Shooting the Breeze
Sadly, it seems these days that character is not very important – especially when it comes to leaders.
When choosing a leader do we look at their character or do we just look at what they can do?
Unfortunately, it is very easy to focus just on “what a leader can do.” We justify a leader’s lack of character by saying, “At least they are getting the job done.” That may be true but at what cost?
True leaders are distinguished by their character!
As a leader, I am determined to put character before getting the job done. I want to be continually developing my character.
Character is too important to be put on the side lines.
Our character is who we really are – especially when no one else is looking.
Character can be simplified down to how much we are reflecting/exhibiting the Fruit of the Spirit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
If this is what makes up character we have to ask ourselves: What am I doing to cultivate these character traits in my life?
I know I have some weak areas that I need to work on .
Patience is probably my biggest weakness followed by self-control (that one hurts to admit).
In the area of patience I am challenging myself to stop and pause before I react (especially when it comes to my kids).
In the area of self-control I am challenging myself to say “No” to my flesh (Do I really need that donut or can of Coke? Probably NOT!)
How about you? What are your weaknesses in your character? What are you doing to develop your character in these areas?
***** Click here to do a character assessment test.
Related posts:
I’m pretty picky about myself and others, too. Not as accepting and kind as I could be; rather knee-jerky in determining situations. I posted a comment recently about being patient when I die and go to heaven. Charles said:
“No, you won’t be. When you enter you’ll holler at everyone to get out of the way so you can see the Throne. And you’ll be jumping over all of their heads to get there as fast as you can.”
=======
Oh, well. This young man probably saw me better than I see myself.
AND, I don’t accept leaders if they are simply power hungry and want more and more and aren’t being honest. I AM disappointed when our national voters ignore those sinful issues and just want to make sure there’s more money in their laps.
Sorry to take so long. You must have hit one of my nerves.
Joanne Norton recently posted..BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
I think having a good character is an important issue that gets overlooked too often.
Thanks for sharing!
Kevin Martineau recently posted..A pittance of time
Hey, Kevin. I love this post, because it is a Scriptural alternative to Benjamin Franklin’s list of virtues he worked on cultivating. Ben had the right idea, but I don’t know that he relied on the Holy Spirit to help transform his life. And we must also rely on the Holy Spirit while activating our will.
My two areas to work on are are kindness and love, particularly as it relates to serving people when I am feeling particularly busy or when I feel I need a break
Steve-Personal Success Factors recently posted..Success Factors For Surfing Slumps
We can’t demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit without the help of the Holy Spirit.
Thanks for sharing Steve!
Kevin Martineau recently posted..Asking for forgiveness isn’t easy
Hi Keven,
This is a thought provoking post. Character does count, not only in leaders, but people in general. A key point you made is, “Our character is who we really are – especially when no one else is looking.” That is a powerful comment because we can “fake” anything we choose, but when we behave admirable when no one else is looking, that is proof of character.
I think it is valuable to stop and reflect on our “character flaws” and make a choice to make improvements. Sometimes we don’t see them so having real friends to help out isn’t a bad idea. I depend on my friends’ honesty to let me know when they surface.
You listed the Fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. My weakest is patience. It has always been an issue and I cannot blame our societal “instant gratification” syndrome. It seems to be a part of my personality and I have to work on it all the time! I am aware of my impatience so I have definitely “mellowed” as I’ve matured.
All of these are important to work on as we journey through our lives and progress with improvement. I think most people progress. It only takes a couple of minutes to reflect back when we were in our twenties! We are given the gift of time to help us practice and improve our character as we gain wisdom in our older years. Thanks for your post.
Raena Lynn
Raena Lynn recently posted..Living Synergistically And Turning On The Spigot
Hi Raena:
We definitely can’t fake character (not for very long anyway). We need people in our lives who love us enough to be honest to us about our character flaws.
Thanks!
Kevin
Kevin Martineau recently posted..God doesn’t make junk!
Hi kevs’s This one looks really interesting about of True leaders because I’ve encounter like this before when I’m still studying.. when I see this I remember something..
Fatima Hipolito recently posted..יוגה
Thanks for sharing Fatima!
Kevin Martineau recently posted..Let those who know tell those who don’t!
I always believe a persons character starts on the inside and is shown on the outside. It starts with a choice to hold to your values and good ethics. Great reminder on what we should focus on.
Dan Black recently posted..The 360 Degree Leader by John C. Maxwell
Thanks for sharing Dan!
Kevin Martineau recently posted..The power of a simple gift
Well said – reading the news lately makes me shutter and then take a shower.
marquita herald recently posted..It Takes Courage to Become Who You Really Are
Thanks for sharing Marty!
Kevin Martineau recently posted..A pittance of time
Great article. I have long been an advocate of character-driven leadership. The Penn State abuse scandal is a great case in point to your article. They have accomplished great things over the years, but at a horrible price. Just because a leader accomplishes great things does not mean he or she possesses character. If the leadership at Pen State were people of character the abuse would have been stopped the first time.
Great writing. Thanks for sharing.
http:newsongsofpraise.blogspot.com
David Good recently posted..Leading Like Phil Jackson
You make some great points here David.
Thanks for sharing!
Kevin Martineau recently posted..Toxic and unhealthy words