Margaret: [Standing at the operating table] Major, your hands
are shaking.
Frank: Well, it has nothing to do with the shelling.
It’s, uh…my sinus condition.
Henry: If anybody’s scared, just let yourself be scared.
“We have nothing to fear but fear itself.” Eleanor
Roosevelt.
The 4077th is pinned down by friendly fire with the compound being bombarded by shelling. The doctors and nurses continue to operate while the OR is shaken by all the explosions around them, despite their very real fears.
I can’t recall how many times as a leader when I have been afraid to make a difficult decision, have a crucial conversation or confront a challenging situation. Yet, on every occasion despite my fears, or maybe because of them, a clear vision and strong convictions gave me the courage to face my fears. Courageous leadership is not the absence of fear but the integrity to act when we are afraid. Fear reveals the true character of a leader and heightens a leaders senses to right size their fears so they can effectively engage that which challenges them. In his book Chasing Daylight Erwin McManus writes, “I am convinced that when we face our fears, we look straight into the eyes of opportunity, and the courage we often need to engage our greatest challenge can be found only in the midst of engaging that challenge.”
