Of character, or a character?
Are you a person of character, or are you a character? The first is good. The second is inconsistent with great leadership.
Last week I gave you a character test to encourage you to consider the attributes of a leader with good character. Two weeks ago I encouraged you to reflect on this conclusion from my life's journey, written in a way that mimics a statement from the movie, Monsters University:
Good character
is the true measure of a leader.
If you're not someone of good character,
then what type of leader are you?
Do you have a person in your organization who could demonstrate better character? Or do a lot of people in your organization who need a character makeover?
Is one of those people who need to more consistently demonstrate good character the person staring back at you in the mirror this morning?
At MANAGEtoWIN, we believe character counts. It is so important that I wrote an entire course on it in Dave's Charm School, our soft skills training program.
Today I promised to provide ways for you and your team to develop good character. First, let's define what good character is:
- Dictionary.com: #1 - The aggregate of features and traits that form the individual nature of some person or thing.
- Related to personality, but personality is primarily inborn
- An aggregate of all behaviors, not just one
- Based on our virtues, beliefs and values
- Good character is intentional (a choice)
- Good character requires us to make difficult choices
- All Character is learned
The good news is the final point: All character is learned. Therefore anyone who wants to improve themselves, can develop better habits of good character. (You have to want to change.)
Here are 7 ways for anyone to develop better habits of good character. The goal is for integrity to be an easier choice than a shortcut or other bad decision.
#1 - Others
Everyone's character habits are consciously and subconsciously developed based on the behaviors of the people with whom you work, and spend time with personally.
LESSON: Only work and hang out with people of good character.
#2 - Role Model
A leader has to be a role model for good character at all times, not just some of the time. There cannot be any double standards, one for other people and another for the leader. For example, there cannot be laws that a common citizen has to follow, but a rich person or a politician can break.
LESSON: Lead intentionally. Work diligently to demonstrate good character in every word you speak and action you take.
#3 - Baseline
Take 30 minutes to one hour to assess the facts about the character you have demonstrated in 2016 through your words and actions. Do a simple "Ben Franklin" list. Title the left column, "Poor," in the right column, "Good." List words or actions where you have demonstrated poor character in the left column, and the ones that demonstrated your good character in the right column.
LESSON: Now you have a baseline for where your character is today. Develop a simple plan to improve your character based on these weaknesses and strengths. Start by doing one simple thing differently today.
#4 - Serve
People of good character are humble. Identify one leader who consistently demonstrates good character. (They are not flawless, but they are a person of integrity, who is sincere, and humble.) You may not even know them. Find a way to sincerely serve that person and their cause. This will help you learn from them, and possibly develop a friendship based on mutual interests.
LESSON: Sincerely serving develops character.
#5 - Pause
Often words and actions of poor character occur quickly based on fear. Pause to think about what you are going to say or do before responding or taking action. Consider how others would respond to your behavior if it was reported on the front page of your local newspaper tomorrow morning. Consider what your spouse, best friend, and/or advisors would say if they witnessed what you are about to do.
LESSON: Pause to consider the character you are about to demonstrate before speaking or taking action. At all times leaders must be role models. A pause or longer delay is often reasonable to more fully consider the ramifications of your behavior.
#6 - Judgment
Spend very little time judging the character of others. Focus on developing and sustaining your own integrity. This will help you avoid bad decisions, unethical people, and risky decisions. Self-accountability that balances positive reinforcement of your good decisions with encouragement to improve when mistakes are made increases your awareness of situations that put your character at risk.
LESSON: Judgmental people are poor role models. People of good character are inspiring and set encouraging standards for others to join. Strengthening your own character has a much higher ROI than spending excessive time negatively judging others.
#7 - Accountability
There are many ways to hold yourself accountable to demonstrating good character more consistently. Here's a simple list of five attributes of good character you can use as a test before responding verbally or taking action to situation:
Humility - is my behavior humble?
Integrity - is my decision moral?
Energy - do my actions increase the energy of others?
Inspiration - do I inspire others to achieve more?
Wisdom - will my decisions seem wise in the future?
LESSON: Focus on holding yourself accountable to demonstrating good character, and as much as possible, limiting work and personal relationships to people of integrity. This significantly improves your ability to be a role model of good character, and leave a legacy that is personally fulfilling.
Do you find it ironic that I am discussing character amidst the American presidential political season? This is totally by coincidence. However soon I may discuss how good leaders should respond to the character of The Donald and Queen Hillary.
As we close out the seventh month of 2016, I sincerely hope you are having a great year.
