Values: The groundwork of moral fiber

Our values determine our character and our character determines the direction we will go in life, business and leadership. No matter what we know, if we are bankrupt in a context of character, we are still going nowhere. In the last 30 years, the world has witnessed an astronomical increase in Knowledge, but one thing that flummoxes me is the fast decrease in character. In Nigeria, we have a lot of youths—who are so knowledgeable, but their foundation of character is full of flaws. They are so informed within the context of knowledge, but in the context of character, they are so deformed. And when it comes to life, business and leadership, rock-solid and dependable character is everything!

I have seen knowledge and skills open great doors for folks in the last 30 years and I have also seen great doors being closed as an effect of lack of character. Being informed and skillful will certainly open many great doors to you, but if care is not taken, you are going to watch those doors closed one by one on the condition that you are void of character. In this day and time, the rate at which character is fast fizzling out is becoming worrisome and bothersome. There are too many young men and women who are highly informed and skillful, but those who are having rock-solid character can be counted on finger tips.

What is the difference between character and beliefs? Values do not change, but beliefs do—all the time. Every time you learn something new, your beliefs adjust. In your life time, you are going to let go of dozens of beliefs that you once possessed—because you are going to learn a lot of new things. Once again, beliefs do change, but character does not. How do I know someone who is going somewhere to happen? All I need do is to look at his or her character. Do not forget that character is the prediction of destiny. Character makes success predictable.

Why do I put so much weight and emphasis on values? I do so because values create the foundation of character, and character provides the foundation for success. But the idea of building character is not flashy or exciting. It is not something you regularly add to your list of annual goals, but the results of developing character are usually life-changing. And character is not something you quickly build when the spot-light is put on you. It is what you develop before you get to the ‘palace,’ places of influence and affluence.

How can you develop a rock-solid character? You are going to get the job done by making choices based on values. Every day, you either grow your good character or shrivel it. When you choose to do the right thing based on a positive value, your character expands. With each right choice, you develop the strength to make other right choices, and more difficult right choices, and more difficult right choices. In contrast, every time you choose to cut corners, compromise on your values, or turn your back on what you know to be right, it shrinks your character. The smaller and weaker it gets, the more difficult it is to make another right choice.

Truett Cathy, the founder of Chick-fill-A, used to say that your commitment to get better needs to be more important than your commitment to get bigger. He was speaking in the context of business, and that’s quite a statement, considering that the restaurant chain he created was worth more than $4.5 billion before he died. But his point was accurate: We should always focus more on choices that impact who we are on the inside.

The question is: What are you focusing on day to day? Making your work more lucrative? Making your company bigger? Rising up in your country? Rising up in your family? Rising up in your place of learning? Rising up in your organization? Or making your character deeper and stronger? The choices you make every day make you.  In other words, you are a product of choices you daily make. You want to change who you are? Then change the choices you are making every day. This is a very powerful principle.

Be more concerned about your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are. For the umpteenth time, who we are inside is much more important than how others see us. Abraham Lincoln said: “Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.” Character represents who you really are on the inside; the moral and mental qualities that make you who you are. And that is what speaks to people. It speaks more loudly than your words or the words others say about you. Your character represents you to the world.

When a person has good character, he or she has it in every area of life consistently, regardless of the circumstances, regardless of the setting, and regardless of the content. And good character uses the same standard in every situation. If something is right, it is always right. If it is wrong, it is always wrong. People with good character are consistent. People who try to use multiple standards with different people and in different situations live fragmented lives.

Lastly, when a person lives a fragmented life, people never know what to expect from them. They do not know how the person will act in any given situation. In contrast, a person of good character who lives by the same consistent standard invites trust. People know what they are going to get. They know the person’s words and actions will line up. They can rely on that person and what he or she says. Remember, when you make a commitment to another person, you create hope. When you keep that commitment, you create trust. Good character helps you to follow through on that commitment and develop that trust.

See you where great leaders are found.