Questions for Book Clubs

 

Everyday courage has few witnesses. It is no less noble because
no drum beats and no crowds shout your name.

— Robert Lewis Stevenson

Book club video…enjoy, and invite everyday courage into your life and courageous leadership into your work environment.

Discuss FACE IT! as your next reading book selection and Sandra Ford Walston, The Courage Expert, will call you to join in your discussion for an hour (free) via speakerphone or Skype!

Testimonial from one book club:

February 14, 2015

As hospital CEO, I attended the October 2014 Colorado Hospital Association’s Rural Healthcare opening keynote address by Sandra Ford Walston, titled “Courageous Leadership—An Inside Job!” I was immediately drawn in to this keynote, knowing it matched my beliefs completely. I introduced myself to Sandra Ford Walston, and bought her book, entitled FACE  IT! 12 Courageous Actions that Bring Success at Work and Beyond. As soon as I started reading this book, I knew this would be meaningful to me and my entire team.

As a hospital CEO, FACE  IT! became required reading for my Leadership Team. In this time of healthcare change and uncertainty, leadership needs to be equipped with every advantage possible. FACE IT! addresses courage and it’s several actions and several ‘cousins’ to arm leaders to move boldly into the future.

My mantra has always been to live in your own personal courage to guide others into the future. My own personal courage is perfectly defined as Sandra defines it in the book, heart and spirit. Continuous work on the personal aspect of courage helps me advise my employees with confidence as we head into the ever-changing landscape of the future.

The book clearly speaks to the 12 courage actions, using well researched biographies of historical figures, some of whom are well known, and some of whom we are eager to meet for the first time. This book is exactly what I was looking for as a teaching material for my leadership team. We are currently in uncharted waters in rural healthcare, and the rules seem to change daily. It is tough to lead in this environment, when the leadership team is looking for my direction during this time. I assigned this book to my leadership team, and asked them each to report back during our meetings on assigned chapters. What I learned, I could never have predicted. The ‘assigned’ chapter meant something special to the team member reporting on it, as if that specific chapter was ’assigned’ because of the specific meaning.

Courage is personal, and when activated, can transcend the workplace. The leadership team has benefitted from this book, in addition, I have received the most benefit. It has also helped me gain a new perspective on the strengths of these leaders. As the leaders interact with all employees, I hope to see the establishment of a new, vibrant culture, one based on courage..

The quotes in FACE IT! are spot on, and usable in everyday leading. I am so honored to be a part of this FACE IT! legacy, and know that my team has benefitted also. Thank you to Sandra Ford Walston, for giving this book to us for our advantage. As my organization moves into the future, the profits of this study on courage will come to fruition.

Ginny Hallagin, CEO

Possible questions to ponder for FACE IT!:

1.  Why is it important to recognize the obstacles to courage?

2.  If people like Victoria Woodhull, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Golda Meir and Alexander Fleming were alive today, what do you think they would think about the progress people in organizations have achieved to date?

3.  Share an instance where you have encouraged a peer to overcome his/her obstacles and move toward a courage-based identity.

4.  What was the value of identifying where you are on the “Five Levels of Courage Consciousness” chart? Share your journey about stepping up to the next level.

5.  There is often resistant to the practice of “stopping” and finding some form of contemplation to quiet the mind? With this understanding, how might you commit to integrating this critical practice into your daily life?

6.  Review your Declaration of Courageous Intention (DCI) and assess your progress. Which obstacles are you finding to be the most difficult to overcome? What have you discovered about yourself?

7.  Describe what the concept of not “facing it” has cost you. What obstacle(s) is holding you back?

8.  What is the difference between courage and survival?

9.  How have you learned to merge self-actualization and courage consciousness at work? What has been the response or result?

10.  Where in your work life are you most able to be an observer of your scripts and the masks you wear?

11.  Was there a particular interview or quotation in the book that moved you to action? If so, cite one of these examples that gave you particular insight. Explain.

12.  Based on the original definition of the word courage (“heart and spirit”), why is it so important to declare your courageous intention?

13.  How have you personally experienced abusive behaviors at work? Explain your viewpoints and response(s).

14.  How might you begin to recognize everyday courage and use the word more frequently to identify defining moments in your work life?

15.  Identify a person in your work life who has demonstrated everyday courage and analyze the obstacles s/he overcame. What skills identified in this book did s/he utilize?

16.  What part does our culture play in keeping people from identifying and claiming their courage?

17.  How has a fresher understanding of courage derived from the stories in the book affected your understanding of your own courage?

18.  What immediate goal will you now create for your workplace to insure that you begin a plan to keep your courageous leadership alive and well?