Today marks the 265th anniversary of John Paul Jones’s birth. This extraordinary leader was the father of the American Navy, and his willingness to lead courageously earned him his place in history. His immortal words, “I have not yet begun to fight” spurred his officers and sailors to victory against a far superior force in the battle of Flamborough Head during the American Revolution. These same words have inspired naval officers throughout history to lead courageously. As the son of one of these officers, I felt compelled to illustrate the attribute of courage in my book, If You Will Lead, using Jones as the paradigm.
Courageous provides a broader definition of courage.
Last weekend I watched the movie Courageous. It was outstanding. It was very low budget, so the visual effects were non-existent and the acting was mediocre, but the message was remarkable. It caused me to examine more fully the concept of courage and how we use it to lead.Courageous tells the story of five men trying to be good fathers despite the challenges life throws at them. As a father, that was reason enough to watch it. As a student of leadership, I was drawn to its exploration of a type of courage that I failed to devote enough attention to in my book, the courage required to live our values. When one of the men experiences a personal tragedy, he decides to probe his faith and values to determine what it means to be a great father. This exploration culminates in “The Resolution,” a declaration of what specific actions he needs to take to be that father.
“The Resolution” allows him to draw a distinction between those things he believes and those that he values. By declaring his intent to invest himself in ten specific responsibilities and actions, he transforms his beliefs into values. For example during the opening scenes of the movie, he openly discusses his faith with family and friends, but in “The Resolution” he commits to teaching his family what that really meant. In “The Resolution” he reaffirms his marital vows. All ten lines reflect beliefs that become values.
The simple act of writing something like this down takes courage, because when we do we are likely to reveal our failures and inadequacies. The father in Courageous goes beyond writing “The Resolution.” He shares it with his family and friends, exposing himself to the judgment of those whose opinions matter most to him. When his friends decide to join him and adopt “The Resolution” for themselves, they agree to do so in a public ceremony. It was an amazing illustration of how friends can help us live our values and remain accountable.
Courageous is also a great illustration of the challenge of living our values openly, because the characters’ resolve is tested. When they remain true to themselves and their values, they put themselves at risk. When one of them fails to live up to the terms of “The Resolution,” he exposes his failure to the people who matter most him. In both situations, their values led to suffering and pain. So why would we want to live like this? The answer is simple. By doing so, we have the opportunity to be better people and stronger leaders – at home, at work, in our communities. . ..
Like John Paul Jones, the fathers in Courageous put themselves in harm’s way for what they believed. The physical dangers they faced as police officers made for a more exciting movie, but few of us face those types of dangers in our lives. However, we may choose to expose ourselves to the type of emotional and spiritual risks they took. Life and society will test our values. Are we courageous enough to explore and truly understand our values and beliefs? Are we then willing to declare them publicly and ask others to hold us to them? And what happens when we are tested? Will we accept the consequences of living them? If we choose to live this way, our courage can change our lives and the world around us.
