The Habits of Character and Leadership
Colin Thompson
Managing Partner Cavendish/Author/International Speaker/Mentor/Partner
"A leader has the vision and conviction that a dream can be achieved. He inspires the power and energy to get it done."
— Ralph Lauren: Fashion designer and business executive
How does a dream grow to become reality? It must be cultivated with care and constant attention. It must be showered with hope and belief. It must be fed a continuous diet of purposeful action. Then, the most important part, as the dream matures and is harvested — you must take what you learned and teach others — so they too can plant their own dreams.
The ultimate aim of human life and activity is development of character, according to Aristotle. The most important goal you could hope to accomplish in the course of your life is to become an excellent person, in every respect. Your purpose should be to develop the kind of personality and character that earns you the respect, esteem, and affection of the important people in your world.
Develop Your Own Character
Aristotle, probably the greatest philosopher and thinker of all time, said a simple method can help, if you wish to learn a virtue later in life. Simply practice the virtue in every situation where that virtue is required. In other words, if you wish to develop the quality of courage, act courageously even when you feel afraid.
Aspire to Leadership
It is not easy to rise to a position of leadership in any organization or in any society. The competition for leadership is fierce. Only the people who are the very best equipped to acquire leadership positions and then to hold on to those positions rise to the top in any area.
Whatever It Takes
In a way, leadership is "situational." What is necessary for success in a leadership position is determined by many factors, including the people to be led; the objectives to be accomplished; the competition for resources; the social, cultural, political, and economic environment; and the situation that the leader finds at the moment. Changing any of these factors will change the qualities of leadership necessary for success.
The True Test of a Leader
Peter Drucker says the only event that is inevitable in the like of the leader is the "unexpected crisis." Only when you encounter a setback, an obstacle, a difficulty, or the inevitable crisis, do you demonstrate the kind of person you really are. It is not what you say, wish, hope, or intend that reveals your character. It is only your actions, especially your actions in the face of adversity and possible setbacks or losses.
You Are Responsible
Once you have developed a clear vision for your ideal future and resolve to develop unshakable courage by doing the things you fear, you must develop the habit of accepting complete responsibility for yourself and for every aspect of your life.
Tell the Truth
Perhaps the most important quality of leadership is the habit of integrity. You develop integrity and become a completely honest person by practicing telling the truth to yourself and others in every situation. Shakespeare wrote, "To thine own self be true," meaning that you are what you believe in. You must continually clarify what you stand for and what you will not stand for. Once you have decided that you are going to build your life around certain values, you refuse to compromise those values for anything.
Action Exercise
Imagine that you could write your own eulogy. How would you like to be remembered and described by others when you are gone?
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