A Leader’s Character is Determined by their Actions
I remember first reading the quote: “adversity builds character”. I thought this was a valuable insight. However, I later came across a revised version of this quote which stated: “Adversity doesn’t just build character, Adversity reveals character”. The distinction really caught my attention. I believe that there is a great truth here. The essence of a leader’s character is not the situations they have been through – it is how they act when challenged by current situations.
As individuals we all demonstrate leadership effectiveness in how we act. The question is: how do leaders nurture positive character attributes to prepare for moments when our character will be tested? The answer lies in the actions we take and the commitments we keep each and every day. As we continually act with good character, it becomes a habit. When the moment of truth comes to test our mettle, our good habits will reveal our good character.
Most leaders have a high level of self-awareness and a positive self-concept. They are confident in what they believe in. When the time comes to take action, great leaders know what to do and have the confidence to do it. “He who knows others is wise; he who knows himself is enlightened.” ― Lao Tzu
Great leaders make things happen – they choose their destiny. This blog is part of a series of blogs focusing on the importance of character and how it impacts leaders and leadership. In my 
This blog is the third in a series of blogs focusing on the importance of character and how it impacts leaders and leadership. Following on the previous blog “
In this blog I plan to continue on the theme of understanding the importance of character to leadership. In my 
This blog is the first in a series of blogs commenting on character traits – particularly positive character traits – and why they are important to leadership. Let’s start with understanding the concept of character. The dictionary definition according to dictionary.com is as follows:
