Ranjay, your most recent work has been on how to choose courage. Congratulations on your new book, “How to Be Bold.”  What a great title particularly at this moment in time in the world.  Can you share with us some of the main ideas you have on this?

Ranjay didn’t time the book.  The genesis was in 2008, 2009.  He wanted to look at what companies do in down markets, which is often cut costs.  But about 9% come out of downturns stronger by taking bold action.  That led him to write an article called “Roaring out of recession” and then another called “Growth in uncertain times.”  A book on Deep Purpose occupied much of his time a few years back, but that got co-opted into a kind of woke-anti-woke conversation that wasn’t fruitful.  Ranjay then turned to the concept of courage, and studied that at the level of both individuals and organizations.   The book that’s now coming out called “How to Be Bold” deals with courage as an alternative to cowardice in the face of fear.   It describes uncertainty as a trigger of fear, and the ways in which leaders can work through it.  The book is 2/3rds on individua courage and 1/3^rd on organizational courage.

Courage is a decision in the face of fear.   It’s a leap of faith into the fog of uncertainty.  

With so much that’s unknown, and with the stakes at life-and-death, leaders such as Nelson Mandela and Volodymyr Zelensky have demonstrated unequalled courage.  What is the choice that they and other leaders, including Sully Sullenberger and whistleblowers and firefighters make to overcome fear?  

Ranjay describes a series of examples of people who have taken extraordinary action in the face of critical challenges, such as mass shootings and whistleblowing-ready situations.   He describes historical leaders like Harriet Tubman.  Extraordinary acts arise from a willingness to hold onto a view of what’s important in the face of fear.

Anita asked Ranjay what it takes to do impact work as a scholar.

Ranjay pointed to “integrative scholarship,” which he sees as the forest for the trees.  He encourages us to establish a point of view on an important topic and then work across disciplines to change our thinking.   Work across multiple levels of analysis, such as individuals and organizations.

Ranjay’s dissertation advisor, Paul Lawrence, taught Ranjay about the power of rigorous study of an important idea.   He warned Ranjay that no theory will be perfect.  The theory will need adjustment and modification.   But the power is in in advancing the theory through the phenomenon.

This is important now in our field because we have become hyperspecialized, which makes it difficult for us to talk with each other.   Ranjay’s solution?    Do scholarly work on the topic, such as he did in 2010 on courage, but then talk with many people about the issue.   For this book, Ranjay did more than 200 interviews.   And rely on the insights that arise from reaching across disciplines.  That’s what leads to a clear picture of the forest.