Leadership & Character | Marietta, GA

We were strangers who came together with the common bond of Wake Forest University, and we left with a new set of friends and perspectives. We shared stories of ourselves, our children, parents and grandparents. Our conversation focused on the importance of face-to-face interaction, character “when no one is looking,” and the impact of our character on those around us. We talked about how we objectify and define character. There were common words and phrases shared throughout the night, such as “strength,” “empathy,” “respect,” “authenticity” and “morality.”

We asked one another: “Can leadership be taught and what does it look like?”

Some of the ways great leaders were described:

• Leaders learn their audience and how to talk to different people.
• Leaders bring everyone together, create calm in the midst of chaos and adapt to change.
• Leaders are most effective when they value their people.

We hope our conversation will translate well to Wake Forest students and help them to have:

• The ability to deal with the real world and diverse situations.
• The ability to respect and relate to people.
• The ability to deeply connect with and understand another human being’s character and values.