Everyone knows the story of Benedict Arnold. His name has become synonymous with “traitor” in the American lexicon. Yesterday was the anniversary of one of his more infamous acts as a turncoat. On January 5, 1781, Arnold led a British raid on Richmond, Virginia, destroying a large portion of the city. Arnold is an easy guy to hate, but his treachery is only part of the story.
Before I get started, I want to clear the air. Yes, I know this first question seems to be extraordinarily self-absorbed. The fact is that leadership requires that we as leaders understand ourselves. Leadership requires self-awareness, not self-absorption. There is a huge difference.
We often hear leaders described as having character. What exactly do we mean by character, and why does it matter? The fact is that character can be extremely discomforting to discuss. The challenge is that character is rooted in very personal (and often polarizing) subjects – values and beliefs. It is easy to come across as either self-righteous or irresolute. That said, character is an essential to leadership attribute.

