Do we choose to do what needs to be done, or just what we want to do? Do we choose to follow through on all our commitments or flake out? Do we choose to give our best in all areas of our jobs, or just the part we really enjoy? Being unreliable limits our ability to lead others.

The business world may call this accountability. But we use the term Duty, as do our heroes who serve in the military. Understanding what our Duty is does not have to be complicated – especially as a leader.

The Choices We Make

What choices do we make when we are tempted to take the easy way? When we are tempted to do what we want to do instead of what we need to do?

Are we people who can be counted on to do our Duty in every circumstance? To evaluate that, we have to look at our choices. The choices we make on a regular basis become habits. The good habits and the bad habits we develop, based on those choices determine our character.

There are six Habits of Character that are foundational to becoming a Leader of Character: Courage, Humility, Integrity, Selflessness, Duty and Positivity. They are all developed much like a muscle – through consistent exercise.

If you are interested in seeing how those muscles have developed in you, take this FREE My Mirror Character Assessment by clicking on the link below. It is confidential, and you can get a feel for how well developed the Habits of Character are in your life.

Click here:  http:/mycharactertest.com

Choosing Duty is not Easy

No one gets in shape by going to the gym occasionally or reading a fitness magazine. We have to actually make the choice to regulary exercise and push ourselves beyond what is comfortable. That is how you build muscle. That is also how you will develop the habit of Duty.

Andersons’ 12 Word or less Definition of Duty

Taking action based on our assigned tasks and moral obligations

It is hard to:

• Do the things you should do even if you don’t feel like doing them.
• Do things not in your job description that still need to be done.
• Do the boring administrative parts of your job with the same care and commitment as the fun parts.
• Take the time to mentor someone when you have your own work to do.

None of these choices are easy. But they are the right choices to make. The more we exercise Duty, the more that Duty becomes one of our Habits of Character. Habits are formed one choice at a time.

Each time we make the choice to do our Duty, by acting on our assigned tasks and moral obligations, the more reliable we become. The more reliable we are, the more people will trust us and therefore follow us.

The Bottom Line:

If we can’t rely on someone to act on both his/her assigned tasks or moral obligations, we will think twice about following them. If we are unreliable as a leader our people at work, and our families at home may have the same reaction.

An unreliable leader is not a Leader of Character. A Leader of Character acts on his/her assigned tasks and moral obligations because it is his/her Duty to do so. How they feel about that task or how they feel at that moment does not make the choice for them. They choose to do their Duty.

It all comes down to our choices. The choice is ours – unreliability or Duty. Being unreliable limits our ability to lead. Exercising Duty helps us become the Leader of Character our teams, our loved ones, and our culture truly need us to become.

Question:

What commitment do you wish you hadn’t made – yet still need to follow through upon?

You can purchase Dave’s best seller Becoming a Leader of Character through Amazon here: bit.ly/LOCBook

Or get a personalized signed copy here:  Signed Copy