At Siegfried, we help people transform themselves into better leaders to exponentially improve their lives. Our professionals are genuinely interested in and passionately committed to continuous growth, both personally and professionally. But this growth doesn’t happen in a day – it requires thoughtful, focused time and deep self-reflection. In the Siegfried Core Concepts series, we’ll outline some of the foundational ideas that motivate everyone we interact with – clients, employees, friends of the Firm, and other stakeholders – to seek out transformational growth and leverage that growth to benefit others.
When you think about your life, who stands out to you as strong leader, both of themselves and of others? Maybe you thought of a mentor, a teacher, a grandparent, or a friend. What words would you use to describe these people?
You probably wouldn’t use words like “experienced,” “technically proficient,” or “expert.” Most often, people stand out to us because of their character ethic traits — like determination, courage, ambition, and empathy.
At Siegfried, we highly value character ethic as a hallmark of a high performer. Originally described by Stephen R. Covey in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, character ethic is about more than just your personality – it’s about foundational principles, like integrity and honesty, that are universally seen as ethical and positive. Ensuring that your guiding values align with these principles can be highly beneficial in your personal growth.
Of course, technical expertise is incredibly important, but that alone won’t lead to a fulfilling life and career – it’s only part of the equation. Having character ethic is just as necessary, if not more necessary, for truly gratifying success and happiness.
So, by taking the dedicated time to reflect on and build your character ethic, you will develop an edge that helps you to stand out from the crowd and exponentially improve your life in all areas.
Seek out growth
Our character ethic traits make each of us different and uniquely valuable. When you think of the words “integrity,” “passion,” or “courage,” you probably have specific people who come to mind.
Now, consider the traits that you want to embody not only in your career, but in your life. How do you want people to describe you when they hear your name?
In addition to considering the traits that you want to work on, acknowledge the character ethic that you might have already developed. What qualities have you consistently shown during the significant moments in your life? Have you displayed persistence and dedication to get to this point in your career? Do you stay patient in stressful situations? Are you ambitious and always seeking new challenges?
Whether you feel confident about the character ethic traits that you already have or uncertain about their strength, there is always room to improve. And no matter who you want to become, it’s never too late to start working toward your goals and becoming a stronger individual leader.
Siegfried’s original Life/Leadership Curve™ shows how putting in the consistent effort to strengthen your character ethic makes you a better leader, which in turn helps you to exponentially experience more success and freedom in your life. These efforts begin with motivation fueled by your deepest passions and biggest dreams. Developing your character ethic won’t be easy, but with some deep self-reflection and commitment to change, you will witness exponential growth in yourself and inspire it in others. Check back next week for an upcoming blog on character ethic, where you can learn how to put in the work towards transformational change.
