Character can be defined in a variety of ways. Mental images abound as to the true definition but perhaps they can be summed up as, the motivation to do what is right; or who you are when no one is watching. To be a person of character, one must posses certain character traits like patience, love, perseverance, self-control, humility, diligence, and so on. Effective leaders understand that character does matter.
Personal character clarifies one's value system and defines behavior in a most explicit manner. As we observe culture and human behavior, we can almost always trace backwards from behavior to find the meaning, values, and beliefs rooted in a person's worldview that subsequently influences behavior. In other words, our behavior is often consistent with our values; the way we act has meaning based on what we believe about ourselves, other people, the world, and for many a higher power. Love, perseverance, humility, integrity, and countless character qualities that have permeated our societies have stood the test of time. However, whenever worldviews undergo rapid change due to technological advancement, economic and sociological change, or social revolution, one's corresponding value system and ultimately one's character are challenged and affected—sometimes dramatically.
Values and Beliefs
Much has been written about the values of the 1950s in the United States. Post World War II technological advancements were clearly apparent on the American scene with the dawn of the television age, the transistor radio, and commercial jet travel, among the many leaps into the modern era. In spite of the Cold War fears, American society experienced the glow of peace and prosperity and a resurgence of traditional religious values. At the end of the decade, the United States and the Soviet Union entered the space age and the world experienced a quantum leap in communications capability with satellites orbiting the planet. The 1960s brought new challenges to this peaceful society and a dramatic shift in a modern worldview. The United States was beginning to move from a religious to a non-religious worldview, shifting the plausibility of many "traditional" values relating to familiar obligations, human sexuality, work ethic, and many other cultural mores and practices. Baby boomers as young adults were affected by this social shift and were challenged three to four decades later as they assumed positions of leadership in all walks of life. Value based leadership caused many to become introspective and to review and renew their true fundamental values and belief system. A belief system is what one accepts as truth. Values are based on one's belief and as we attach meaning to our values we truly can interpret the way we live. More importantly, this is how we establish the behavior pattern we use for our daily decisions. We think based on our values, beliefs, and our worldview. Character is deeply rooted and expressed in our outward behavior; it is clearly what others see as our doing the "right thing."
Doing the "right thing" often means being ethical in today's vernacular and often defines one's strength of character. Character's relationship to ethics is based on how one behaves to situations they confront on a daily basis. Ethical behavior is often linked to one's values. While there can be many types of values, such as aesthetic, political, and economic values, values are basically synonymous with ethical or moral values: self chosen or socialized standards that guide action in morally relevant contexts. These values usually remain implicit with one's everyday actions or behavior. They become explicit when we are called upon to articulate what we believe and why we believe what we do; they become explicit in times when we must choose one particular behavior or another as right or wrong.
Concluding Thoughts
Character in this context is the courage and conviction to make difficult and unpopular decisions. Decision-making is inherent in leadership in that one often must face a dilemma on choosing the right course of action. Often this dilemma involves being ethical; but "what makes a person ethical?" Is it correct knowledge about right and wrong, good and evil that make me ethical? Right or correct knowledge will not ensure that I act consistently with what is good. What makes someone ethical is the practice of ethical behavior. The acts produced by us as moral agents cannot be separated by the motives and intentions for executing decisions and taking action. Furthermore, our character is reflected in our behavior, or in a certain sense, we are what we do. Therefore, having character attempts to bring together in harmony right ethical thinking (intentions) with right behavior (action). As mortal human beings we tend to be morally weak and even knowing the right thing will not guarantee that we will choose the right course of action.
Leadership is highly effective and becomes utterly inspirational when difficult decisions are made with courage and conviction. The question that often plagues humans is "why should I be ethical?" Ethical principles, laws, and moral criteria become meaningless and have no impact if they are not acted upon. Leaders, notwithstanding their frailties, subjectivity, convictions, and limitations, still have the ultimate power to act and decide. Character coupled with ethics means having the courage and conviction to make difficult and unpopular decisions.
To be an effective leader, character does matter.
Personal character clarifies one's value system and defines behavior in a most explicit manner. As we observe culture and human behavior, we can almost always trace backwards from behavior to find the meaning, values, and beliefs rooted in a person's worldview that subsequently influences behavior. In other words, our behavior is often consistent with our values; the way we act has meaning based on what we believe about ourselves, other people, the world, and for many a higher power. Love, perseverance, humility, integrity, and countless character qualities that have permeated our societies have stood the test of time. However, whenever worldviews undergo rapid change due to technological advancement, economic and sociological change, or social revolution, one's corresponding value system and ultimately one's character are challenged and affected—sometimes dramatically.
Values and Beliefs
Much has been written about the values of the 1950s in the United States. Post World War II technological advancements were clearly apparent on the American scene with the dawn of the television age, the transistor radio, and commercial jet travel, among the many leaps into the modern era. In spite of the Cold War fears, American society experienced the glow of peace and prosperity and a resurgence of traditional religious values. At the end of the decade, the United States and the Soviet Union entered the space age and the world experienced a quantum leap in communications capability with satellites orbiting the planet. The 1960s brought new challenges to this peaceful society and a dramatic shift in a modern worldview. The United States was beginning to move from a religious to a non-religious worldview, shifting the plausibility of many "traditional" values relating to familiar obligations, human sexuality, work ethic, and many other cultural mores and practices. Baby boomers as young adults were affected by this social shift and were challenged three to four decades later as they assumed positions of leadership in all walks of life. Value based leadership caused many to become introspective and to review and renew their true fundamental values and belief system. A belief system is what one accepts as truth. Values are based on one's belief and as we attach meaning to our values we truly can interpret the way we live. More importantly, this is how we establish the behavior pattern we use for our daily decisions. We think based on our values, beliefs, and our worldview. Character is deeply rooted and expressed in our outward behavior; it is clearly what others see as our doing the "right thing."
Doing the "right thing" often means being ethical in today's vernacular and often defines one's strength of character. Character's relationship to ethics is based on how one behaves to situations they confront on a daily basis. Ethical behavior is often linked to one's values. While there can be many types of values, such as aesthetic, political, and economic values, values are basically synonymous with ethical or moral values: self chosen or socialized standards that guide action in morally relevant contexts. These values usually remain implicit with one's everyday actions or behavior. They become explicit when we are called upon to articulate what we believe and why we believe what we do; they become explicit in times when we must choose one particular behavior or another as right or wrong.
Concluding Thoughts
Character in this context is the courage and conviction to make difficult and unpopular decisions. Decision-making is inherent in leadership in that one often must face a dilemma on choosing the right course of action. Often this dilemma involves being ethical; but "what makes a person ethical?" Is it correct knowledge about right and wrong, good and evil that make me ethical? Right or correct knowledge will not ensure that I act consistently with what is good. What makes someone ethical is the practice of ethical behavior. The acts produced by us as moral agents cannot be separated by the motives and intentions for executing decisions and taking action. Furthermore, our character is reflected in our behavior, or in a certain sense, we are what we do. Therefore, having character attempts to bring together in harmony right ethical thinking (intentions) with right behavior (action). As mortal human beings we tend to be morally weak and even knowing the right thing will not guarantee that we will choose the right course of action.
Leadership is highly effective and becomes utterly inspirational when difficult decisions are made with courage and conviction. The question that often plagues humans is "why should I be ethical?" Ethical principles, laws, and moral criteria become meaningless and have no impact if they are not acted upon. Leaders, notwithstanding their frailties, subjectivity, convictions, and limitations, still have the ultimate power to act and decide. Character coupled with ethics means having the courage and conviction to make difficult and unpopular decisions.
To be an effective leader, character does matter.
By Dr. Perry Martini
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