Leadership & Character | Washington, D.C.

A group of Wake Foresters gathered over brunch in the Wake Washington Center on December 10, 2017, to discuss leadership and character.

Our group examined leadership and character in a variety of situations. Everyone at the table shared personal examples of leadership and character by telling stories of individuals including sisters, mothers, classmates, bosses and strangers, just to name a few. We were very encouraged by the notion of everyday character, noting that it is all around us if you look for it.

Through stories and comments, our group demonstrated that real leadership requires courage and empathy. We expanded this idea to include examples of people who had made mistakes but developed character from their experience. And, as a result, they often held themselves to a higher standard.

Our moderator asked us to consider the question, “Can leadership and character be taught?” Some traits were thought to be harder to learn than  others, but we agreed that leadership and character are best learned when they are modeled or inspired. Finally, we concluded that there is not one specific model of leadership for success.