Although technology and society changes, the fundamentals of character remain the same. The basics of a team require the ability to sustain in controlled chaos, and although there is no “I” in the word team, I offer that the basics of a team begin with the individuals who form that team.
If each member is a person of character (someone trustworthy, honest, and reliable), then the team can reach any target they set out to obtain. One of the best comments I heard was by Stanley McCrystal in his TED Talk Listen, Learn….then lead. He said, “He…….taught me that leaders can let you fail and yet not let you be a failure.” A person of character knows that when mistakes happen, it is okay, and you can learn from them.
You can control who you are now and who people will remember in the future. But it is not an act. You are not just pretending to be something when others are looking. The measure of true character is someone who does what is right when no one is looking.
I often learned who I wanted to be through the example of those I didn’t want to be like. I watched and observed. Here is what I learned:
Justice – are you fair, and do you treat others just?
Judgment – are your decisions thought out and sensible?
Dependability – are you trustworthy and reliable?
Integrity – are you moral and honest?
Decisiveness – are your choices and decisions effective?
Tact – are you cautious and sensitive when dealing with others?
Initiative – do you have to be told to do something, or can you do it yourself?
Endurance – do you have the power to push through even in hard times?
Bearing – do you carry yourself proudly but not arrogantly?
Unselfishness – do you put yourself first before others?
Courage – do you stand up in the face of adversity?
Knowledge – do you take the time to learn new and old things and practice what you learned?
Loyalty – are you a supporter of others?
Enthusiasm – do you do it with enjoyment and intensity, not because you have to but because you want to?
I do have to attribute these traits to the United States Marine Corps. In my research, I discovered that only a handful of organizations truly created an environment where the organizational culture embedded leadership. These traits are what are known as the Marine Corps Leadership Traits.
