Why character really matters to all of us

  • Published
  • By Col. Scott McLaughlin
  • 349th Operations Group commander
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  When it comes to leadership, competencies determine what a person can do.

Commitment determines what they want to do and character determines what they will do. Character is the foundation for effective decision-making.

Mistakes are made because of a leader's shortcomings in his or her competencies. Often, the root cause is a failing of character.

Not willing to listen to those who can do well because of the perception that it would undermine your leadership is a problem rooted in character. Challenging decisions being made by others, but which you feel are wrong, requires character. Dealing with discriminatory behaviors in the work place requires character. Creating a culture of empowerment in your organization so that others may challenge your decisions without fear of reprisal requires character.

Character is not something that you have or don't have. All of us have character, but the key is the depth of development of each facet of character that allows us to effectively lead. Character is not a light switch that can be turned on and off.

There are degrees of character and every situation we encounter presents a different experience and opportunity to learn and deepen it. No one is perfect when it comes to character and given that its development is a lifelong journey, we will rise to the occasion in some situations and disappoint ourselves and those around us in others.

There are many things senior leaders can do to develop leadership character in others.
Simply talking about character, making it a valued topic of conversation, stimulates discussion and facilitates individual reflection. A renewed focus on character brings out the best in people and fuels them in their personal journeys to become better leaders.

Make sure that character is valued in your organizations. By doing so, it will enable your people to bring out the best of themselves to support and enable others, to ensure that your organization performs at the highest level and to make valuable contributions to the defense of our great nation in order to retain the freedoms we all enjoy.