In the next century, that will be every leader's ultimate task. The word itselfcomes from the Greek for engraved or inscribed . For the leaders I have studied, character has to do with who we are, with how we organize our experience. They understand that there is no difference between becoming an effective leader and becoming a fully integrated human being. Yet character develops throughout life, including work life.
Leaders can help others become more aware of their innate capacities.
For example, by examining the kinds of decisions they make and don't make, senior executives and those they manage can develop their own character and cultivate new leadership throughout the organization. For executive leaders, character is framed by drive, competence, and integrity. Most senior executives have the drive and competence necessary to lead. But too often organizations elevate people who lack the moral compass. They are seldom evil people, but by using resources for no higher purpose than achievement of their own goals, they often diminish the enterprise.