I’ve never been much of a car guy but like most people, I can tell a sports car when I see one. You don’t have to be an avid attendee at an auto-show to recognize an impressive car when you you see one on the street or in the parking space near you. The sleek design, the glossy finish, chrome rims, and sharp looking color. It’s easy to get captivated by the exterior of an impressive car. A car like the one below can also give the appearance of wealth, success, and status. There is a reason marketing agencies have made a killing in this industry.
The question becomes - Based on the exterior would you want to buy a car like this?
A follow up question would be - Would you still want to buy this car if the engine under the hood looked like this?
Imagine being offered the chance to buy the shiny sports car above. You decide to purchase the car, you’re given the keys, and like Clark Griswold turning on his Christmas lights, your family gathers, takes pictures and awaits for you to start your brand new car. When you turn the key - the engine starts with an ungodly screech of corroded belts turning, old pistons trying to fire moments before the engine stutters and shuts off as the smell of smoke fills the air.
Would you still feel good about your purchase?
In the age of social media and digital networking it has never been easier to create an exterior image that is wildly impressive. Hiring managers, principals, small business owners, and coaches looking to hire qualified people for their staff are faced with the temptation of being captivated by the impressive exterior of job candidates and emerging leaders.
In high level collegiate athletics departments around the country there are multi-million dollar budgets for building and aiding the development of the exterior of highly talented athletes. Hundreds of staff members from strength coaches, nutritionists, physical therapists, to athletic trainers and coaches - most of which are paid handsomely to build the exterior of these elite athletes. All are paid to build the body - some are trying to build what is on the inside.
Our world is enamored by building the exterior. We are tempted to polish the exterior and neglect what is under the hood - the engine. The problem is, the engine propels the car. The engine determines how far the car will go. The engine, if faulty will render the vehicle useless at some point. It will cause the car to sputter to a halt on the side of the road.
And so it is for character in the life of a leader. Character, if faulty will render the leader useless at some point. It will cause the leader to sputter to a halt on the side of the road.
If physical appearances, impressive accomplishments, and the image of success is the exterior of a car - character represents is the engine. The car can be massively impressive on the outside - but if on the inside it is corroded and nasty at some point the car will fail.
How do we evaluate character? How can we recognize high character in the life of individuals when so much of it resides privately in our lives? Is it possible to assess character externally when, like a car engine, character hides beneath the hood?
I believe high character leaves clues. Here are five qualities of high character individuals
1.) Consistency
A high character individual is the same person from room to room. They aren’t playing “a character or part” in one room and then revealing who they really are in another room. A great indicator of character is emotional consistency in multiple seasons of life, an inner stability in times of trouble and times of prospering. They don’t sway from extreme to extreme. They don’t say one thing and then have their behavior completely contradict what they said. For a high character individual what they say matches how they live, both in values and in actions.
2.) Humility
Individuals who display high character have a life-posture of learning. They are comfortable being the listener. They don’t always have to be the lecturer or the one doing all the talking. They are not seeking to be admired. They know who they are - both their giftings and their gaps. They don’t just stare at their strengths and ignore their flaws. They know boundaries of what is of their concern and they don’t assume they have all the answers for things outside of their boundaries.
3.) Toughness
A high character individual does not quit easily. They have a history of staying with things. They may not reach the summit of every mountain they climb, but they have a track record of making it beyond the first obstacle. Imbedded in the life of a high character individual is a disdain for quitting. They want to remain tough when faced with adversity. They have displayed this toughness not only in their professional life, but also their personal life. They know when to grit their teeth and push through to the other side. They also are capable of displaying the toughness of knowing when to lay down their sword. Sometimes the purest embodiment of toughness is knowing which fight to stay out of. A high character individual has developed both brands of toughness.
4.) Gentleness
A high character person is gentle with the weak. They are kind to people that will not benefit them. A high character individual doesn’t run over people. They treat all people with dignity and respect, not just the people who can advance their status or cause - and certainly they are gentle with the people they disagree with. How a person treats the weak in their life is one of the most powerful indicators of who they are on the inside.
5.) Discipline
A person with high character has developed the ability to say “no” to things and people who bring them down. They live a clean lifestyle. They are not robots or machines, but they have developed the skill of managing how their mind and their emotions impact their pursuits. They work even when they don’t feel like working. They understand the value of showing up and hammering away on their craft. A person with character and resolve can be counted on to do the work in front of them. They may not know where they are going - but they know who they are becoming.
The beauty of character is as long as we are alive, we will still be provided the opportunity to develop our character. Like fine wine, character is often better the older it gets. Character proves itself over the long-haul, never in a short term. Working to develop the engine of our car is a long-term investment. It’s a steady pursuit, not a sexy pursuit. It’s the most worthy pursuit we can chase.
Stay The Course,
JB