7 C’s of a winning Cadre: 1 - Character

"Good character is more to be praised than outstanding talent. Most talents are to some extent a gift. Good character, by contrast, is not given to us. We have to build it piece by piece—by thought, choice, courage and determination." -John Luther

Character is something that takes time to not only see, but to build. Our character is built over a span of decisions; how we react in situations, how we spend our free time, what we do when no one is looking. We all want to be seen as someone with good character, but that takes practice and dedication. Here are 5 simple ways to grow your character, and in turn build your Cadre.

1. Be Humble. Humility is the beginning of wisdom:

Being humble isn’t thinking less of yourself, just thinking of yourself less. Understanding and appreciating other people’s opinions and suggestions is vital. When you embrace humility, you embody a student. You understand that other people have insight and value that you can learn from. We always say, you have two ears and one mouth for a reason. You should listen twice as much as you speak.

2. Live out your core values:

Whether it's “love your neighbor”, or ”treat others how you want to be treated”, living by your core values will make your decisions easier and your character more resolute. In everything you do, every decision you make, think about your values. Let them shape your decisions. One of the easiest ways to start building upon this principle is by making a list. Do you know what your top 10 core values are? Unless you know what you stand for, you will fall for everything. Begin by writing down the values you want to live your life by. Then comes the hard part…actually living it out!

3. Be Authentic:

Be yourself. Be real. Be you. Authenticity is all about being yourself no matter what. Social media is a perfect example of how so many people fail at authenticity. Are you only sharing the filtered and edited version of yourself to the world? Stop trying to measure up to this unrealistic expectation that you have to be perfect. Accept that what makes you different, is what makes you amazing!

4. Practice what you preach:

Under promise and over deliver. When you say you are going to do something, do it! Don’t be someone that says what you think people want to hear, and then doesn’t follow through with their actions. Act the way you encourage others to act. If this isn’t one of the core values you added to your list above, it should be! Trust is built on a series of small kept promises. Not doing what you said you would do is also the fastest way to lose trust. This one principle will help you manage expectation, have clear communication, and create raving fans.

5. Be Transparent:

Transparency is how much you share, while authenticity is the truth behind your words and actions. The biggest mistake people make when it comes to building their character is blurring these two words. While it’s important to always be yourself, it’s also equally important to know how much of yourself to share. We always encourage people to have 3-5 close friends that they trust enough to be transparent with. Your spouse should definitely be someone that you are 100% open with. Now we aren’t saying, hide all your flaws and failures from the world. Vulnerability is an act of courage because you merge with your authentic self, instead of hiding behind a facade to appease others. We are all unique. We all fail. We all fall short. In order to be transparent, you have to first understand your pain points. You don’t have to let everyone in, but don’t hide who you are. Your failures and pain points have shaped the person you are today!