Courage and Cowardice: A Heideggerian Business Dialogue

This course examines the intersection of Heideggerian philosophy and leadership ethics to redefine courage and cowardice in professional environments. In this framework, courage is the resolute ownership of finite and uncomfortable decisions. Cowardice is the outsourcing of responsibility to anonymous norms. Many leaders hide behind "das Man"—the collective "they"—by citing industry standards or market demands to avoid personal accountability. By analyzing how corporate language facilitates this avoidance, the series identifies where organizations replace genuine choice with polite conformity. The content focuses on moving beyond "best practices" to identify the specific individual responsible for a choice. The curriculum also integrates concepts of finitude and disclosure into business strategy. Using Heidegger’s concept of Being-toward-death, the discussions address the necessity of admitting when products, strategies, or organizational structures must end. Unlike reckless risk-taking, courage here aligns with the Aristotelian mean, requiring practical wisdom to face what is truly at stake. The course distinguishes between practical fear of risk and existential anxiety regarding a leader's identity or status. Ultimately, leadership is presented as a practice of unconcealment. A courageous executive stops using spin or busyness to hide reality and instead allows the organization to face the truths it already knows.