By the content of their character
"I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character." Martin Luther King Jr.
As we celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, I find myself reflecting on his powerful and timeless words, specifically character. As Army officers we were expected to be people of character. Merriam Webster's dictionary defines character as, one of the attributes or features that makeup and distinguish an individual. Dr. Gregg Henriques writes of character in Psychology Today, "character refers to the core ethical values of honesty and integrity, respecting others, taking responsibility for one's actions, being fair and just, and being someone who promotes love and compassion in others. We can also think about the content of character in terms of core virtues and the extent to which one embodies wisdom, humility, courage, justice, temperance, and the value of human dignity."
This is what we look for in people. When I select an individual to serve with - to hire for my business, I look for character. I can find it in part by asking, "when is it ok to break the rules and how should you do it?" or "What values do you subscribe to in your life and work?" I witness character through the words and actions of people. My character radar is always up. When they drift from the description above, I may have a conversation with them to determine what caused the break in character and how they feel about it. This is essential.
In business, I've heard the phrase, "hire for character, train for skills." There is a lot of truth in this statement. Leaders can train someone how to do something but character comes with the person as they join the organization. While a leader may be able to raise consciousness around character by influencing people to think more about it and espouse values and virtues, character is harder to instill if already lacking.
I'm one to invest in people. I do not take the easy road of firing them on the first sign of wrongdoing or a break from character. I will certainly provide as much training as I can but I'm less tolerant about character. If there is a break from it, I may vote a person off the team.
Diversity is important. I'm a fan of a diverse workforce and I work hard to achieve that, not for appearance and statistics, but for diversity's sake - divergence and variety in thought and experience. This said, I do place a higher premium on character. Character will carry the day. When push comes to shove, when an organization or an individual is challenged physically, ethically, mentally, they'll be guided by their personal armor - character. If there is a chink in one's armor, all may be lost.
As leaders and people, we come with flaws. None of us are perfect but each of us, the leader and the led, ought to strive to be people of character. Our businesses, our communities, and our nation need this now more than ever.
Remember the words of Martin Luther King.
Make it Personal
Rob Campbell
Rob Campbell