Field Notes

A strong character is a prerequisite for strong leaders. 

Although critics often point to the character flaws of leaders after they fail or make a consequential but poor decision, the truth is that there are very few leaders who lack any semblance of character. While some leaders can certainly be plagued by character flaws, the more common issue is for the qualities of character to be out of balance. 

The simple view is to believe all qualities of character are a strength regardless of how they interact with and against other character traits. For example, can a leader really be too appreciative of others or possess too much integrity? 

The answer is Yes if the character trait is not complemented by another quality to keep it in check. 

Consider leaders who project a strong sense of personal responsibility, which is often thought to be a virtue when holding themselves and others accountable to outcomes. 

The character quality of responsibility in an extreme can encourage leaders to avoid delegating tasks to others. Or to become overly controlling. If balanced by an equally strong emphasis on respect for others, the character attribute of responsibility becomes a great asset. But without it, an obsession with results and a controlling leadership style can arise.

Perhaps a more illuminating example involves the character qualities of integrity and candidness, certainly two of the most lauded traits of character in leaders. Strengthened by itself without the balance provided by open-mindedness, leaders with high integrity can become more rigid and uncompromising in their leadership than is ideal.  

Rather than believe a leader can’t have character that is too strong, good leaders believe in balancing or complimenting their best character virtues with other qualities that bring out the best in how they lead. 

In other words, leaders must learn to accentuate one character trait to offset or compliment another character quality. The unfortunate reality is that when one character trait becomes too strong without another quality of character to create a balance with it, that virtue can become a weakness.  

Fortunately, the most recent research has shown that qualities of character are not fixed traits but instead are fluid qualities that can be shaped by experience, skill development, and practice. Learning to develop and amplify one of the many qualities of character is something leaders can do. By consistently choosing behaviors that reflect a character quality, leaders can strengthen any aspect of their character they believe is too muted. 

We don’t typically think about how the qualities of our character interact, balance, and offset each other. Believing a strong character is a good thing without considering what qualities contribute to it or how they combine to create the whole leader is a mistake. Perhaps it is time to take a more nuanced view.