It is one thing to do what we know is right, but doing so when those in authority are telling us not to (or ordering us not to) can be extraordinarily challenging. Add the element of repeatedly putting his life on the line, and it is easy to understand why Sgt. Dakota Meyer received the Medal of Honor last week. He is truly an exceptional human being, and his action on September 8, 2009 and his behavior since then have proven he is also an impressive leader.
Too often, pop culture is a source of leadership failures. It’s hard to turn on the TV without seeing another celebrity providing another example of how not to act in polite society. es of celebrity behaviors as examples of true leadership are almost non-existent. I can’t remember ever feeling a burning desire to blog about celebrity leadership, but American Idol has changed that. I have seen two great examples of leadership lessons recently. This week I’ll focus on the most recent, and I’ll write about the other next week.
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.