Leadership & Character | Atlanta, GA

A group of Wake Foresters gathered over dinner in Atlanta at the home of Wake Forest parents on October 25, 2017, to discuss leadership and character.

Our group was made up of strangers who came together with the common bond of Wake Forest University, and each participant left with a new set of friends and some fresh perspectives. We shared stories of our children, nieces and friends.

Our conversation focused on the importance of face-to-face interaction, “quiet” character and the impact of our character on those around us. We talked about the tendency to objectify and define character. Words we used frequently throughout our discussion were strength, empathy, respect, authenticity and integrity.

Character was discussed in the context of political figures and professional athletes. We also agreed that many examples of leaders with good character do things that are not popular and are perhaps even risky.