Character Leadership requires Courage

Character Leadership requires courage. The courage that makes you stand up for others' welfare.  It is the courage that places you in an uncomfortable risky situation.  It leads you to behave in line with a cherished value believing that acting is better than doing nothing.   I have been fortunate to experience courage as opposed to bravado in full form. Let me explain the difference.

At age ten, I was sent away from home to study sixth grade in the U.S.  I was the new kid in the classroom of students that had been together since first grade.  The kids knew that my home was in Mexico.  My English had a bit of an accent and my vocabulary limited.  Most of the children welcomed me.  But, as is the case anywhere in the world, there was that one kid that found my presence irritating.  His name was Jim. Jim chose to harass me by calling me a "beaner" and pushing me around during recess when teachers or adults were not watching. Jim would harass me in the company of two other kids.  The three of them towered over me by at least a head and a half.  I had given my persuasion skills a try, followed by my ignoring their verbal threats and heckling.   All of this was to no avail.

Toward the second week, I had had enough.  I took Jim on and began swinging at him after being pushed for the nth time. My punch took Jim by surprise. His comeback was that "he" would be waiting for me outside at the end of the school day.  "He" was not alone. The other two "bodyguards" joined him. I shouted out that I was ready to fight him and the other two, one at a time.  I was getting punched before I finished my sentence.  I punched back at three of them until they pinned me down.  I lost the battle.  I showed up the next day to school fairly sore, morally and physically bruised. I was miffed by their cowardice.   It would have been difficult for the kids not to notice that I had some kind of a run-in with a truck of sorts.   By lunchtime, the "intrepid three" showed up in the schoolyard to do the pushing around routine. I was ready to fight again. At this point, I did not care what kind of reprimands I would get from the teachers. As soon as I was about to throw my first punch, John Houlgate, a kid in our classroom, held me back. He turned to look at the "intrepid three". John proceeded to tell them that he was there to fight along my side if they dared bother me again. He called them bullies and cowards in a provocative tone.  John told them that he did not believe in abuse and discrimination, as they continued to call me names that I did not understand.  The "intrepid three" stood down and meekly walked away. I turned to the stranger and thanked him.  He smiled and shook my hand. He asked if I wanted to be his friend. How could I not? John and I became friends, and 48 years thereafter, are still in touch.  John placed himself in harm's way for some kid he did not know. He stood up against abuse.  He stood up for acceptance. And for the record, I never saw John engage in or provoke a fight.  John Houlgate showed courageous Character Leadership at 11 years old.

Fast forwarding 48 years ahead, current events offer us a great opportunity to distinguish between courage and bravado from a Character Leadership perspective. It is easy to confuse courage when we watch a person take a stand against a status quo that has not favored the common folk.  Donald Trump's boldness, freshness and candidness won him the Presidential election, combined with an agenda that promised to "Make America Great Again".  Donald Trump has the aura of a hero. He reminds us of Kirk Douglas enacting Spartacus leading the slave rebellion against the Roman Empire.   Or, he transports us to George C. Scott's portrayal of George S. Patton in the 1970 movie Patton, giving his famous straight-talk, no-nonsense inspiring speech to the Third Army.

On February 16, 2017, President Trump, however, set a misleading example of courage and a strong case of bravado at his first solo press conference since becoming President. He began the conference by making an announcement and proceeded to take questions.   His patience for taking questions ran out quickly, although he carved out a significant amount of time or the reporters.  This carving out of time would have proven heroic, had President Trump used the time to establish a dialogue with the Press.  Instead, he used the conference as a platform to discredit the majority of the Press and their respective news coverage.   His way to discredit varied.  The President swung from making solemn statements to making fun of the fake nature of the news, to criticizing the unfairness of the Press' interpretation of the events surrounding the first 100 days of his administration. 

President Trump felt comfortable in a combative mode.   He was in his element.  But he was not in the element of the President of the most powerful democratic republic in the world. I suddenly felt out of place watching the Press conference. At moments, it was as if some banana republic dictator or the head of state of a lesser-developed nation took the podium.  His statements sounded like propaganda.  His tone was either accusatory, mocking, or that of a victim.

President Trump shows an interesting, refreshing disregard for protocol. As a business and political leader, he confronts many issues that trouble the majority of the U.S. population.  He deserves kudos for his willingness to change things to a better state-of-affairs.   

But, I was disturbed by a behavior that may be construed as courageous.  We need to be careful not to confuse courage with bravado. Many of our fellow countrymen and women may believe that President Trump's attacks on the media, on constituents of the other two branches of our government, and on foreign leaders, are courageous because he confronts them pointing out what may not be working for the U.S.

His attacks are certainly fearless but far from courageous. President Trump is in his comfort zone by accusing and intimidating. He shows a lack of trust, respect, and dignity to his audience.  During this Press conference, the President did not necessarily act on behalf of others or place himself in an uncomfortable situation.  The President has yet to show the courage to face the Press as an important "check and balance" of any democracy. 

At this and future Press Conferences, a Character Leader would show the courage to admit that he/she makes mistakes and the boldness to correct them.  He or she would show the courage to grow as an individual into a role that demands equanimity and judiciousness. A Character Leader would stand up against her/his human weaknesses by being courteous.   A little courtesy shown by our President would have shown greater wisdom.  There is an old quote fitting to a Character Leader as it states: "being courteous does not make you less courageous".