Walk into almost any office, factory, or government building, and you will feel it. The quiet. The hesitation before someone raises a hand. The careful words chosen to avoid upsetting a boss or breaking an unwritten rule. Most people assume this is just how work works. But Dr. David Van Fleet, a professor emeritus at Arizona State University with over fifty years of experience studying organizations, has spent the last several years proving them wrong. In his new book, Courage in Organizations, Van Fleet argues that the missing ingredient in today’s workplaces is not better software, higher pay, or more rules. It is courage. Not the fearlessness of a soldier charging up a hill, but something far more useful: acting even when you are afraid, because the goal matters more than the discomfort.
Fearlessness Is Not the Answer
Van Fleet draws a sharp line between fearlessness and courage. Fearlessness means you feel nothing. Courage means your heart pounds, your stomach turns, and yet you still speak up, ask the hard question, or try the risky idea. He shows that organizations without courage slowly rot from the inside. People stop sharing ideas. Mistakes get hidden instead of being learned from. Innovation dies because no one wants to be the one who fails. The book calls these forces “eroding factors”—things like toxic leadership, fear of retaliation, and cultures that punish honesty. Van Fleet does not just describe the problem. He names it clearly and then offers the other side of the coin: enabling factors such as psychological safety, transparent communication, and leaders who model vulnerability.
Why Truly Brave Workplaces Are So Rare
What makes Courage in Organizations different from typical management books is its honesty. Van Fleet admits that truly courageous companies are rare. He cites research showing that only about one in three teams operates with both courage and a strong human connection. The rest fall into patterns of avoiding conflict, burning people out, or keeping everyone afraid. Yet he also provides real examples. You will read about Progressive Insurance, which actually celebrates respectful disagreement. You will meet Sven Eriksson, a young soldier in Vietnam who refused to participate in an atrocity and faced down his own commander. You will learn about a small fashion entrepreneur in Pakistan named Saima, who built a business and a team of sixteen women after a painful divorce. These stories are not polished corporate case studies. They are messy, human, and deeply believable.
A Simple Map to Build Lasting Courage
The book is organized around a simple but powerful framework called V-REEL, developed by David Flint. V stands for value—why courage matters. R stands for rareness—how few organizations have it. The first E covers eroding factors that destroy courage. The second E covers enabling factors that build it. L stands for longevity—how long courage can last if it is protected. Van Fleet writes in straightforward language, free from unnecessary jargon, so a new employee and a seasoned executive can both understand and use the material. Each chapter ends with a chance to stop and think, making the book useful for solo reading, team training, or classroom discussion.
The One Truth That Changes Everything
Here is the truth that runs through every page: fear is normal. Courage is not the absence of fear. It is the decision to move forward anyway. Van Fleet does not promise a quick fix. He promises a roadmap. And he delivers. If you have ever bitten your tongue in a meeting, watched a bad idea sail through because no one objected, or felt the weight of a culture that punishes honesty, this book will feel like a glass of cold water on a hot day.
Get your copy now. Available on its official website and on Amazon.