Sing a Song of Character: 8 Traits That Build a Strong Character

Whether or not we’re main a enterprise or dwelling our life, character brings that means, worth, and imaginative and prescient to the world round us. It guides us and facilities us.

Character is made up of many notes. We don’t all need to sing in an equivalent pitch; that will be unattainable, and, frankly, under no circumstances melodic. However with a purpose to sing a management music that’s wealthy, resonant, and harmonious, sure notes have to be sung by us all. These frequent qualities of excellent character add as much as robust leaders.

1. Honesty

Do you all the time converse the reality and behave honorably … even when nobody’s trying?  Once you fall quick (and all of us do often), what instruments and sources, each inside and exterior, do you’ve gotten shut at hand to information you again on observe and hold you in examine? Are you able to belief your self to self-correct?  And the way are you coaching your staff to be essentially the most honorable people they will presumably be? How has honesty been woven into the material of your organizational tradition?

Grit is dedication and the need to succeed as a result of arduous work is, effectively, arduous! It’s important to get in and do it with no excuses, no pity events, no turning again simply because one thing is troublesome.

After I was 25 years previous, my firm relocated me to Europe. Arriving at my new flat, I used to be drained, lonely, hungry, and discombobulated from having to drive from the airport, after a twelve-hour flight, on the “mistaken” aspect of the street … in a stick shift, which was new to me! After which, I locked myself out of the flat! I sat on the road curb, tears in my eyes, pondering, Possibly I’ve made a mistake. Possibly this transfer simply wasn’t proper for me. Possibly I’m less than the duty.

However then I compelled myself to faucet into that “gritty place” deep inside me, the place lived my self-confidence, resilience, and dedication. Someway, I stood up, wiped away my tears, and located a approach into my new flat. And in that second, I launched my life as a pacesetter.

3. Humility

As you lead and stay, do not forget that it’s not about all the time being proper; it’s about all the time doing proper. Leaders have to be certain our staff know that we’re conscious of our personal flaws and foibles. After we bristle at criticisms or take a bit of too a lot pleasure in proving somebody mistaken, we shortchange ourselves, the folks we’re main, and the businesses we work for. 

In fact, it feels fantastic to brazenly admit to an  worker, “You had been proper, and I used to be mistaken. Thanks for educating me.” It feels even higher in case you make this wholesome admission in entrance of a bunch!

4. Openness

Resist the urge to encompass your self solely with individuals who agree with you, who echo what they know you wish to hear and are extra fascinated about searching for your approval than expressing their very own distinctive voices and considerations.

And even past resisting surrounding ourselves with sycophants, we should additionally actively search dissenting opinions and encourage completely different concepts. Leaders who’re comfy, assured, and clever sufficient to hunt opinions completely different from their very own have discovered transfer past their very own pursuits and egos and stand in a extra expansive place.

Watch out, although, as a result of our unconscious bias can trick us into inserting extra worth on the worker who’s all the time agreeable than the one who often (and respectfully) rejects the established order. The trick is to retrain your mind in order that it doesn’t react negatively to pushback or opinions completely different from your personal.

“Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.” – John Wooden

5. Neutrality

Gossip, blaming, and backbiting are each mean-spirited and unbecoming of a pacesetter. Rising above such small-minded actions your self is noble and mandatory—however not adequate. Leaders should additionally rise and conquer by canceling the tradition that encourages such negativity within the first place, establishing an setting of zero-tolerance. When you see it or hear it occurring, name it out. Take a stand. Self-discipline and/or take away staff who show this detrimental and demoralizing conduct.

6. Boldness

Uncomfortable conditions will come up within the office that can require your consideration, discernment, and involvement. It’s all the time finest to handle these points head-on, not just for the nice (and the expansion) of your staff, but additionally to discover and develop your management expertise.

Beginning a brand new job early in my management profession, I had an worker I’d been informed wanted to be terminated instantly. Nevertheless, I made a decision that earlier than I took that motion, I might assess the scenario myself.

Within the first assembly I attended with this worker—a giant assembly involving quite a few managers and the corporate CEO—she fell asleep. Actually asleep! Afterwards, I instantly pulled her apart and respectfully however firmly informed her that if she wished to proceed rising in her job and be professionally profitable, falling asleep in any assembly wouldn’t do! I mentioned that if it occurred once more—or if it grew to become clear that she was not performing her duties—she could be terminated. 

I urged her to consider what different points could be at play; maybe there was one thing she was lacking.

Effectively, she went to the physician shortly thereafter and discovered that she was severely diabetic, which was inflicting her excessive fatigue. With that information, she thanked me for being simple however respectful, for dealing with an uncomfortable scenario with dignity, compassion, and charm, and for “waking her up”—in additional methods than one.

7. Funding in others

For quite a lot of causes, managers and leaders are sometimes reticent to present their staff significant and steady suggestions. However we have to have a look at suggestions not as a quarterly obligation or an annual, paperwork-driven obligation, however as an ongoing funding in our folks and a relentless a part of our organizational tradition. 

With out it, how will your staff be led and guided? How will they know when to regulate and/ or recalibrate? The supervisor who doesn’t present open, sincere suggestions to each worker, no matter their protected class or standing, is doing that worker and the group a grave disservice.

8. Bravery

Typically the worst experiences produce essentially the most helpful classes. Understanding what not to do typically informs and guides our pondering as we consider what we ought to do.

I feel again on my first romantic relationship, once I was a young person. Looking back, he was terrible: controlling, demanding, jealous, and domineering. However even when the connection grew to become abusive, I stayed. It took me some time, and a rare quantity of braveness, to lastly stroll away from that poisonous relationship.

I used to really feel embarrassed and dissatisfied in myself for struggling by way of the ache and indignity for so long as I did. However these days I perceive the very important, enduring life classes I took away from that relationship, classes I carry into my management expertise. 

That profoundly detrimental expertise taught me profoundly constructive classes. I discovered a lot about what kindness is by seeing what kindness is not. Braveness in adversity has classes of its personal.

Mastering these character notes will aid you develop as a pacesetter. You may hit a bit of dissonance at times (we’re all human!), however simply hold training and you’ll carry concord to your life and work.