Managing when you have to be unpopular: the value of Managerial Courage

A team member exceeds their targets but regularly belittles colleagues. Leadership adds a project without revisiting priorities. A reorganisation raises questions that nobody can yet answer.

In each of these situations, a manager may be tempted to stall: wait for the right moment, hope the tension dies down, or pass a decision on without discussing it. Until the consequences become harder to handle than the original conversation would have been.

Managerial courage is tested in these moments: raising a sensitive issue, setting a boundary or making a necessary decision, despite the discomfort it causes. Which qualities make this possible? And how can they be developed day to day?

Managerial courage begins where avoidance becomes costly

Showing managerial courage means taking responsibility when a situation exposes you to disagreement, an emotional reaction or the risk of being disliked.

It might mean explaining to a team member why they have not received the promotion they expected. Flagging that a deadline is unrealistic. Or reversing one’s own decision after discovering it was based on a flawed analysis.

The aim is to act with enough clarity that everyone understands what the problem is, what is expected and what is open to discussion.

Putting off a conversation can allow an unspoken rule to take hold: what is not addressed appears to be accepted.

How can you spot managerial courage?

Someone who is comfortable speaking in public may still avoid difficult conversations. Conversely, a quieter manager may hold their ground when their team’s interests are at stake. To spot managerial courage, you therefore need to look at what a person does when they risk being disliked.

In interviews, explore uncomfortable decisions

Questions work best when they focus on real situations:

“Tell me about a time you challenged a decision made by your line management. How did you express your disagreement?”
“Have you ever had to challenge a high-performing team member about their behaviour? What exactly did you do?”
“When have you had to set a boundary to protect the quality of your team’s work?”

Probe into the facts, the actions taken and their consequences: does the person take responsibility? Can they set a boundary while still listening to objections?

A role-play exercise can complement the interview. For a manager already in post, feedback from their team also sheds light on how consistent these behaviours are: do they step in when tensions arise? Do they explain their decisions? Do they keep their commitments?

How can you develop managerial courage?

Start with a situation the manager tends to avoid: announcing an unpopular decision, addressing a behaviour or flagging an excessive workload. Identifying what holds them back makes it possible to choose a specific area to work on.

Before the conversation, prepare the facts observed, their consequences and the change expected. Then practise delivering the message with a peer or a coach, anticipating likely reactions.

Afterwards, reflect on what happened: was the problem clearly named? Did the dialogue remain open? Were concrete next steps agreed? This feedback allows managers to refine their approach gradually, with the support of the organisation.

Practise and receive feedback

Role-plays, coaching and peer exchanges between managers make it possible to try out different ways of tackling a problem. After a real conversation, reviewing the experience also helps: was the message clear? Was the other person able to respond? Were concrete next steps agreed?

Personality, motivation or emotional intelligence assessments can shed light on certain tendencies relevant to this work. They are most valuable when combined with real-life examples and professional feedback: a test result alone is not enough to establish a manager’s courage.

Key Predict tools to identify strengths and target development

Key Predict assessments help explore behavioural tendencies and add to these observations.

The CTPI-R, which focuses on managerial potential, analyses assertiveness, self-confidence and emotional stability, among other dimensions. Combined with the interview and observations, its results help pinpoint the areas to explore further during a recruitment or internal mobility process.

For development, this insight helps target coaching. A manager who struggles to assert their position can work on how they express their boundaries. Another, who is very assertive, can practise welcoming dissent before making a decision.

EMOTION 2.1 can add to the analysis by shedding light on the emotional and interpersonal skills involved in sensitive discussions.

The goal is to link results to real situations, then define actions whose effects can be observed. The assessment thus provides a starting point for identifying potential and building a tailored development pathway.

The value of this approach lies in combining results with observed behaviours and the requirements of the role. It makes it possible to target support: preparing for difficult conversations, regulating one’s reactions more effectively or learning to defend a decision. Managerial courage thus becomes a concrete area for development, rather than a quality that is merely claimed.