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Leadership character: A six-part series by West Points Col.

Eric Kail
By Col. Eric Kail Col. Eric Kail is an Army field artillery officer who has commanded at the company and battalion levels. He is the course director of military leadership at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He holds a PhD in organizational psychology. This piece is the introduction to a six-part series on leadership character. Picture the faces of the two most influential people in your life, the leaders who had the greatest impact on you. What made them so large in your eyeswas it what they did or who they were? That is, was it their skills and abilities that left such an impression or their character? Now think back to the last time a senior leader cost your organization valuable assets, from stock value to human capital. Chances are good that it was a character failure on their part, not a matter of their technical or managerial abilities. While most leadership discussions center on what leaders do, this short series is intended to generate a dialogue on leadership character. Some might say that leaders character, who they are, in factdetermines what they do. I say, then all the more reason to focus our leadership literature and dialogue on character development. And when I say character, I dont mean personality. Yes, there is a growing volume of empirical evidence regarding the role of personality in leadership effectiveness, but personality has been determined to be relatively stable over time. We are pretty much stuck with the personality we have by the time we begin grade school; our character, on the other hand, is definitely subject to development. The following six blog installments will roll out over the course of 2011 and will each focus on the importance of a particular facet of leadership character: courage, integrity, selflessness, empathy, collaboration and reflection. In the first installment, on courage , Ill examine both the moral and physical elements of the trait. It turns out we are not as courageous as might think we are. Second, Ill make an argument for integrity that goes beyond the old adage that integrity means doing whats right when no one else is looking. Ill take a slightly different approach than the glass ball, or pure until sullied perspective on integrity. Third, Ill discuss the role of selflessness , and how being a selfless leader is actually the opposite of being a weak or soft leader. Fourth, Ill provide some thoughts on why we think we are so much more empathetic than we really are. Leaders probably understand empathyand its importance better than followers, and yet they tend to practiceif at all. These first four facets of character are where most current thought on character stops, but I believe leadership character goes beyond just these four. The operational environment I first started

leading in during the 1980s no longer exists. Back then, I was taught to use formal authority to impose my will upon others; that was leadership. Formal authority still has a place in my leadership lexicon, but the need lead more collaboratively is greater than ever. So in the fifth installment, Ill present two components of collaboration : peer support and seeing the big picture. Both are critical in translating leadership performance into leadership potential. Finally, in number six, Ill introduce the concept of reflection. The inclination for leaders to reflect is a critical character component for growth, self awareness and authenticity. The idea behind this series isnt just to identify and define these components of character, its also to help you assess how much you have themand even more importantly, to introduce ideas for developing them in ourselves and in other leaders. Ill look forward to your comments, challenges and opinions along the way. Stay tuned. And follow On Leadership on Twitter and Facebook to be alerted when each new installment comes out. Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Army, Department of Defense or the U.S. Government. More in this series: Introduction to the leadership character series Part one: The role of courage Part two: The role of integrity Part three: The role of selflessness Part four: The role of empathy Part five: The role of collaboration

Leadership character: The role of courage


By Col. Eric Kail This piece is the first installment in a six-part series on leadership character by Col. Eric Kail. Are you a courageous leader? The question often leads the imagination to extreme examples such as rushing into a burning building without hesitation in order to save someone. And its easy to assume that someone simply has that ability to be courageous or they dont. Yet not only is the example flawed, the subsequent assumption is flawed. Lets make the question more relevant. Would you speak up for a coworker if your boss were speaking inappropriately about them, or is that something you just pretend you would do? Most of us overestimate our courage, just as we do many other attributes so vital to maintaining a positive self-image. Courage is a critical yet complex component of character-based leadership, and has two components: physical and moral. We focus on the physical aspect of courage the most, because we think its the stuff heroes are made of. However, without the foundation of moral courage and wisdom, those actions might simply be reckless. Moral courage is at the heart of our resiliency to resolve internal strife, and it is all about choice not genetics. To understand it, we have to go a layer deeper than asking Would I do the right thing? That question is loaded; and regardless of whether we answer yes, the why remains unaddressed. Better questions to ask are Am I easily intimidated? or Does criticism bother me? These get at the selfish insecurities that inhibit the development of moral courage. Hoping or thinking that we will be courageous when a critical moment arrives is a cowardly approach. We cannot become someone in 30 seconds that we havent been for the past 10 years. The critical truth of courageous leadership lies in how we live every day, not just the flashes of the extreme. To assess courageous leadership in yourself and in the lives of those you lead, you can begin by looking for indicators that represent a struggle to resolve the conflict between self and truth. For example, we often attempt to be more physically courageous when we know weve behaved with moral cowardice. It makes us feel better about ourselves, though it can resemble physical recklessness because its not actually derived from a place of moral bravery. Developing courage, especially moral courage, in yourself and in others starts by shifting the focus from doing things right to doing the right things. This involves transparency and patience. Moral courage is not an inherited trait: It takes time and reflection to learn to reconcile internal conflict, but only a second to ignore it and lie to yourself. So the next time you say or do something inappropriate and subordinates plays along, discuss how you can better facilitate their ability to speak up because if you are not actively developing morally courageous leaders, then you are creating and underwriting moral cowards.

Leadership character: The role of integrity


By Col. Eric Kail This piece is the second installment in a six-part series on leadership character by Col. Eric Kail. Of all the facets of character, integrity might be the most critical it builds valuable trust between people and yet also the most esoteric. Ive heard many sage leaders say, Integrity is doing the right thing when no one is watching. That definition relies too much on habit. I can be without integrity, yet trained to behave predictably in a certain manner. Of course, discipline is valuable; but I want to know that my hands are disciplined as a result of the integrity of my soul, not my ability to follow rules without thinking about them. There are two critical components of integrity that go beyond just doing the right thing when no one is looking. The first is the adherence to a moral or ethical principle. This isnt simple compliance to a rule; it implies a philosophical understanding of the reason it exists. The second is the pursuit of an undiminished state or condition. Everyone makes mistakes, so being a person of integrity does not mean you havent committed a moral or ethical violation, ever. It means having the strength of character to learn from those misbehaviors and seek continual self-improvement. The word character is derived from the Greek word charattein, meaning to engrave. This provides a much richer understanding of integrity as something we can develop and strengthen, rather than as a glass ball handed to us that we try in vain not to drop. Our integrity is shaped by our most valuable life lessons, those that involved our deepest issues of honesty and motive. Integrity requires humble introspection, not self-righteous declaration. For instance, I may say without hesitation that I do not lie, cheat or steal; but have I ever attempted to deceive someone? I may in fact be lying to myself. So before we can even embrace the notion of integrity, we need to develop the ability to intellectually wrestle with the urge to rationalize away our underlying faults and the related consequences. Intellectual ownership produces authenticity, and authenticity doesnt suffer compartmentalization or rationalization. Our actions must mirror our words in all facets of life. The engraving process that is the development of our character requires courage and transparency to forge this true integrity. My integrity is what it is today because of painfully valuable lessons with consequences, born from accountability to moral and ethical principles. I learned not to lie because of a lie I told when was young, one that had a consequence. Then, years after my integrity would not tolerate a simple lie, I improved on this lesson even further: I learned that satisfaction with a half truth is unacceptable when the whole truth can be won. This lesson was expensive yet so valuable, and I only understood it with the help of a mentor who taught me that integrity is not the absence of failure, its moving forward from it. What are you doing to lead with and strengthen the integrity of those around you? Transparently telling your own story is a good place to start. And sharing how your character has developed and strengthened over time will help others to see past the false fear that their integrity is only as strong as the secrets they keep.

Leadership character: The role of selflessness


By Col. Eric Kail This piece is the third installment in a six-part series on leadership character by Col. Eric Kail. Weve all had leaders who are really taken with their image in the mirror, so impressed by the power and influence they seemingly wield. Theyre the center of attention, and pleasing them becomes the focus of all our efforts. It's easy for us to notice their selfishness as they push the people in our organizations to increase the bottom line. And yet theyre often unaware of just how easily we see through their shallow veneer. But speaking of mirrors, lets turn them on ourselves. The truth is that those we lead see through our facades just as easily as we see through the facades of those above us. So often we forget to serve those we lead and digress to forcing performance from them. No one wants a weak leader, and no one should have to tolerate one. Selflessness is all about strength, and its not for the faint of heart. Weakness, on the other hand, takes the path of least resistance; and as humans, that means being selfish wanting all the credit and none of the blame. Real strength is measured by what we enable our followers to accomplish through our service to them, not by the pressure of our grip and the weight of our demands. Attempting to demonstrate just how strong our powers of authority are as leaders is the quickest path to confirming our weakness. One of the best leaders I've had the privilege to follow once told me: "To lead is to serve; nothing more, nothing less." His first concern was for how he could help those doing the most critical work of the day. He suffered no fools either, and yet he was not the focus of my accountability as a subordinate leader. Together we served those we led, and he always made clear that those following us deserve our very best. It takes heart and soul to lead in a manner worthy of the respect of your followers. You need to be out front where the action is not doing everyone else's job or micro-managing, but learning what the people of your organization really need from you. And when you ask them what you can do for them, make sure you are listening instead of waiting to talk. Shoulder the heaviest burden first and set it down last: thats how you'll become a leader worth listening to. Being selfless is one of the hardest things you'll ever do as a leader, and it requires competence. We kid ourselves when we refer to "tough calls" as administrative actions we do from the comfort of an office chair. We make truly tough calls when we place ourselves in the direct line of sight of our organizations and ask ourselves, "Am I asking them to do something I'm unwilling to do?" Selfish leaders generally fear two things. First, that they'll be exposed as incompetent. And second, that by their unwillingness to make the same sacrifices they demand of others, everyone will recognize them as an imposter and not a leader. Motivation from intimidation is a sure sign of insecurity and fear from leaders who, deep down, know they owe their followers more resources and less pressure. Demand the respect of others and it will slip through your hands like water, where the harder you squeeze the faster it fades. But set your heart, mind and hands to selflessly serving those you lead, and their respect and admiration will endure. Look hard at whether your followers' loyalty to you is

because of what you can do for them or to them. Selfless leaders get their egos out of the way in order to focus on the mission and those who accomplish it. Selfish leaders want their personal pride stroked by intimidating others and feeling important. As leaders, we hold others especially subordinate leaders accountable. And yet we must be even more accountable to them. If you start to hear yourself say "I've already done that" or "that's below my pay grade," youve probably started to believe that others are there to serve you. Without regulation, were all vulnerable to leading selfishly. So first, be transparent with your own followers that youre there to serve; and then, help others acknowledge the unrealistic fears at the root of their own selfish behaviors.

Leadership character: The role of empathy


By Col. Eric Kail This piece is the fourth installment in a six-part series on leadership character by Col. Eric Kail. Perhaps the most pervasive axiom on the topic of leadership is thatleadership is all about people. This simple statement reveals two critical principles of effective leadership. First, leadership is more than accomplishing a goal or mission. Second, seeing as the word people is plural, the focus of who benefits from leadership should be on the followers, not the leader. These truths, in turn, rest upon empathy, ones capacity to comprehend or experience the emotions of another. Followers view leaders in terms of the personal impact made on the followers lives. Unfortunately, many leaders spend all their energy trying to impress others when they could be truly impressive by learning more about those whom they lead. People decide just how much they will allow you to lead them. Sure, if you are in charge, people will most likely do as you say. But how well they carry out your commands and for how long is their decision, not yours. Transactional leadership, which relies purely on formal authority, only works for a short time and achieves diminished results. Assuming people will do as you command just because you say so is a cowardly indicator of incompetence. This ultimately cheats the organization by achieving the minimum. Humility is essential to character-based leadership. Think of a humble leader as one who is selfless, not one who has been punished or put in his or her place. The former is strong enough to get his or her ego out of the way; the latter is most likely too weak to keep hubris from going terribly wrong. Interestingly, the followers decide how empathetic a leader really is, and this is how the most powerful and effective leaders receive their influence. Leadership, after all, is a relationship. We cannot expect others to go very far with us in a relationship until we reveal who we are and in turn learn who they are in a meaningful manner. Powerful leaders value their followers as individuals. They are also tolerant, willing to investigate the perceptions and positions of others objectively. Empathetic leaders leverage diversity because of

individual differences, not in spite of them. Each person brings unique perceptions, experiences, strengths and challenges to a team. Allowing everyone to contribute to a goal in a meaningful way is far better than marginalizing someone for the sake of an imagined better outcome. In this way, empathy is far more critical to good leadership than any technical knowledge, skill or ability. You can learn to be more empatheticbut not the way you would memorize answers for a test, rather the way you would internalize knowledge for a lifetime of application. We can all tell when someone is pretending to be interested in us, and others can sense it just as easily when we do the same. As leaders we must be listening rather than waiting to speak. The brilliant nugget of wisdom on the tip of my tongue is nowhere near as powerful as what the other person is saying. What I cannot wait to say matters to me. What they are saying matters deeply to them. We have two ears that do not close, but only one mouth that easily does. As you strive to be more empathetic, try not to interrogate people for information about themselves. Instead, focus on increasing your understanding and appreciation of what makes them unique. The next time you have the occasion to recognize someones good performance, ask if you can spend an hour with them learning how they do a task so effectively. Every time you have something powerful to say, resist the urge. Instead turn the tables with something as simple as, Tell me more about yourself. If you are truly listening, you will be well on the way to increasing your empathy and the integrity of your leadership characterin the eyes of those you lead.

Leadership character: The role of collaboration


By Col. Eric Kail This piece is the fifth installment in a six-part series on leadership character by West Points Col. Eric Kail. Check out the biographies from any whos who list of the most successful leaders, and you will find an impressive catalog of achievements. Thats because most leaders are competitive people driven by challenges; they play to win and usually do. But in doing so, many leaders overshadow their peers. What would really be impressive is if they had made everyone around them successful as well. We have a growing problem in leadership today: Many leaders are narcissistic pretenders who selfishly lead their organizations right into the ground because they do not lead collaboratively. These selfish leaders feel threatened by other leaders far too often, so they needlessly miss out on valuable opportunities. Their vision stops at their level of the organization, and it is them and their followers against the world. Leadership can be lonely, but only if you make it so. We are far less independent than we think we are, and we consistently underestimate the ways other leaders and their organizations influence our plans. Many failed leaders only realize the interactive complexity of their environment when they are victims of it.

The zero-sum game is for short-minded leaders. For those with a long view, collaboration is fundamentally an opportunity, not a threat. As leaders, we stand on the shoulders of giants. We also serve alongside them every day; we just do not give them the credit they deserve. Increasing our collaboration with other leaders allows us to achieve more than we ever could alone. It took me 10 years of leading in the Army, and the patient work of two mentors, to understand that my leaders needed me and my peers to be successful, not just me. My immaturity kept me from understanding that what I needed from my subordinate leaders was precisely the same as what my leaders needed from me: teamwork. Once I began sharing good ideas with my peers, three things became very clear. First of all, I was not as smart as I thought I was. My peers often had better ideas than I did. Second, once we stopped hoarding valuable resources and began sharing, we suddenly all had more than we needed. And third, I realized that I enjoyed watching my peers do well, and that taking pride in their accomplishments did not cost me a thing. We could all succeed together. I often hear from senior leaders, those selecting future executives, that an employees performance at one level is not necessarily potential for the next. This vexing issue gets worse as the level of responsibility increases. Leading at the next level requires expanding our view beyond ourselves. As leaders, we need to remove ourselves from the center of the leadership equation and let go of the need to receive the credit we think we so richly deserve. The challenge is to remain hungry for daily excellence without letting our competitive nature run wild. Do not expect collaboration unless you practice it. You are fooling yourself if you think that you can be magnanimous with your followers while backstabbing your peers. Our subordinate leaders take their cues from us regarding how they should behave with each other. If you have a maverick you are trying to rein in because he or she does not play well with others, try practicing the behavior you are seeking. Take stock of what you reward in others. We love to talk about the importance of teamwork and then hand out trophies for individual achievement. Instead, recognize people for sharing ideas just as much as you celebrate their achievements. You may also need to take the time to explicitly show your subordinate leaders how their efforts and the efforts of others contribute to overall excellence from your perspective. Finally, check out your bio. What does it say about your collaborative capacity as a leader?

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