[July 17, 2019] Abraham Lincoln once said that any man could withstand adversity but to “test a man’s character, give him power.” This is a visionary idea from a great man, but by no means new. It has long been recognized, long before recorded history, that the make-up of a person – their mental and ethical traits – comprises a person’s integrity, virtues, and values.
Undoubtedly, the study of character is complicated because the subject is both vast and at the pinnacle of importance for any society. To better understand character, it is best to start with a reading of ancient texts. Those ancient writings which survived are also those that were thought to be of the highest order of importance; as in religious publications (e.g., the Bible and Torah), as well as, Greek and Chinese philosophy.
“It is not by muscle, speed, or physical dexterity that great things are achieved, but by reflection, force of character, and judgment.” – Marcus Tullius Cicero, ancient Roman statesman, and philosopher
It is the belief of many that a person’s character is inborn. After many years of study, I believe that there is some merit to this position, but I’m also not so pessimistic to believe that we are all trapped by destiny. One’s character can be built or changed; albeit slowly and with conscious intent. Good character is not formed in a few days but over a protracted time and with patience and foresight.
Some of the traits, universally recognized, that help define a leader’s “good” character are: integrity, honesty, loyalty, self-sacrifice, and courage. A few skills that create character in the best leaders are fairness, empowerment, accountability, communicator, commitment, and the ability to inspire. Others, like me, also add that a good leader also has a sense of humor, a positive disposition, embraces failure, listens to what others have to say, cares about people, knows right from wrong, and leads by example.
That last paragraph is certainly a mouthful and not easy to get our head’s around. It should come as no surprise that leadership is not an easy road to travel. Every leader, regardless of how great or well thought of by others, struggles with the same challenge; to bring people together for a common cause and inspire them to do the best they can.