CHARACTER.

If you plan to last in leadership, don't leave home without character. A while ago I heard a quote that reminded me of the importance of inside-out leadership: “The higher you go up in the tree, the more your a@$ shows.” Well!… Crude, perhaps, but as folks who have been leading for any length of time will attest… also, very true! The most effective leaders understand that transformational leadership begins inside-out, not outside in. As the saying goes, “power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” And in the context of inside-out leadership, ‘character’ (based upon adherence to principles) is the best vaccine for corruption. ‘Character’ work is unseen ‘foundation’ work, not highly visible ‘scaffolding’ work. In fact, the highest skyscrapers, that 'stand the test of time', have the deepest foundations. Principle-centered leaders are effective not in-spite of, but because (over time) they have fostered a deep commitment to a set of core values. And they effectively influence people and systems because they have internalized the maxim “the first person I lead is me, and the first person you lead is you.” #LeadWithCharacter

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