I have no doubt that a key and necessary quality for anyone in a position of responsibility is a high degree of managerial courage. Someone once defined courage at work as being prepared to make difficult decisions and take responsibility for them, but I believe this definition is too simple, as I think it encompasses much more than that.

The courage to face reality

A manager must ensure that they and their team can face the realities of the business situation, as a false view can create complacency when serious corrective action is needed. It is common to see too many managers trying to find enough good news to allow them to tick the box and move on. At one hotel, I asked a sales executive to try to convince me that their sales forecast of 3 million for the next quarter was realistic. The problem was that a deeper analysis showed that none of the opportunities in their pipeline was sufficiently advanced to close within the next 90 days. The 3-million forecast was based on hope and little else. Having courage means seeing reality as it is, sharing it and confronting it. Reality must never be denied.

The courage to trust others

You cannot do everything yourself, no matter how obsessed with control you may be. It takes courage to trust other people to do what is needed to drive both their success and your own, but delegation is key to success, not only because it shares the burden, but also because it enables people to prove themselves and be challenged so that they can learn, grow and develop.

The courage to remove those who fail

However, there may come a time when you realise that, no matter how hard both of you try, that particular person will never reach the level of competence required for the role, and that it is time to go separate ways. It takes courage to do so quickly and decisively, especially if you were the person responsible for hiring them. But it must be done without hesitation, for the good of the person involved, so that they can move into a role better suited to their abilities at another hotel, as well as for the team and the hotel itself.

The courage to challenge the status quo

I have been in this business for years, and if there is one thing you learn early on, it is that in most hotels, those who build careers are the ones who protect the status quo of the people who promote them. Far more so than those who are prepared to challenge the things considered untouchable.

The courage to test the limits

I have always told the people on my team that I trust them to do the job I have asked them to do, and that they must be brave enough to test their limits, which means that when dealing with me, it is better to seek forgiveness than approval. The problem arises when you are afraid to test the limits and go to the boss, who may say no, and the act of courage can then be seen as insubordination, which is unacceptable in either case.

The courage to uphold values

It is not enough to talk about values, even if you have carved them in stone. You must also live by them and ensure that every member of the team does the same, especially the top performers. It takes courage for a manager to tell a good employee that, while they appreciate them achieving their targets, their behaviour is unacceptable.

The courage to make decisions

You must have the courage to make a decision and then commit to it. When you are a professional, the direction you choose from a number of well-considered alternatives will be less important than your commitment to executing it. There are always more failures caused by delay, or by a lack of execution and commitment, than by the actual decision made.

The courage to tell the truth

It takes courage to stand in front of a boss and tell them something you know they will not like, especially if they are the hotel owner, or if they are an aggressive person, or brilliant and highly educated, but it is important to do so. When in doubt, remember the tale of the Emperor’s New Clothes, in which he was actually walking naked through the street, believing he was wearing magnificent finery. Someone brave must tell the emperor that he is naked. It is true that there may be some situations in which it is better to remain silent, but when your opinion is sought, ultimately it is more important to be honest than to be one of those who always say YES.

The courage to take calculated risks

Life is full of risks, and managers are paid to take calculated risks as a natural part of their responsibilities. It is necessary to take risks in recruitment, commercial strategies and their implementation, and in change management. Doing the same thing over and over again is a recipe for disaster.

The courage to be yourself

You must be brave and have the courage to be yourself rather than play a role you think will be better accepted within the organisation. Integrity means that what you think is the same as what you say, and the same as what you do. I have seen managers who are very affectionate and pleasant with their family and friends, and then behave like tyrants at work.

Aristotle understood all this 2,400 years ago when he said: You will never achieve anything in this world without courage. It is the greatest quality of the mind, alongside honour.