Today is my birthday, hence the somewhat goofy photo, thanks to a favorite cousin who has had this picture of me from when I was four. Cheerful looking little soul aren’t I! Being my birthday it got me thinking about what I’m grateful for, and one of my favorite topics: character.
Whether in work, our families or our communities, we're all leaders. At various times we help others get things done, just as they help us get things done. Leaders have to master three key principles: they have to have the right task focus, the right people focus, and the right character focus.
There are lots of leadership theories about how to have the right task focus and people focus, but relatively little about the right character focus. I often say that champion leaders realize that good leadership is not about task focus or people focus, it’s about being both task focused and people focused, and having the character to do both with integrity.
Recently psychologist Martin Seligman and his associates have put a lot of effort into identifying character strengths. Seligman is one of my favorite psychologists, and I often use his work on optimism and attitude with my clients. His latest research shows that we each have personal strengths that can be classified into six groups of “virtues”. It’s these virtues and personality strengths that enable us to get things done with integrity.
One of Seligman’s groups of virtues is Transcendence, which includes Gratitude, Optimism and Future-Mindedness. On my birthday I’m taking a little time out to feel thankful for all the people past and present who have helped that little boy become the man I am today, and a little time to think positively about what the next forty-five years might hold.
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