4 Cs of Leadership Part 1: Character and Competence

This is a talk outline I've developed over some years of delivering similar talks to high school and college students. The original course was first conceptualized by Oliver Tuazon in a program called Leading Leaders: Uniting the Nation in Virtue. 

INTRODUCTION

• Below are some traits associated with a good leader
• • capable
  • intelligent
  • skilled
  • knows how to manage
  • can plan and look ahead
  • has relational skills
  • can drive his team towards an objective
  • All of the above refer to competence. A good leader is competent, i.e., does not do his job well
• Other traits of what makes a good leader
• • cares for his subjects
  • selfless
  • wise
  • courageous
  • honest
  • disciplined
  • All traits above refer to virtues or good habits. A good leader is virtuous.
• But what about Hitler, Bin Laden, some cunning and corrupt politicians?
• • Many are competent
  • But, either their objectives are evil, or their means are evil
• In this talk we'll tackle the 4 Cs of Leadership

4 Cs of LEADERSHIP: QUALITIES OF A GOOD LEADER

1. First C: Competence

• Not just IQ
• • Some intelligent persons are not leaders, some leaders are not that intelligent
• Definition
• •  Having the capacity of delivering what his position requires; delivering according to expectations
• A Good Leader should perfect Competence by Excellence
• • But somehow we know that competence many times is not enough
  • Leaders many times are expected to go beyond the mere deliverables
  • This is Excellence
  • • Not to be satisfied with mediocrity
    • Hindi pwede and pwede na
    • Gives all it can give; Give all or Give up
    • Story: Someone working for a politician: Is this your Best?
• What can you do?
• • Constant desire to Learn
  • • Requires study, experience, guidance
  • Be experts in what you have to be experts in - this is basic
  • But put interest in other fields of study
  • • Do not have an Ant's Eyeview, but a Bird's Eyeview
    • You have to be an Eagle
  • If you're in the sciences, study the arts; if your are in arts, study sciences
  • • Literature (e.g. Lord of the Rings), Music
    • Example: Steve Jobs studied calligraphy
  •      Look for venues where you can continuously develop yourself
  • • Many things you'll need in life, you'll learn outside the classroom

2. Second C: Character

• We've discussed character in the previous section, actually, what enables a leader to be competent is his character - his virtues
• • A person lacking in virtues, often times is incompetent (how can a lazy guy deliver a task which requires a lot of effort?)
  • So in discussing character, or virtues, we are going deeper into what man should have in order to be a good leader.    
• What are virtues?
• • Good habits
  • 2 requirements are that they should be 
  • • Habitual - done regularly, not just occasionally
    • Good - habits which are not good are called vices
• Digression: On what is good
• • Something is good when it realizes its purpose
  • • e.g. a clock that does not tell the time correctly is a bad clock
    • thus, something is good for you when it helps you realize your ultimate worth, goal or purpose
  • The big question now is: What is your Ultimate Purpose or End?
  • • The clear answer to this is: It's not us. 
    • • We cannot make ourself our own end because we didn't make ourselves
      • A machine does not create it's own purpose but is given one by its manufacturer
    • To cut to the chase, I will just tell you directly that our purpose is God 
    • • (There is a full talk on God's existence and why he is our ultimate end, but we won't have time for it now)
    • We do not have an end higher than God
    • • This is reflected in our constant desire for the Infinite and Absolute : Life, Truth, Good, Beauty
      • We are talking Reason here (Philosophy). This is not yet Religion.
  • So then, how do we live according to our purpose
  • • Again, this is not for us to decide, but for our Manufacturer, our Creator, who is God
    • He has left us a User's Manual in the Natural Law
    • • The Natural Law (or Law of Human Nature) has been left to us by God as a map for following him
      • Sample content: Don't kill; Be just; Be honest; Attend to those in need; etc.
      • This map has been written in our heart
      • God reminds us of it and speaks to us about it through our conscience
    • We are all aware of the Natural Law (although not all of us will call it as such), but sometimes, we disobey it 
    • • This happens when we only see an apparent good (momentary good) instead of an absolute good (a good that leads us to the Ultimate End)
      • This happens because our passions and senses have valued a material or corporal good over a moral or spiritual good
      • Our passions and senses have overpowered our intellect and will 
    • This is why we need training in the virtues
•  Training in the virtues is training our Intellect and Will to have dominion over our Senses and Passions
• • Review of Philosophical Anthropology
  • • Faculties of the Body: Senses and Passions
    • • Assesses material goods and needs 
    • Faculties of the Soul: Intellect and Will
    • • Assesses moral and spiritual goods and needs  
      • Intellect: Knows the truth
      • Will: Seeks the good
    •  Since spiritual and moral goods are higher than material goods
    • • Example: Charioteer vs. Horses
      • The faculties of the soul have to govern over the faculties of the body
      • The Intellect and Will should have dominion over the Senses and the Passions
      • This is precisely what training in virtues is about
• Summary
• • Character is defined by Habits
  • Habits are developed through Actions
  • Actions are inspired by Principles 
  • Principles are good or bad depending on whether they help you realize your Ultimate Purpose
  • Therefore, get to know more about the right Principles: The Natural Law, and God, and Virtues. 

• Suggested Action Steps
• •  Get to know more about the Natural Law and God
  • • don't be satisfied with just a superficial, grade school-level knowledge 
    • attend classes
    • read good books
  • Get to know more about the virtues
  • • attend classes
    • learn virtues by doing them: virtues are not learned by receiving a talk
    • get advice through mentoring

MIDTALK CONCLUSION

• Both Competence and Character are equally important: Don't just aspire for one or the other
• Competence without Character
• • Evil Leaders who are particularly good at doing their Evil and Selfish ends
  • • corruptio optimi, pessima
• Character without Competence
• • Everybody's good boy whom nobody listens to

Read Part 2: Creed and Charm

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