Courage 155
something to be savored by all whether it succeeds or fails (but with
courage, the likelihood of success increases greatly).
The leaders of the Bible were confronted with large but inspiring
tasks, and they realized that the need for courage was proportional to
the size and importance of these tasks. Therefore, the calls for leaders to
have courage are many and frequent:
‘‘Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit
the land I swore to their forefathers.’’ (Josh. 1:6) Keep in mind that this
land was swarming with enemies.
‘‘Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of
them.’’ (Moses to the people of Israel, Deut. 31:6)
‘‘Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or
discouraged.’’ (King David to his successor, King Solomon, 1 Chron.
28:20)If these messages seem repetitious, remember that the obstacles faced
by these leaders were large-scale and never-ending. They needed con-
stant reminders to be courageous. So does the modern leader. Take
away courage from a leader and you are left with a mere manager, or
worse, a functionary who uninspiringly enforces the rules of the bu-
reaucracy.
Arthur Martinez saw the need for courage in both himself and his
executives when he took over the venerable but ailing Sears retail and
catalog operation. Meeting with each applicant for a senior manage-
ment position, he did not mince words about the size of the challenge,
the courage needed to meet it, and the rewards of success. ‘‘This is one
of the greatest adventures in business history,’’ he told the applicants.
‘‘You have to be courageous, filled with self-confidence. If we do it,
we’ll be wealthier, yes. But more than that, we’ll have this incredible
psychic gratification. How can you not do it?’’^1 This is exactly the cou-
rageous attitude that left the followers of Moses, Joshua, and Jesus with
little choice but to ‘‘get on board.’’
Sometimes, just to be on a particular leader’s team demands that a
follower begin with or quickly develop a strong sense of courage. In