Character and Leadership Success

How does character affect your success?

If the business of business is people, then the business of successful people is character.

As The People Developer, my passion is to help people gain a greater understanding of —

• who they are
• the truth of the story
• their desired outcomes, and
• current reality 

Supporting a person along the path toward greater freedom and performance improvement is very fulfilling.

The successful person functions well in three key areas…

1. Competence – the ability to do something well; skills, aptitude, know-how, talent, expertise in a field or profession
2. Relationships – connecting with others to establish effective partnering or informal partnerships that are mutually beneficial
3. Character – those positive qualities that make it possible to achieve significant accomplishments  

Have you ever known someone that was bright, competent…they could make things happen, close the deal but something “got in the way” of consistent accomplishment?

Now, bring it closer to home.

When do you feel like there is something “holding you back” from your full potential?

If we settle for the simple meaning of character as “what I do when no one is watching” we could still fall short of personal success.  Of course, the importance of ethics and morals is important. 

What happens when you explore those aspects of who you are as a person that may require additional development? 

What happens when you move beyond basic integrity – truthful, honest, and ethical – to examine key performance areas that lead to greater success?

In his book Integrity, Dr. Henry Cloud writes about what often is neglected in personal development.

“The most important tool ultimately is the person and his or her makeup, and yet it seems to get the least amount of attention and work.”

Have you ever hit a performance ceiling that is truly below your talent capacity and you knew you could do better?

Have you ever hit a wall that hindered or derailed your progress? 

Have you ever been on the path toward great success only to self-destruct?

The journey to your next level involves reflection on these reality checks that show up as

• being “stuck”
• an inability to “deal with” something that becomes self-limiting, or
• a self-inflicted defeat after achieving a higher level of success

In such moments, we often say a person “got in their own way”.  Often this has to do with the person.  Personal issues can keep us “stuck” or allow us to be “successful”.

When approaching this personal development side of character Cloud defines it as “the ability to meet the demands of reality.”  He suggests there are two sides to facing reality, the:

• Interpersonal side – difficult people and relationships that must be handled to get things done
• Task side – for example a project goes south; you either retreat or get back up for the next challenge

Character, as the ability to meet the demands of reality is about growth, developing into the person who can deliver. 

The demands and surprises of life, the jolts – the unexpected and unsolicited hardships – are part of reality.  They are part of The Story.  When you commit to consistent reflection on The Story for truth, opportunity to grow comes in the form of character development.  Then, success is sure to find you.

“The ability to meet the demands of reality.”