BLUE LIGHT LEADERSHIP: Character Development is a Life-Long Pursuit

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Character Development is a Life-Long Pursuit

Character development is a life long pursuit. It is really the pursuit of the only thing of lasting value you can both take with you and leave at your death, i.e., your character. We can become morally better as individuals and leaders if we put forth the effort. Sometimes it may be a moment by moment effort, but certainly as leaders we should strive every day to be morally superior to who we were the day before. Character development is not a competition with anyone else but yourself. As Mr. Josephson states in his posting that is linked below, we should strive to become the kind of person all children want their parents to be. This reminded me of a poster I saw a few weeks ago in the vets office. It was a poster of a big dog and it said, "Be the kind of person your dog thinks you are." That is a pretty high standard if your dog is like mine. My dog Gus thinks, other than my wife that is, I am the greatest thing since puppy chow! I bet your dog thinks highly of you too! Click the link and read this short but good article by Michael Josephson.

Esse Quam Videri

Carpe Diem

Arete’

Michael Josephson Commentary: We Shape Our Own Character 687.1

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Great Leadership Quotes

Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing. Abraham Lincoln
Rules cannot substitute for character. Alan Greenspan
I look for three things in hiring people. The first is personal integrity, the second is intelligence, and the third is a high energy level. But, if you don't have the first, the other two will kill you. Warren Buffett
Courage is the first of the human qualities because it is a quality which guarantees all the others. Winston Churchill
The challenges we face today are not economic, environmental, social, or legal; they are challenges of character and leadership. Phil Eastman
If you create an act, you create a habit. If you create a habit, you create character. If you create character, you create a destiny.
The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint to keep from meddling with them while they do it.
The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint to keep from meddling with them while they do it. Teddy Roosevelt
Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing. Abraham Lincoln

Arete"

Arete' is a Greek word which means excellence. Excellence in both competence and character. It defines the commitment of the ancient warrior to strive for the achievement of his highest purpose. It implies a respect of the wholeness and oneness of life.

Phronesis is a Greek word which means "practical wisdom." It is the wisdom of knowing what to do while understanding if it is worth doing. It can also mean knowing the right thing to do while understanding if it is congruent with doing what is right.