in current leadership positions can begin the journey of courage development.

DESIGN: A qualitative, phenomenological study was conducted to gain a rich and in-depth understanding of how courage is developed.

METHODOLOGY: A semi-structured interview was audiotaped and verbatim transcripts comprised the raw data. Each participant was interviewed until he/she determined that all information about the situation had been discussed. Husserl’s theory of phenomenology provided the framework. Data analysis was conducted according Collazzi’s method of qualitative analysis. Validity was attained by verification of patterns and themes by a doctorally prepared nurse. In addition, description of the phenomena was returned to the participants for validation.

RESULTS: Four theme clusters emerged which begins to uncover the experience of courage development. Data indicates that courage development occurs at the intersection of the self, foundational absolutes, life experiences, and contemplative actions.

CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study offer insight into the leadership attribute of courage. The findings suggest approaches that can be utilized by educators, healthcare organizations, and leaders to promote courage in others.