Ministry

Redefining Character

By jgiroux ⋅ October 10, 2008 ⋅  Print This Post ⋅ Post a comment

“Our character,” goes the quote often attributed to H. Jackson Browne, “is what we do when we think no one is looking.” That’s how I’ve typically defined character. But not anymore.

Last week, I heard Dr. Henry Cloud speak at Willow Creek’s Children’s Ministry Conference. The psychologist, author, and speaker said how we define character is at the core of understanding why leadership problems develop in the church and beyond. “Character equals the ability to meet the demands of reality,” Cloud told the gathering of about 3,500 people.

Based upon his own research and consulting experience, Cloud said problems of character in situations he’s asked to help repair rarely have to do with a lack of brains, competency, or even honesty with the leader.

Instead, he believes a leader with character displays these six traits:

1. You create and maintain trust by making sure your people know that you understand their opinions and concerns;

2. You view truthfulness as more than just honesty, genuinely longing to digest information and adjust to the realities around you;

3. You make a genuine effort to be results-oriented, and not just grace-oriented;

4. You embrace bad news. You get it and get moving;

5. You don’t maintain your leadership abilities. You grow them.

6. You accept the question of transcendence—you say you’re not God and act like it.

I agree with Cloud. Doing these things says a lot about the stuff we’re made of in the volatile world of leadership. Plus, my previous definition seemed a little trite. Character should require more than just watching what I’m doing when no one else is looking.

Matt Branaugh is editor of Ministry Resources and BuildingChurchLeaders.com at Christianity Today International.