Character: Is It Necessary In Leadership? (Part One)
One element of leadership that many leaders ignore or neglect is character. Is it a necessary ingredient in leadership? The author answers the question with the challenging observation that character can actually drive leadership results.
By Brent Filson - 2005
We know character when we see it, but what exactly is it? How do we
define it? What role does it play in our getting results as leaders?
What role does character play in our careers?
In this two part article, I’ll explore these questions and give tips on
using character to get results and build your career.
A key function of character in leadership is to engender trust in
people, and the function of their trust is to have them take action for
results. Few leaders come to grips with the challenges of character and
so miss great job and career opportunities.
Let’s start with its root, which comes from a Greek word, “kharakter”, a chisel or marking instrument for metal or stone.
Our character, then, is our mark engraved into something enduring. We
can mold mannerisms, but we must chisel our character. Of course, we
don’t carry around a stone or a sheet of metal marked with our
"character”. The enduring thing is the aggregate of the traits and
features that form our apparent individual nature.
"Apparent" is the operative word. Our character exists not only in and
of itself, but also as an appearance to others. The fact that
character exists both in us and in the minds of other people holds a
powerful leadership lesson.
To begin to understand what character is all about in leadership,
describe five of the best leaders in history. Then, list three to five
character traits that made each one the best.
Describe five of the worst leaders in history, and list three to five character traits that made each one the worst.
Now make the same lists for the people in your industry and your own organization.
Did you learn something new about leadership and character? What did you learn?
I emphasize new because, in identifying elements that compose
character, we come to understand the thinking processes that help us
form character judgments. Because we commonly make snap judgments about
people, we must be aware of how and why we make those judgments, so we
can clarify and make better use of them in our leadership.
The ultimate character we must be concerned with, of course, is our
own. Our character influences our leadership, and through our
leadership, our careers. Few leaders make the connection between career
and character in this way, let alone do something about it. Your doing
so will give you a tremendous advantage in your career.
We know that it’s much harder to see our own character than for us to
see the character of others. At this point, however, it’s unnecessary
to try to understand what your character actually is. You need only
realize that, for purposes of leadership, your character is forged in
values and manifested in relationships.
Values are the qualities that spur action. Moreover, values are tied to
emotions. We feel strongly about the values we hold and look to others
to hold, and because of such feelings, we’re usually acting on our
values in one way or another.
Look at the character of the leaders you described. You probably described values — or lack of them.
(Whenever I ask people to describe a specific leader, they invariably cite values as the main elements.)
Which values did you admire in the leaders you chose? These might
include, honesty, integrity, persistence, compassion, wisdom,
simplicity, sincerity.
To help you do this, read the introduction to Marcus Aurelius’
Meditations, in which the stoic philosopher and Roman emperor (AD
121–180) describes the character of the people who influenced his own
character. His description of Maximus illustrates my meaning:
“From Maximus I learned self-government, and not to be led aside by
anything; and cheerfulness in all circumstances, as well as in illness;
and a just admixture in the moral character of sweetness and dignity,
and to do what was set before me without complaining. I observed that
everybody believed that he thought as he spoke, and that in all that he
did he never had any bad intention; and he never showed amazement and
surprise, and was never in a hurry, and never put off doing a thing,
nor was perplexed nor dejected, nor did he ever laugh to disguise his
vexation, nor, on the other hand, was he ever passionate or suspicious.
He was accustomed to do acts of beneficence, and was ready to forgive,
and was free from all falsehood; and he presented the appearance of a
man who could not be diverted from right rather than of a man who has
been improved. No man could ever think that he was despised by Maximus,
or ever venture to think himself a better man. He had also the art of
being humorous in an agreeable way”.
— The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius (Shambhala Publications)
Choose five character values that you particularly admired in the
leaders you described. Then make those values into triggers for action
in your leadership, acting on one at a time. In other words, you’ll
have five actionable value attributes that can help define the way you
lead.
For example, let’s say that one of the leaders you described was
Maximus, and you said his character included cheerfulness (that’s a
value!), dignity, honesty, generosity, candor, never complaining, and
always being ready to forgive. You might choose "always being ready to
forgive," but you could choose any one, or a combination, of the others.
Make it actionable. In other words, think of someone in your leadership
sphere whom you have a gripe with, someone you may have wronged or been
wronged by, and take action. Seek out that person and "be ready to
forgive." See what happens. Don’t expect any particular outcome; simply
manifest that single character trait and let what happens happen.
Understand that I’m not saying you must "be ready to forgive". That’s
simply one example of how to turn a character trait into action. Choose
any trait. Just be sure you described that trait, and that it’s
something you want to emulate. In this way, you’ll begin manifesting
character in your day-to-day leadership, and, equally important, you’ll
be conscious of that manifestation — which the vast majority of leaders
aren’t.
In Part Two, I’ll show you how to get results through the development of your character.
2005© The Filson Leadership Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
The author of 23 books, Brent Filson's recent books are, THE LEADERSHIP TALK: THE GREATEST LEADERSHIP TOOL and 101 WAYS TO GIVE GREAT LEADERSHIP TALKS. He is founder and president of The Filson Leadership Group, Inc. – Celebrating 25 years of helping leaders of top companies worldwide achieve outstanding results every day. Sign up for his free leadership e-zine and get his FREE report "7 Steps To Leadership Mastery"