Character

It is an incredible opportunity for me to have participated in OTF training. I gained new knowledge; I met people who later became friends. I have these connections that I believe will have immense benefit to me and to my country.
In addition to what we learnt during ALCP training, I have been thinking bout what might be of help to us (ALCP members) who are or dream of becoming change agents in this nation.
I have found none other than Character development. Read on and please make comments if possible.

Without a strong foundation, a building will fall. It doesn’t matter how beautiful its appearance or spectacular its design, if the structure doesn’t stand upon a secure base, it will collapse under the pressure of its own height.

A leader’s character is like the foundation of a building. If it is not strong, deep and firmly fixed in place, the man’s life and all he has built will eventually fall. It does not matter how eloquent he is, how attractive or powerful his skills are, without character, all threatens to collapse.

A leader might appear, by all external criteria, to be an effective leader; but if character is absent, it is only a matter of time (or eternity) until the house collapses for lack of a good foundation.

True character reveals itself even in the small things. Moreover, life is an assimilation of small things. How we respond is a clear measure of our character.
True character reveals itself most dramatically (noticeably) in the hidden places—in those encounters with total strangers and with people we will likely never see again. It’s our conduct when no one is looking that exposes clearly the real quality of our character.
True character reveals itself most completely in the way we treat the people without power in our lives.
True character reveals itself clearly in the ways in which we deal with those inevitable, compromising, and regretful episodes in life.

It is sad but true. Too many “successful” leaders have collapsed under the weight of their promotion. Intermittent ethical compromises that once seemed like insignificant cracks in the foundation of a small building became gaping breaches of corruption in the place of enlargement.

ALCP members, this is my prayer “That we will have a strong and developing character lest we fall under the weight of our own successes.” Columnist Cindy Adams wrote, “Success has made failures of many men.”