THE THREE STAGES OF FEARLESSNESS
This journey is not always a straight path—your next steps as an organization could all stem
from the Awareness stage, or you could take a mixed approach and implement suggestions
from all three stages in connection to all five principles. We encourage you to read and reflect
on all three stages and prioritize actions you would like to focus on first, second and third (and
so forth) as you continue to evolve. There is no standard timeline for moving through the stages.
Find what’s best for your organization and report back on your successes (and failures!).
Stage 1: Awareness
Stage 1 is about showing awareness of a principle. An organization may be reflecting upon and
discussing a principle, gathering information or knowledge or asking important questions about
how it might take action. If a principle is a new concept to your organization and you’re not yet
committed to taking action, this is your starting point.
Stage 2: Action
Stage 2 is about action. At this stage, an organization has moved beyond awareness and is
taking steps to live out a principle. If your organization is aware of the principle, knows what it
means in your context, and is ready to put it into action, this is where you should start.
Stage 3: Institutionalization
Stage 3 is about institutionalizing the actions that define a principle. Here, a principle is visible
in multiple aspects of an organization’s culture and operations. If your organization already has
taken isolated actions and now wants to ensure that it is consistently demonstrating a principle
at multiple levels and regularly communicating about it with external stakeholders, this is the
place for you to begin.
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