Only a leader of strong character and a strong sense of security can be so sure of the impeccability of his heart as to invite the scrutiny of his peers. CS Lewis calls this quality “Leaders with Chests.” Lewis compared the well-ordered soul to the human body: the head (reason) must control the belly (the sensual appetites) through the chest (character and spirit). The chest is the essential link between reason and desires. Without a strong ‘chest’, people would succumb to excuses, relativism and compromise. Lewis called those without character or integrity “men without chests.”
[Excerpt from The Maxwell Leadership Bible quoting Abolition of Man by C.S. Lewis]
“Character is the foundation of command presence. All people reveal their character in every interaction, and character shapes and permeates a leader’s command presence.” (Leading the Wildland Fire Department, p. 20)
Setting the example
Fire leaders lead by example by demonstrating strong character, demonstrating optimism and encouraging others even in the face of adversity.
Character is based on values. It is the combination of actions and words that others judge to determine whether we can be trusted to do the right thing. Character is the most valuable asset we have as leaders because, more than anything else, it promotes or hinders the development of trust.
Since the perception of the character of others comes from the observation of many actions, it is impossible for anyone to hide his character. We cannot fool others: they judge our character every day; they know if we are open and honest; they see if we are indecisive, lazy or selfish.
- Fire leaders are aware of our values and the way we communicate and reinforce them to others and to ourselves. We lead by example by taking steps to continually build our character:
- Knowing our values, regularly reviewing them and considering areas for improvement.
- Admit when we are wrong.
- Taking time to think about our actions.
- Find role models and ask them to be our mentors.
- Studying leaders and leadership, learning from their successes and mistakes.
Wildland Fire Leadership Challenge – Dig a little deeper
