Leadership & Character | Richmond, VA

A group of Wake Foresters gathered over dinner in Richmond, Virginia on February 8, 2018, to discuss Leadership & Character.

• Our group examined leadership and character in a variety of situations. Personal examples of leadership and character were shared by telling stories of individuals including our sons, local community members, academic leadership and classmates, 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 empathy and the ability to listen. We expanded this idea to include examples of people who “make a difference when no one is looking.”
• Mary 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 it is best learned when leadership and character are modeled or inspired. Finally, we concluded that there is not one specific model of leadership for success.