25 Character Is the Essence of Leadership

The central tent pole in our leadership metaphor is character. Our research shows that a person who receives low marks on character has absolutely no chance of being perceived as a great leader, especially in the long run. Leaders who lack character must constantly be on guard that people will discover the truth about them. Like the Hollywood set that looks real from one side, they live in constant danger of having the illusion of their character dispelled if others see behind the facade.

What are the key elements of strong personal character? Leaders with character follow through on commitments. They keep their word. They make decisions with the good of the organization in mind, rather than a personal ...

Get The Complete New Manager now with the O’Reilly learning platform.

O’Reilly members experience books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.