Leadership Requires...

Strength of Character

“The secret of power lies in the character of the person who possesses it.”
Jack M. Balkin (The Laws of Change: I Ching and the Philosophy of Life, p.371)

This morning, my reading from Jack Balkin's translation of the I Ching is all about the proper use of power. A person, it says, who is wise will exercise power sparingly and never in a forceful manner. The greatest leaders are those who never exercise their power in obvious ways because the strength of their character makes it unnecessary. They do not use their resources for show, nor for their own aggrandizement, but make every effort to bring about a just solution without hostility or bloodshed on either side. True leaders do not belittle, bully or disparage their opponents, but raise them up as worthy equals.

Character is everything. True strength and respect for authority is based on the manner in which we manage whatever power we possess. If we have strength of character, we use caution; we operate with mercy and justice. We do not exercise power by cutting off our opponents at the knees. I once visited Appomattox Courthouse in Virginia, where General Ulysses S. Grant and General Robert E. Lee met and signed the terms of surrender for the Civil War. There, the two generals were cordial to one another. Grant's generosity in the terms of the surrender went a long way toward healing a ravaged and battered country. The Confederate Army would surrender all equipment, but soldiers would be allowed to keep their horses so that they would have a way to get home, and be able to resume farming when they arrived. When Grant learned that Confederate soldiers were starving, he ordered 25,000 rations sent to them. Thanking him for such generous terms, Lee said, “This will have a very happy effect on my army.” The McLean farm where these two generals came together as respected adversaries, is one of the most peaceful places I have ever been. That is what great leaders do—they create peace, they apply justice and mercy. That ability to create peace is dependent upon their character.

As you go about your life today, consider how you use your personal power. Do you enjoy empowering and upholding others, or do you enjoy humiliating them? The one you choose is an indication of your strength of, or lack of, character, and your ability for authentic leadership.

In the Spirit,
Jane