Physical Courage: Showing Up When It Matters

Join Alex Budak, Faculty Director of the Berkeley Changemaker program, for an in-depth exploration of how true impact happens through embodied presence, vulnerability, and intentional engagement. Physical courage involves training your discomfort muscle, engaging in difficult conversations, and fostering authentic, shoulder-to-shoulder interactions.

Video Transcript

Alex Budak: Physical courage is the willingness to act in the face of physical risk, discomfort, or danger, especially in service of others. In a business context, it's about showing up when it matters, whether that's walking the floor during a crisis or standing with your team in difficult conditions. Research shows that physical courage requires a mindset of resilience, of optimism and strong values, and really benefits from strong social support.

The first way to lead with physical courage is to train your discomfort muscle. That means challenging yourself to speak first in difficult or tense conversations, and instead of just checking in via email with your team, go visit them in person.

The second is to treat proximity as policy. That means creating space on your calendar for regular agenda-free time in the field. As a leader, get closer to you rather than further from those whom you lead and seek to serve. Breathe the same air, walk shoulder to shoulder, see things from their perspective, and doing so will allow you to lead with physical courage.