CHARACTER WINS!

Talent may get you noticed. Character determines what happens next.

We are quick to notice talent.  Talent stands out.  Character gets our attention on a different plane. We usually notice character when it is lacking or just not there.

The athlete who retaliates.  The employee who explodes.  The leader who blames everyone else.  The student who cheats.  The coach who humiliates a player.  The administrator who treats people differently depending upon their position.  Those moments get attention.

But most character isn’t demonstrated in dramatic moments.  Character is built—and revealed—in the ordinary ones.  It is how you treat the person who can’t do anything for you. (And, parenthetically here, as I have been studying character and what that is all about, this stands out as one of the most distinctive character markers. I plan on writing a blog dedicated to this one character distinctive.) 

Character is demonstrated by what you do when nobody is watching.  It is whether you keep your word when keeping it becomes inconvenient.  It is whether you take responsibility when blaming someone else would be easier.  And perhaps most importantly, it is how you treat others.

I’ve become convinced that one of the simplest ways to develop character can be summarized in one word:  “OTHERS”.

Want to build character?  THINK OF OTHERS!  Character begins when life stops being entirely about us.  Great teammates notice who is struggling.  Awesome coaches notice the athlete at the end of the bench.  Inspiring teachers notice the student who has become unusually quiet.  Outstanding administrators notice the employee whose work is often overlooked.  True leaders walk into a room asking:  “Who needs something from me today?”  Not pompously but with a servant’s attitude.

Character changes our focus from “What do I get?” to “What can I give?”

You don’t need a title to help somebody.  You don’t need permission.  You don’t need a committee.  Sometimes leadership is simply seeing something that needs to be done—and doing it.  Pick something up.  Stay a few minutes longer.  Help a teammate.  Encourage a coworker.  Explain something to a struggling student.  Carry something for somebody.  Make the phone call.  Character doesn’t make speeches.  Character just rolls up its sleeves.

Character Helps Others but it also Asks Others.

One of the greatest signs of maturity is realizing that we don’t know everything.  Ask:  “What do you think?”  “How can I improve?”  “What am I missing?”  “How can I help?”

Athletes need coaches.  Coaches need athletes.  Teachers need students.  Administrators need teachers.  Employers need employees.  Leaders who stop asking questions eventually stop growing.  Character is secure enough to admit:  “I might need to look at this differently. Help me see what I’m not seeing.”

One outstanding character marker is how we treat others. Long before it became a leadership principle, we knew it as the Golden Rule:  “Treat people the way you would want to be treated”

Before sending the email, ask how you would feel receiving it.  Before criticizing an athlete, ask how you would want a coach to speak to your son or daughter.  Before correcting an employee, ask how you would want your supervisor to correct you.  Before talking about somebody, ask how you would feel if you were the subject of conversation.  It’s amazingly simple.  And amazingly difficult.  Treat people the way you would want them to treat you.

And, finally, a person of character is Real with Others.

People can spot a phony.  You don’t have to pretend to have every answer.  You don’t have to pretend every day is wonderful.  You don’t have to pretend you never make mistakes.  Some of the most powerful words a leader can say are: “I was wrong.”  “I don’t know.”  “I’m sorry.”  “I need your help.”

Being authentic doesn’t weaken leadership.  It builds trust.  And trust is one of the greatest currencies a leader possesses.

Okay, one more “final thought” —  Encourage Others.  There are people around you right now who are wondering whether they are good enough.  They probably won’t tell you. The athlete who is struggling.  The teacher having a difficult year.  The employee who made a mistake.  The student who just isn’t cutting it.  The coach questioning whether he or she is making a difference.

Your words may carry more weight than you realize.  Tell somebody:  “I believe in you.”  “You’re getting better.”  “I noticed what you did.”  “Thank you.”  “Don’t quit.”  Encouragement costs almost nothing.  Its value can be enormous.

CHARACTER WINS!

Talent matters.  Intelligence impresses.  Education counts.  Experience is of great value.  Athletic ability makes a difference.  Leadership ability is significant.  But none of those can substitute for character.

Talent may open a door.  A résumé may get the interview.  Athletic ability may earn the scholarship.  Knowledge may earn the promotion.  A title may give you authority. But character determines what you do after the door opens.

And here’s the good news:  Character isn’t something we either have or don’t have.  Character can be developed.  Every conversation is an opportunity.  Every disappointment…  Every conflict…  Every mistake…  Every interaction with another person is an opportunity.

“What kind of character are you building today?”

Start with OTHERS.

Because whether you’re wearing a uniform, standing in a classroom, coaching from the sidelines, leading a school, running a business, or simply trying to become a better human being—

Talent may get you noticed.

Character earns you trust.

And in the long run…

CHARACTER WINS!