This week, the Lessons from Leaders guest is Tjada D’Oyen McKenna, the President and CEO of Mercy Corps. We are honored to have her as our guest so shortly after her recent trip to Somalia.

One of my favorite moments from this episode is the deep conversation with Tjada talking about courage (at 27 minutes if you want to jump right to it.)

When I asked her what courage has to do with being a leader, she said: "There is a personal courage all leaders have because they are willing to say 'Hold me accountable' when they take on the role of a leader."

She continues, “Courage is taking risks. If no one is upset or ruffled by your decisions, then you might not really be making change. There is courage in moving the status quo. What got you to where you are now is not the thing that will take you to the next level."

Tjada shares her personal definition of courage (which I loved so much I jotted it down as she spoke):  "Courage is a willingness to be wrong, a willingness to admit you make mistakes, and a willingness to ask for help."

Thank you Tjada for sharing your leadership story, and for your candor on this episode. You are leading Mercy Corp with courage and honesty even in the face of conflict.