Character: Is It Necessary In Leadership? (Part Two)Written by Brent Filson
Continued from page 1
Get your values and your character right and rest of leadership is a matter of details. After all, freedom isn't just in what you make happen, it's also in what you let happen. Furthermore, have character trait you are acting on be a solution to your audience's needs. Put character/solution into soup of a results-challenge and then simply observe what cooks up. In other words, in a situation calling for results, act on character trait you want to emphasize — in this case, being always ready to forgive — and observe results. Of course, with this trait, your effort won't work unless there are hard feelings in air, but finding someone exhibiting such feelings shouldn't be difficult — if you're leading well. If your leadership challenges don't lead to some people feeling overburdened, you're not challenging them enough. Take action with a group of people or an individual. You might say something like, "I know we've had hard feelings, and if there's blame to be handed out for causing them, you can look to me. But, as first step in going after new results, let's start with a fresh slate." When focusing on this particular character trait, it's important to avoid setting up conditions. Saying, for example, "If I do this, I expect you to do that" depreciates trait. Character should exist without conditions, in you and for you, regardless of outside influences such as other people's opinions. Otherwise, they wouldn't be lasting character traits, but changeable sensibilities. When we're dealing with character and results, we can't expect to force results. Let them grow naturally out of interaction. It's like putting a seed crystal into a supersaturated solution. Given proper solution and right tension, you get an organic eruption of crystals. That's why I emphasize that you should understand and acquire power of being be an observer. Focus on putting trait into action as a solution for needs of your cause leaders in order to increase results. Remember, trait of always being ready to forgive is just one of many you can work on. No matter which trait you're developing, use process I've just described to manifest it for results. In long run, important thing about leadership is not what we achieve but who we become in our achievements. A focus on our character, not only for sake of character itself but also for kinds of results character engenders, will make that becoming a treasure of our lives. 2005 © The Filson Leadership Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
The author of 23 books, Brent Filson's recent books are, THE LEADERSHIP TALK: THE GREATEST LEADERSHIP TOOL and 101 WAYS TO GIVE GREAT LEADERSHIP TALKS. He has been helping leaders of top companies worldwide get audacious results. Sign up for his free leadership e-zine and get a free white paper: "49 Ways To Turn Action Into Results," at www.actionleadership.com
| | Character: Is It Necessary In Leadership? (Part One)Written by Brent Filson
Continued from page 1
Look at character of leaders you described. You probably described values — or lack of them. (Whenever I ask people to describe a specific leader, they invariably cite values as main elements.) Which values did you admire in leaders you chose? These might include, honesty, integrity, persistence, compassion, wisdom, simplicity, sincerity. To help you do this, read introduction to Marcus Aurelius' Meditations, in which stoic philosopher and Roman emperor (AD 121–180) describes character of people who influenced his own character. His description of Maximus illustrates my meaning: From Maximus I learned self-government, and not to be led aside by anything; and cheerfulness in all circumstances, as well as in illness; and a just admixture in moral character of sweetness and dignity, and to do what was set before me without complaining. I observed that everybody believed that he thought as he spoke, and that in all that he did he never had any bad intention; and he never showed amazement and surprise, and was never in a hurry, and never put off doing a thing, nor was perplexed nor dejected, nor did he ever laugh to disguise his vexation, nor, on other hand, was he ever passionate or suspicious. He was accustomed to do acts of beneficence, and was ready to forgive, and was free from all falsehood; and he presented appearance of a man who could not be diverted from right rather than of a man who has been improved. No man could ever think that he was despised by Maximus, or ever venture to think himself a better man. He had also art of being humorous in an agreeable way. — The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius (Shambhala Publications) Choose five character values that you particularly admired in leaders you described. Then make those values into triggers for action in your leadership, acting on one at a time. In other words, you'll have five actionable value attributes that can help define way you lead. For example, let's say that one of leaders you described was Maximus, and you said his character included cheerfulness (that's a value!), dignity, honesty, generosity, candor, never complaining, and always being ready to forgive. You might choose "always being ready to forgive," but you could choose any one, or a combination, of others. Make it actionable. In other words, think of someone in your leadership sphere whom you have a gripe with, someone you may have wronged or been wronged by, and take action. Seek out that person and "be ready to forgive." See what happens. Don't expect any particular outcome; simply manifest that single character trait and let what happens happen. Understand that I'm not saying you must "be ready to forgive". That's simply one example of how to turn a character trait into action. Choose any trait. Just be sure you described that trait, and that it's something you want to emulate. In this way, you'll begin manifesting character in your day-to-day leadership, and, equally important, you'll be conscious of that manifestation — which vast majority of leaders aren't.In Part Two, I'll show you how to get results through development of your character. 2005 © The Filson Leadership Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
The author of 23 books, Brent Filson's recent books are, THE LEADERSHIP TALK: THE GREATEST LEADERSHIP TOOL and 101 WAYS TO GIVE GREAT LEADERSHIP TALKS. He has been helping leaders of top companies worldwide get audacious results. Sign up for his free leadership e-zine and get a free white paper: "49 Ways To Turn Action Into Results," at www.actionleadership.com
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