Character in leadership and management How much monkey business can we tolerate in a leader? What is the connection between leadership and personal character? Can a political leader with a disreputable character govern wisely? Can a leader be a cad and still be a leader? Some not so nice people still do good work - think of badly behaved artists. Some people are so dedicated to their work they neglect interpersonal relations. We still admire great art or music even if the artist is a disreputable character. An unethical political leader could, similarly, do a good job of governing a country. It is possible to separate your personal life from your work And having personal problems need not prevent you from governing wisely.

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Leadership and morality

• We expect our leaders to set a moral example for us, unlike artists.
• A leader who sets a poor example, therefore, is hardly a leader.
• The leader of a country must uphold the moral standards of its citizens.

Leadership and character

• Political leaders are often charismatic, socially skilled and attractive.
• We like leaders with these traits but having them does not make them good administrators.
• Such leaders naturally focus on more exciting activities.
• Conversely, less attractive people may have the skills needed to be good administrators.
• We get the leaders we ask for by voting for the more charismatic types.
• Then we expect them to turn off their natural characteristics and be good administrators.
• We should elect leaders for their demonstrated results and management skills.

Leadership in an age of anxiety

• Must our top political leaders be saints?
• Anxiety causes us to yearn for certainties to give us a sense of security.
• Our fears: society is disintegrating, the family is falling apart and things are changing too fast.
• Hence, we want leaders who are, virtually, saint-like in the moral example they set.
• We want an anchor in a sea of change - to help us reduce our anxiety.
• Hence, immoral acts cannot be excused on the basis of being merely human.
• Powerful people are always bombarded with less than moral temptations.
• A leader must set an example that at least the majority of his or her followers admire.
• Action that shows disdain for social or family values, in some cultures, is therefore not leadership.
• In a strongly Catholic country, a leader can't advocate contraception or abortion.
• In other cultures, promiscious behaviour may be OK with the majority if the leader does a good job.
• In an Islamic fundamentalist country, a leader must exhibit Islamic fundamentalist values.
• In a very pluralistic society, no leader will please everyone - some will want a leader who has an outstanding moral character, others will not be so concerned as long as the leader is delivering the results they expect.
• Are there perhaps no universal character traits or values applicable to all political leaders?

Some universally important traits, moral and otherwise, might be as follows:

1. trustworthy leaders keep their word and are honest.
2. delivering on promises - like being trustworthy, you deliver what you promise.
3. treating people with respect and fairness.
4. not deliberately harming others.
5. dedication to improving the lot of those you represent.
6. management skills - the ability to get things done efficiently.
7. strong influence skills
8. the ability to convey a compelling vision of the future.

All pages written by Mitch McCrimmon, Ph.D. and copyright © Self Renewal Group 1996-2008