Developing the Leader within Ch: 3

Character in Leadership

• Pope Francis's humility and character have made a strong impression on the author.
• Pope Francis outlined 15 "diseases" of leadership, most of which deal with character:
  • Thinking we are immortal, immune, or indispensible
  • Excessive busyness
  • Mental and emotional "petrification"
  • Excessive planning and functionalism
  • Poor coordination
  • "Leadership Alzheimer's disease"
  • Rivalry and vainglory
  • Existential schizophrenia
  • Gossiping, grumbling, and backbiting
  • Idolizing superiors
  • Indifference to others
  • Downcast faces
  • Hoarding
  • Closed circles
  • Extravagance and self-exhibition

Importance of Character

• Good character does not ensure success, but poor character will eventually lead to failure.
• Character can be changed and improved.
• Three reasons why good character is worth pursuing:
  1. Good character builds strong trust.
  2. Good character is essential for leadership.
  3. Good character is the foundation of leadership.

Trust and Moral Authority

• Trust is a relationship between a trustor and a trustee.
• Trust is a two-way street.
• Leaders must take the first step in trusting others and earning their trust.
• Consistently modeling good character makes deposits in trustworthiness accounts with others.
• Moral authority is the highest level of leadership, earned by demonstrating good character and making deposits into trustworthiness accounts.

Developing Good Character

• Good character is developed through a lifelong process of consistent effort and self-reflection.
• Four dimensions of character:
  1. Authenticity
  2. Self-management
  3. Humility
  4. Courage
• Authenticity is crucial for leaders, as it allows them to navigate the extremes of success and failure.

Quotes

• "A man of character will make himself worthy of any position he is given." - Mahatma Gandhi
• "Though you cannot go back and make a brand-new start, my friend, anyone can start from now and make a brand-new end." - Unknown
• "In leadership a pint of example equals a gallon of advice." - Mark Twain
• "Trust is a risk game. Leaders must be the first ones to ante-up." - James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner### Embracing Authenticity
• Authenticity is about living an open life, sharing both successes and failures to encourage others
• As a public figure, people often only see the best side, but that's not the whole story
• Brokenness is an essential part of humanity, and accepting it leads to more peace and compassion

The Importance of Character

• Character is not about intelligence, but about making right choices
• Good self-management is essential, and it starts with knowing your values and making decisions based on them
• Establishing character guardrails helps keep you from going off track

Humility

• Humility is saying "yes" to the human condition, acknowledging that we are flawed and make mistakes
• It's developed over time as we accept our weaknesses and give grace to others for theirs
• Humility is not about being weak, but about being strong enough to acknowledge our limitations

Courage

• Courage is what makes character possible, empowering us to do what's right in the face of fear or uncertainty
• It requires ongoing reflection, brutal honesty, and the ability to take action
• Courage is needed to develop and maintain character, and to restore it after making bad decisions

Inner vs. Outer Character

• The inner voice wants to make us bigger on the inside, while the outer voice wants to make us appear bigger on the outside
• The voice we listen to wins the battle, and it's essential to focus on internal character
• Developing strong character on the inside leads to self-respect, which comes from making right choices

The Soul and Integrity

• The soul integrates our will, mind, and body into a single life
• A healthy soul is whole and has internal integrity, while a divided life separates us from our soul
• Integrity is about being complete and whole, and it's the opposite of being divided

Developing Character

• Focus on internal character, making right choices, and improving yourself

• Nurture the health of your soul by following through with your commitments

• Character always counts, and it's what makes the difference between success and failure### Self-Leadership

• Self-leadership involves doing the right thing even when you don't want to do it, and not doing the wrong thing even when you do want to do it.

• Managing the decision after it's been made means following through on the values you've determined for yourself.

• When facing a difficult moment, your job is to stick to your previously decided values.

Valuing People

• Placing others first helps you focus less on yourself and builds your character.
• Valuing others involves daily expressions of appreciation, especially towards people you don't have a natural affinity for or don't particularly like.
• By doing so, you develop a more selfless attitude and strengthen your character.

Character in Leadership

• Pope Francis's humility and character have made a strong impression on the author.
• Pope Francis outlined 15 "diseases" of leadership, most of which deal with character:
  • Thinking we are immortal, immune, or indispensible
  • Excessive busyness
  • Mental and emotional "petrification"
  • Excessive planning and functionalism
  • Poor coordination
  • "Leadership Alzheimer's disease"
  • Rivalry and vainglory
  • Existential schizophrenia
  • Gossiping, grumbling, and backbiting
  • Idolizing superiors
  • Indifference to others
  • Downcast faces
  • Hoarding
  • Closed circles
  • Extravagance and self-exhibition

Importance of Character

• Good character does not ensure success, but poor character will eventually lead to failure.
• Character can be changed and improved.
• Three reasons why good character is worth pursuing:
  1. Good character builds strong trust.
  2. Good character is essential for leadership.
  3. Good character is the foundation of leadership.

Trust and Moral Authority

• Trust is a relationship between a trustor and a trustee.
• Trust is a two-way street.
• Leaders must take the first step in trusting others and earning their trust.
• Consistently modeling good character makes deposits in trustworthiness accounts with others.
• Moral authority is the highest level of leadership, earned by demonstrating good character and making deposits into trustworthiness accounts.

Developing Good Character

• Good character is developed through a lifelong process of consistent effort and self-reflection.
• Four dimensions of character:
  1. Authenticity
  2. Self-management
  3. Humility
  4. Courage
• Authenticity is crucial for leaders, as it allows them to navigate the extremes of success and failure.

Quotes

• "A man of character will make himself worthy of any position he is given." - Mahatma Gandhi
• "Though you cannot go back and make a brand-new start, my friend, anyone can start from now and make a brand-new end." - Unknown
• "In leadership a pint of example equals a gallon of advice." - Mark Twain
• "Trust is a risk game. Leaders must be the first ones to ante-up." - James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner### Embracing Authenticity
• Authenticity is about living an open life, sharing both successes and failures to encourage others
• As a public figure, people often only see the best side, but that's not the whole story
• Brokenness is an essential part of humanity, and accepting it leads to more peace and compassion

The Importance of Character

• Character is not about intelligence, but about making right choices
• Good self-management is essential, and it starts with knowing your values and making decisions based on them
• Establishing character guardrails helps keep you from going off track

Humility

• Humility is saying "yes" to the human condition, acknowledging that we are flawed and make mistakes
• It's developed over time as we accept our weaknesses and give grace to others for theirs
• Humility is not about being weak, but about being strong enough to acknowledge our limitations

Courage

• Courage is what makes character possible, empowering us to do what's right in the face of fear or uncertainty
• It requires ongoing reflection, brutal honesty, and the ability to take action
• Courage is needed to develop and maintain character, and to restore it after making bad decisions

Inner vs. Outer Character

• The inner voice wants to make us bigger on the inside, while the outer voice wants to make us appear bigger on the outside
• The voice we listen to wins the battle, and it's essential to focus on internal character
• Developing strong character on the inside leads to self-respect, which comes from making right choices

The Soul and Integrity

• The soul integrates our will, mind, and body into a single life
• A healthy soul is whole and has internal integrity, while a divided life separates us from our soul
• Integrity is about being complete and whole, and it's the opposite of being divided

Developing Character

• Focus on internal character, making right choices, and improving yourself

• Nurture the health of your soul by following through with your commitments

• Character always counts, and it's what makes the difference between success and failure### Self-Leadership

• Self-leadership involves doing the right thing even when you don't want to do it, and not doing the wrong thing even when you do want to do it.

• Managing the decision after it's been made means following through on the values you've determined for yourself.

• When facing a difficult moment, your job is to stick to your previously decided values.

Valuing People

• Placing others first helps you focus less on yourself and builds your character.
• Valuing others involves daily expressions of appreciation, especially towards people you don't have a natural affinity for or don't particularly like.
• By doing so, you develop a more selfless attitude and strengthen your character.