Learn Koa, the Hawaiian Value of Courage

It is September 1, 2007: Welcome to Joyful Jubilant Learning's Forum 2007.

Dean Boyer has kicked things off wonderfully for us, with his article called Difference Maker #1: Courageous Heart.

In his comment for Dean this morning, Tim Milburn writes, “Dean - Thanks for launching the month with the PERFECT topic: COURAGE. Courage is what we need to face our fears and accomplish our dreams. I've read that article in Fast Company, it's one of their best!”

I was poised to write my own comment in agreement, and I ended up clicking away, back into my Talking Story archives, for back in late 2004 when this issue of Fast Company was published it did a number of things for me; it made a difference.

The issue was called Why Guts Matter.

I had read the issue late, putting the magazine aside when it first arrived in my mailbox, for it was two months before my book, Managing with Aloha would be released, and I had a ton of other concerns on my mind. Once I did read it, both Senator John McCain’s article and a stirring Letter from the Editor by John Byrne seemed to leap off the page, taunting me, daring me to take this book I had just written and launch it into the business it begged to be. That September issue became my ho‘ohana theme on Talking Story for the entire month of November: Koa, the Hawaiian value of courage.

I was coaching myself. Was I going to make it? Byrne had written,

“Why courage, and why now? Because, as McCain argues, courage is the essential virtue, the one that allows all the others. It is at the core of what great leadership is all about.”

I had considered myself a manager all my life. Now, could I possibly be a leader? A whole year before, I had taken the leap of faith, and named my company Say Leadership Coaching, not Say Management Coaching, and I knew I had to be more courageous if I was going to live up to that billing.

How wonderful if this forum can be the same crucible for you.

This morning, Dean’s start and Tim’s comment have triggered this flashback for me, and I have replaced those telling events of November 2004 with the initiative of our JJL Forum 2007 NOW. Let’s take the final words of John Byrne’s editorial and rewrite them slightly with OUR intentions here:

That is why we explore this provocative and timely topic [we are calling MAKE A DIFFERENCE]. We hope this [forum] will inspire you to act courageously against your own fears. For as McCain so wisely notes, "You must be afraid to have courage. . . . Courage is not the absence of fear, but the capacity of action despite our fears."

Back in 2004, you can bet I was afraid, not knowing how everything would turn out. I had left a great job to start my own business without a single customer. I had to wear this brave face when I was shaking with uncertainty inside, wondering if people could hear my bones rattling.

The Hawaiian value of Koa is more than bravery and fearlessness. It is also resolution, conviction, and emotional strength. When we manage with aloha, Koa is a value we constantly must draw from if we are to lead with nerve and daring in times when our world largely cautions us to tread lightly. When our own voices of self-doubt caution us to tread lightly.

To make a difference for someone else, we must make a difference for ourselves first.

We must wear leadership when our bones rattle with inner fears.

In Kū Kanaka, Stand Tall, A Search for Hawaiian Values, (University of Hawaii Press, 1986) Dr. George Kanahele includes Koa in the “Qualities of Alaka‘i, or Leadership” that were the hallmarks of the Hawaiian ali‘i (monarchs). Here’s his full list:

Qualities of Alaka‘i, Leadership

Mālama, or Caring: the wise ali‘i was advised to take care of his lesser chiefs and commoners alike, “for together they are the strength of his rule.” 

Ha‘aha‘a, or Humility: “Looking after the welfare of people arises from an underlying spirit of sensitivity and feeling for others that flows from humbleness rather than from a conviction of superiority.” 

Kūpono, or Integrity: “Kūpono combines two words: kū in this case meaning in a state of, and pono, meaning rectitude, uprightness, or goodness … according to the Hawaiian way of thinking, there is little difference between being honest, upright, good, fair, or worthy.” 

Na‘auao, or Intelligence and Wisdom: “Na‘auao combines na‘au, mind, and ao, or daylight. Literally it means the daylight mind, or more appropriately, the enlightened mind … No more fitting term can be found for the quality of mind that Hawaiian leaders, particularly the ali‘i, aspired to than that implicit in the ‘enlightened mind’.” 

Koa, or Courage: “In a society whose chiefs were trained in the arts of fighting from childhood, and who proved their mettle on the battlefields, physical courage can be expected as a badge of leadership. But courage has two sides: the physical, and the nonphysical, that is, the emotional, moral, or spiritual. Opposition to a hero comes in many different forms.” 

However courage, “is the essential virtue, the one that allows all the others.” So said John Byrne’s editorial, and I have to agree. In Kū Kanaka, Dr. Kanahele discusses intellectual courage, moral courage, and the courage of conviction and bravery with examples demonstrated by King Kamehameha. He ends with this:

“No one surpasses Kamehameha the Great in leadership, historic achievement and lasting impact, or in having a transcendent vision for his people. ... Kamehameha no doubt recognized that courage begets courage; the more you use it, the more of it you produce.”

“Conversely, the less of it you use, the less you have. This is a truth that every leader learns sooner or later, although not every leader learns this hard lesson in time.”

Read more about King Kamehameha here.

In a Feedback letter sent to Fast Company (also back in 2004), this is how one reader summed up what courage means when it comes to being a manager:

“Managerial courage is pretty simple: Clearly set expectations, assertively manage performance based on those expectations, provide straight feedback, delegate where appropriate, encourage collaboration, and hold employees and colleagues accountable for behavior and results. Why then, is it so difficult for many managers to step up?

The answer is also pretty simple: Most organizations have been built on the premise of safety … the opposite of courage.”—Bill Joy, President, The Joy Group.

Simple? What do you think?

~ Rosa Say

Comments

[Joanna Young]

Hi Rosa

Courage does indeed seem like a good place to kick off this September forum. I'm wondering if the courage you're talking about here is the courage to believe in your own vision - because if you are stretching, leading, daring to learn to make a difference, your vision will by its very nature be "transcendent", taking people to a place they haven't seen yet or believe it is possible to create or construct.

Our own self-belief and courage is vital here, holding on to our dreams of what's possible - but there's something to be said for finding or looking out for those others who give us the right word, the right encouragement, at just the right time...

I think that's part of what we're trying to do here - sharing my words and my learning certainly makes me feel stronger and more courageous :-)

Joanna

[Greg Balanko-Dickson]

Facing ourselves, looking full into our reflection of the man (or woman) in the mirror and being willing to admit to our doubts, fears, concerns, short-comings, desires, and capacity for growth is the greatest battle for the greatest piece of "real" estate - our minds.

I am learning that the cost of making an impact is keeping ones commitment.

"The only limit to your impact is your imagination and commitment." — Anthony Robbins

I am feeling more than a little frightened and perhaps like the poster child for this months meme (a large presumption), for my commitment 1 year and a day ago was to "Impact a Million business owners."

Like the quote says "You must be afraid to have courage. . . . Courage is not the absence of fear, but the capacity of action despite our fears." I love that quote, thank you for sharing it again.

I guess I am still facing my fear. When I developed my 10 year strategic plan I estimated impacting 160,000 business owners. I was so tempted to let myself settle for 160,000.

As a result I started seeking to ask myself a better question. "How can I develop a tool that would become ubiquitous to the small business community?" The answer I got was I must be able to remain relevant to small business owners throughout the life cycles of their business.

My next question, "How can I remain relevant to business owners over more than a decade."

I have started to answer that question with the reorganization and application of my new website Small Business Transitions plus I am building a web application called "Transitions - Small Business Self-Help".

I have been quiet about it, but I won a competition called "IdeaWarz" for my idea and am now in the midst of the "Tournament of Champions" and you can support my idea by visiting the link and voting for my 'idea'.

Thank you Rosa for continuing to provide us with the opportunity to challenge ourselves and one another via these forums.

Mahalo nui loa.

[tim]

For me, I feel courageous when I do what needs to be done when others have stepped back or shy'd away.

It takes courage to keep commitments and to do the necessary thing when there are so many other voices pulling us away. I think that's one of the reasons why I like Godin's latest book, The Dip. It is basically a book about courage...courage to keep at it when it gets tough in order to make it to the next level. But also, courage to walk away when you realize that you've come to a dead end that won't result in anything positive if you keep at it.

PS...Greg...can you post the link to the tournament of champions so we can all support you in this!?!?

[Greg Balanko-Dickson]

Hi Tim, last time out stripped out the URL, I will try again, if it doesn't work, I added it to the URL field of this comment.

Vote for me at the Tournament of Champions, many thanks!

[Rosa Say]

I love your thinking Joanna! The courage to believe in one’s own vision can be so weirdly difficult for us, and having the humility of learning helps to complete the answers we are seeking, or helps us be okay with the unknowns. For this community to serve each other in that safety net of comfort-with-challenge+opportunity is so magnificent.

Greg, first count on the bravery front: You have such a great self-reflective approach in those questions you ask yourself! Count 2: Both brave and smart in the competition you have chosen to participate in! When I reviewed those forums (and voted for you :) I was so impressed with the variety of feedback you have obtained on your model, AND your willingness to lay all bare for the scrutiny AND subjectively make the tweaking that keeps you in the game. If that’s not courage, I’m not sure what comes much closer.

Somehow Tim, I am not at all surprised to hear that you want to charge in when others back away! You can (and thankfully do :) charge my way anytime you see me start to shrink – wake me up and kick my you-know-what!

[Pete Aldin]

I have an inspirational picture on my office wall with the message: "Courage is daring to go further than the eye can see."

The more I look at it, the profound-er it grows.