No One Has a Lock on Character

What does it mean to possess high character? Is character something you own, or is something you must prove through your actions and choices every day? 

We all know a leader who displayed the highest integrity and character for multiple decades who then lost it, perhaps forever, one morning with a horrible choice or decision. 

For a leader, having character on the inside doesn’t mean much if people can’t see it on the outside in your everyday actions and behaviors. It’s a good reminder that no one has a lock on character. We have to show up and prove ourselves every day to those we lead. To paraphrase a well-known quote about success, “Character isn’t owned. It’s leased. And rent is due every day.”