Character Is More Than Being Eccentric

By

Fred W. Lowe

BMS Connections, LLC

Surveys for years have shown that the single most important trait employees look for in their employers is character. Employees want their leaders to have integrity; to be authentic; to be someone they can trust. Interestingly enough, a recent survey of presidents and CEO's of companies indicated the single most important trait they look for in their employees is - you guessed it - character. It seems that all things being equal, we want to be around people we can trust. All things not being equal, we still want to be around people we can trust.

Just what is character? Character is really the result of the many decisions you and I have made over our lifetimes. One definition of character I particularly like is, "the decision you would make if you were absolutely sure no one would ever find out." It's the thing you do in the shadows of your life that you really don't want others to know about. Socrates put it this way, "The greatest way for a man to live with honor in this world is to be the person he pretends...