“Leadership is a potent combination of strategy and character. But if you must be without one, be without the strategy.” – Norman Schwarzkopf
Long ago, I earned a reputation as someone who was willing to speak truth to power. It didn’t always work out for me—there were a few times when I found myself uninvited from meetings or project teams—but I held to my belief that it was a necessary part of being a good leader and a good follower.
I never really gave it much thought, nor did I equate it to a sign of character. But after a particularly prickly meeting, my boss pulled me aside and made the connection for me: “That’s your character showing through,” he said. “You tell me what I need to hear, not what I want to hear.”
My belief in the necessity of speaking truth to power grew from my convictions, my core values. Too often, I’d seen the cost associated with simping for the boss’s attention. That was never going to be me. My self respect couldn’t tolerate that type of groveling and my self image needed to know that I did everything in my power to speak the truth.
THE FOUR Cs of Character
As a young leader in the Army, one of the earliest character frameworks learned is the Four Cs: competency, commitment, courage, and candor. It’s not a particularly complicated model, which makes it ideal for junior leaders just learning the ropes of the profession of arms. Variations of the model add attributes such as consistency, connection, and consistency, but the focus remains the same: cementing the key character attributes that distinguish a leader worthy of following.
Competency is almost self-explanatory. For any leader, technical and operational competency—detailed knowledge of the responsibilities of their role and how it contributes to organizational success—is a fundamental necessity. Competency evolves as leaders grow and develop, as that foundational knowledge is expanded upon.
Commitment captures the loyalty and dedication of a leader to the mission, organization, and people. It is a genuine concern for not just doing the job well but ensuring the well-being of others working in support of the organization. The operative term here is genuine: commitment comes from the heart.
Courage has many meanings, spanning physical, intellectual, and even personal courage. But in the context of character, courage speaks to the willingness of a leader to choose the hard right over the easy wrong, to make the tough decisions, manage risk, and underwrite failure.
Candor is possessing the courage to tell others what they need to hear, which—as mentioned initially—isn’t always what they want to hear. Of the Four Cs, candor is often the rarest to see in practice. It’s (sometimes brutal) honesty with a twist of nerve, because true candor can involve a fair amount of risk in some situations.
Together, the Four Cs are essential to earning the trust and loyalty necessary to be an effective leader. Even more, they reflect the foundational character traits we expect of our leaders. But with or without an extra C or two, the Four Cs are just an opening gambit in the character game.
The 10 Habits of Leaders Who Have Character
A leader’s character is often reflected in their personality; strength of character tends to equate to strength of personality. However, it’s easy to mistake a charismatic personality for leadership ability. Charisma and character are not the same thing. A leader of character is true to who they are, leads with passion, and doesn’t suffer fools well. What does your character say about you? Let’s get started.
1. You’re comfortable in your own skin.
You know who you are and you’re comfortable with the person who looks back at you in the mirror. That alone speaks volumes about your character.
2. You lead with your genuine self.
True character is rooted in genuineness. You’re not afraid to be your own person, make your own choices, and lead with transparency.
3. You’re not afraid to speak your mind.
You’re comfortable with sharing your thoughts, even when you might face criticism for doing so. Character drives you to speak your mind.
4. You play to your strengths.
You’re self-aware enough to know your strengths (and weaknesses) and you leverage them to advantage, understanding that your strengths posture you to take charge when it matters most.
5. You know what you like and don’t like.
It’s not just what you like and don’t like, it’s an innate understanding of what works and what doesn’t. You won’t waste time—yours or anyone else’s—pursing a course of action that won’t succeed.
6. You don’t tolerate excuses.
There’s an old saying about excuses… but it’s not suitable for a family-friendly audience. Suffice it to say that you don’t tolerate excuses. They’re an unwanted distraction to getting where you want to be.
7. You’re not afraid to buck the system.
You believe strongly enough in doing the right thing that you’ll break the chain of command if the circumstances force you to do so.
8. You don’t waste time people pleasing.
You won’t compromise your values to make someone else happy. Living those values—a reflection of your character—means more to you than being liked.
9. You make decisions and stand by them.
You’re comfortable making tough decisions and when you make them, you hold to them. You don’t waffle when things get tense. You stand by those decisions.
10. You don’t sweat mistakes.
Mistakes happen. As long as people are doing their best, you underwrite them. You don’t get angry. You understand that they’re part of the learning process.
Any of this sound familiar? Does it sound like you? It might just be your character showing through.
