The Leader and Courage

Is it important for a Christian leader to have courage in the battles we face? The following are 8 quotes I have taken from the “Introduction” of the secular book The Anatomy of Courage by Lord Moran. It is quite interesting. What do you think?

Lord Moran, The Anatomy of Courage (The classic WWI account of the psychological effects of war), Robinson, London, 2007

Introduction: By General Sir Peter de la Billiere

1.Courage conquers fear. Fighting in war creates an environment where fear is prevalent, and unless courage prevails, all is lost. [Page xi]

2.Courage is not preserve of any one service; it is critical to the morale and battle effectiveness of servicemen and women in ships or in air combat, as well as in the army on the ground. Courage and fear are in constant conflict in war, for without fear there would be no requirement for courage. [Page xii]

3.Leadership in war at junior ranks places great emphasis on the individual’s personal courage, tactical flair and ability to communicate. At a more senior level all these characteristics remain essential ingredients, and other qualities come into play. However at any rank the one constant essential is courage, regardless of a person’s position or service; without it, all is lost. With customary perception Churchill, who possessed extensive experience as a fighting soldier, commented; ‘Courage is rightly esteemed… because it is the quality that guarantees all others.’ [Page xii]

4.Moral courage is higher and rarer in quality than physical courage. It embraces all courage, and physical courage flows from it. We are all faced with decisions requiring moral courage in our daily lives, even at home – disciplining and teaching our children for example. It is applicable in business, in law, within institutions such as schools and hospitals. It takes moral courage to stand up against the crowd, to assist a victim of bullying or to reveal negligence where others would prefer it to remain hidden. Moral courage implies the belief that what you are doing or saying is right, and are willing to follow through your conviction regardless of personal popularity or favour. So easy to expound, so demanding to achieve. In my experience a person of high moral courage will seldom fail to demonstrate an equally distinguished level of physical courage. [Page xii, xiii]

5.Fear in war is contagious, and unless disciplined can destroy a whole unit, let alone one individual. It can only be overcome by courage backed by discipline and motivation. [Page xiv]

6.As with money, your courage credit-worthiness can steadily diminish, depending upon the level of sustained stress experienced in battle or in other demanding situations. Physical courage is achieved through personal self-discipline, governing and subordinating the innate fear possessed by all humans. [Page xiv]

7.The most important personal requirement for those who go to war is to understand the enigma of courage and its critical importance in overcoming fear. [Page xvii]

Preface to the second edition

8.…the martial spirit of a race is in a measure a crucial test of its viriliy, and that a man of character in peace is a man of courage in war. Is it not true that the early discovery of fear is as important in one army as the other? [Page xx]

Lord Moran, The Anatomy of Courage (The classic WWI account of the psychological effects of war), Robinson, London, 2007