When Character Isn't There

In Courageous Leadership, author/pastor Bill Hybels lists the three Cs, his criteria for a leader joining his ministry team (Character, Competence, Chemistry). Of the first he writes:

"I used to think that if I discovered a potential

team member who was terrifically competent but a little shaky in regard to character, I could go with the competence and address the character defects over time. Ever the optimist, I thought that if that person were in a healthy church environment, surrounded by godly people who would hold him or her accountable, it would eventually work out.

"But after thirty years of optimism I have had to admit defeat. Face it. Every adult interviewing for a key role has already spent twenty-five, thirty, thirty-five years in a process of character formation. Not much is going to change after that. So I look for character that has already been positively formed."

Hybels, Bill. 2002. Courageous Leadership.

Grand Rapids: Zondervan. 82.

Already my limited experience has proven Hybel’s wisdom true. I have seen team members come and go; fail and succeed and the deciding factor is always their character. It’s either there or it is not there. I agree with his assessment; that is, until I apply it to myself. Seven years ago Shawnee Alliance Church took a risk in hiring a 24 year-old guy who thought he was a lot more than he really was (that would be me). I did not have the character then that I have today; somehow I would say I’ve beaten the odds Hybels talks about (the same odds that I see at work). Why? How? Am I just biased?

I would say it is a matter of teachability. Some call it “coachability”. That is the ability of a person to undergo correction, direction and change. Some people, when presented with accountability or instruction would rather do it their own way and reject the input. Others take it and can learn. I’m not tooting my own horn, but I find that this teachable character trait is of immeasurable value for the leader—and for the leaders a leader selects. In church circles we might sanctify this trait and call it “humility.” I once heard that “humble” means “fertile soil.” I like that—it shows that the humble person always has the ability to grow.

One final thought: this small quote makes an important assumption: leadership is not a solo endeavor.