Courageous Conversations ● Ethically Courageous Actions ● Equitable Systems ● High-Performing Teams
“Conducting ‘social flight simulations’ of challenging organizational situations was one of the most significant experiences of my professional career. It gave me the opportunity to confront - head-on - some issues that have been both stressful to me, and without a clear solution to my organization."
-- CEO Participant
Brooke Deterline - CEO of Courageous Leadership, Founding Corporate Consulting Director at Heroic Imagination Project
Courageous Leadership empowers individuals, leaders and teams to consistently take wise and ethically courageous action under pressure. Our learning-based model helps leaders and teams face “untouchable” challenges, like systemic racism, inequity, and unhealthy power and relational dynamics, with courage, curiosity and humility. Our clients report an increased sense of belonging, connection, motivation and efficacy within their teams. This enables teams to engage the collective brilliance of all voices to ensure equitable systems, inspiring innovations and meaningful stakeholder outcomes.
Courageous Leadership works with leaders and cross-cultural and interdisciplinary teams to deepen candor, trust and engagement. Our programs help individuals, leaders and teams increase courageous communication and connection, while improving critical and creative thinking in complex, ambiguous and changing environments. Leaders and teams develop the skills to solve complex challenges under pressure and address the systemic and structural factors needed to sustain change.
Courageous Leadership combines cutting-edge social psychology research and neuroscience with Social Fitness Training™, an evidence-based training. Our clients build the awareness, skills and social support to take ethically courageous, wise and collaborative action under pressure enabling these benefits:
Courageous Individuals
ENGAGE skillfully with others in challenging situations
ACT with ethical courage, and inspire the same in others
BECOME less vulnerable to unconscious biases and situational pressures
Courageous Leaders
BUILD & LEAD honest, effective teams that address the “undiscussables”
FOSTER courageous conversations and actions across points of difference
INCREASE the capacity to be inclusive and create equitable dynamics and systems
Courageous Teams & Organizations
BUILD greater psychological safety and sense of belonging
LEARN new ways to promote full team engagement
INSTILL a shared responsibility model for integrity, equity and inclusion
Learn more about our team.
Our services include Leader & Team Development, Consulting & Executive Coaching, Interactive Workshops, Public Speaking and Courageous Democracy.
We serve Fortune 50 and 500 companies, global non-profits, country-level government entities, academic institutions and leaders in social enterprise, technology, and healthcare. See our client list here.





A portion of the proceeds from our Courageous Leadership for Racial Justice & Equity and Courageous Belonging programs go to black-led organizations with a track record of effective social justice work.
Organizations include Black Lives Matter and Movement for Black Lives.