Just Do the Right Thing
In the wake of this week’s loss of Charlie Kirk, I felt compelled to write on what it means to lead with courage. Love him or hate him, I’ve personally been reflecting on something he spoke about often - living a life of courage and doing the right thing.
In my final months as an executive director working in rural economic development, courage was the word that so deeply resonated with me. I spoke and thought about it often because I knew how essential it was to the kind of leadership our work required.
To be a courageous leader is to make difficult decisions when the outcome is uncertain. It’s the willingness to take calculated risks in pursuit of something bigger than yourself. Courageous leadership is built on integrity - leading ethically and honestly, even when it’s not popular. It’s resilience - viewing setbacks not as failures, but as lessons. It’s vulnerability - choosing openness, innovation, and truth over comfort or fear.
Courageous leaders are visionaries. They see what could be and step into the risk that most would avoid - the risk of criticism, of failure, or even of success.
In that final month, I reflected so much on what it means to have courage, and came up with these points:
To act with integrity, knowing we might fail but that failure could fuel growth.
To lead with empathy, recognizing the needs of people and community above ego or politics.
To dream boldly, launching new endeavors with thoughtful intention rather than fear of what others might say.
Courageous leadership isn’t just a workplace idea, but it is a way of being - in your family, in your community, and in your life. To lead with courage is to do the right thing, even when it may cost you.
Be honest. Take risks. Be courageous. Just simply do the right thing. And when you do, you’ll not only shape stronger organizations - you’ll live a more fulfilling life.
