Researching The Timeless Book
The premise of my book Timeless: 10 Enduring Practices Of Apex Leaders is identifying the top 10 qualities the best leaders have always done and will always do. As I began my research, I correctly figured some of the qualities which would rise to the top. These included surrounding yourself with a great team, hard work, tough decisions, and producing superlative results.
I also figured high-character would not only be in the top 10, but perhaps in the top three. This is why you do the research. Because much to my surprise, high-character not only did not make the top 10, it was far down the list.
Here is what my research taught me, you don’t need high-character to make it to the top. But you do need high-character to stay there.
The Lasting Quality Of High-Character
We have all seen people in government, business, ministry, and sports who reached the pinnacle of their professions only to have a dramatic fall from grace. What often happens is a person’s skills, talents, and abilities take them to place where their character cannot sustain them.
18 Differences Between High-Character and Low-Character Leaders
To avoid this happening in your leadership, the following are 18 differences between high-character and low-character leaders:
- High-Character leaders are humble and as a result develop wisdom. Low-Character leaders have an unhealthy sense of pride which results in disgrace.
- High-Character leaders are guided by their integrity. Low-Character leaders are destroyed by their crookedness.
- High-Character leaders are blameless and it sustains their success. Low-Character leaders fall by their own wickedness.
- The character of high-character leaders delivers them in times of trouble. Low-Character leaders are taken captive by their own lusts.
- High-Character leaders avoid trouble. Low-Characters walk right into it.
- The words of high-character leaders builds the people in their lives (and themselves) up. The words of low-character leaders tears the people in their lives (and themselves) down.
- The success of high-character leaders blesses everyone around them. The failure of low-character leaders causes everyone around them to suffer.
- The success of high-character blesses entire families, organizations, and cities. Low-Character leaders are overthrown.
- High-Characters are mostly people of few words. Low-Character leaders lack sense.
- High-Characters leaders have prudence and protect the reputations of others. Low-Characters leaders reveal secrets and slander others.
- High-Character leaders are kind. Low-Character leaders hurt others and therefore, themselves.
- High-Character receive a sure reward for their services. Low-Character leaders earn rewards through deception.
- High-Character leaders will not only be rewarded, but so will their children. Low-Character leaders will be punished.
- The desires of high-character leaders only ends in good. The desires of low-character leaders only ends in wrath.
- High-Character leaders are generous and therefore, get even more resources. Low-Character leaders are greedy and therefore, are never satisfied.
- High-Character find good favor. Low-Character leaders find evil.
- High-Character leaders flourish. Low-Character leaders have nothing to rely on but their money, and when it’s gone…
- High-Character leaders are rewarded for their deeds. Low-Character leaders, even more so.
The Top 60 Leadership Quotes From 2021 Part 1 is my latest ebook. For many entering a post-pandemic environment, leadership looks completely different than the pre-pandemic world. People are more broken now. They are more uncertain. Fear and anxiousness are unwelcome constant companions. Cultures are more unhealthy. Relationships are more dysfunctional. Hope seems to be in short supply. Every day seems to bring a new hacking, natural disaster, or unexpected calamity.
Therefore, the fundamentals of leadership are more important than ever. The quotes in this book deal with the basics of leadership. If you want to be the best leader you can possibly be, click HERE or on the image provided to download this FREE resource. The lessons learned from last year, if applied, will sustain you for years to come.