Why Talented Leaders Fail
You can “succeed” at leadership and still fail. We all know leaders who achieved great results but acted like asses in the process.
How you show up is more important than talent.
You probably spend too much time developing skills and not enough developing character.
The most important thing about leadership is character – followed by talent and skill.
Skill and talent are obstacles until they’re combined with character.
Resume virtues or eulogy virtues*:
“Resume virtues are the skills you bring to the marketplace.” David Brooks
When you’re quiet in the grave, no one will say, “She knew how to run great meetings.” They won’t say, “He was great at pressuring people to work hard and stay late.”
Eulogy virtues are a matter of character, not talent, strength, or skill.
Three selves:
You have three selves.
- Aspirational self. This is how you would like to show up.
- Actual self. This is how you actually show up.
- Dark self. This is how you don’t want to show up, but sometimes do.
Focus on character when you think about your aspirational self, not simply skills.
Character:
Humility isn’t a talent, skill, or strength. It’s character.
It’s ridiculous to say, “I have the talent of humility.”
- Love – seeking the highest good of others.
- Candor – speaking the truth in ways that are useful to others.
- Humility – leading with an other-centric approach.
- Respect – seeing strength in others.
- Generosity – using your talent and resources to advantage others.
The things that make you remarkable go beyond talent to the practice of humility and love.
Character doesn’t require talent. It’s not a skill.
Character is consistency of behavior.
Character is predictable responses. A leader with character is predictable. You know how they will respond before they do anything.
(I listed five character traits. Try activating one each day this week.)
How might you show up to seek the highest good of others today? Practice candor tomorrow, and so on.
How do you define the five character traits I listed above?
*Resume virtues or eulogy virtues comes from The Road to Character by David Brooks.
So glad that you are highlighting this book, Dan! It is so thoughtful and challenging throughout! David Brooks is a gift. His distinction between “resume virtues” and “eulogy virtues” is a very helpful way to clarify our actual and aspirational values. Thanks once again for a helpful post. i look forward daily to what you send out!
Thanks Kenneth. I just came across David’s book. I purchased it on audible. I’m looking forward to digging into it soon. Best
Wow! Simply Superb definition for leadership through character
Thank you Dan.
Thanks CV!
I now also notice that all the five traits listed the key word is OTHERS !! Wow..
To follow my response above, here is a link to a day-long visit of David Brooks at Hope College , in Holland MI. It was a day with a lecture and other conversations. https://goo.gl/WU8WU1
Dan, great post again. I noticed you 5 character qualities all have “others” in the definition. When selling yourself in the marketplace, one is asked “what do you bring” leading to a lot of “I” statements. How do we merge the “others” with the “I” to tell our story of why this company I applied to wants to hire me specifically?
Thanks Duane. You ask a great question. It’s very useful to know and respect your strengths and ability to bring value. I wonder if you might frame your strengths in ways that you add value to others.
Another thought might be to preface your statements with, “Here’s something others have said about me…..”
I think if we keep the tension between “I”, “You”, and “We” in mind it will be helpful. Best!
Dear Dan,
An interesting post with the powerful message!
Character of a leader scores over talent for sure in the long-run. It really helps in building the organization as a brand to be trusted for the planned expansion and personal growth. You have missed Fairness as an important trait of the suceesful leader. An internal staff needs to be recognized and rewarded from time to time with openness and fair approach.
Thanks Dr. Asher. I’m glad you added fairness. Some might use terms like equity or justice. Very important character trait. Glad you added it. Best!
“A leader with character is predictable. You know how they will respond before they do anything.” As they say in Germany “Ich kenne meine Pappenheimer”. People knew Pappenheim’s character was that he would show extraordinary courage no matter what. They also knew he would attack impetuously, and at Breitenfeld this was a major contributor to the catastrophic defeat of the Imperial forces.
Thanks Mitch. I appreciate the illustration.
Love this piece, Dan. I have spent a lifetime in leadership valuing character above all else. Perhaps that a little overstated, but not by much. In the darkest, scariest of times, times of highest doubt, being along side people of high character has meant the most. I could count on the ‘aspirational’ side of them to show up, giving us confidence that we would ‘figure out’ whatever it was we needed to. And most often we did.
Character is like the sun. Warmth and energy flows from those who carry with them love, candor, humility, generosity, and respect.
I suppose, because of placing such a high value on character, that is why I am most disturbed (daily), by the actions of our President. It is not a political statement. It is a statement of the nature of leader I would prefer to see as our President.
Thanks for your work on this.
Best…Jim
Very insightful.