Examining Leader Character Development
This research critically examines leader character development and presents a refined framework integrating research, teaching, and practice. The authors argue that competence alone is insufficient for effective leadership—character must be cultivated alongside knowledge and skills.
Their framework goes beyond simple awareness of leader character and focuses on habit formation and institutionalisation. The article addresses four key questions:
Why is leader character development necessary?
How can we transition from awareness to habitual character-building?
What knowledge is required to develop leader character effectively?
Who is at the centre of leader character development?
Challenging Traditional Leadership Education
The authors challenge traditional leadership education paradigms, arguing that leadership is too focused on technical skills while neglecting behavioural and ethical dimensions essential for sound decision-making. Their research highlights the interconnected nature of character dimensions and advocates for structured, intentional development strategies beyond conventional learning.
A key argument is that character is not just a set of virtues but an integrated system of habits shaping judgment, decision-making, and long-term effectiveness. Leaders often make difficult choices in unpredictable situations—what guides them is not just competence but also internalised values and practised behaviours. Without structured character development, leadership risks becoming transactional rather than inspiring trust, fostering ethical innovation, and ensuring sustainable impact.
The authors emphasise that cultivating character should not be left to chance but must be actively integrated into leadership training, education, and professional development.
From Awareness to Active Habit Formation
One of the most critical contributions of this research is its focus on moving beyond awareness to active habit formation. Many leadership programs introduce the concept of character, but few provide a clear roadmap on how to develop it in practise. This paper emphasises that leader character is built not just by knowing what is right but by consistently practising it until it becomes second nature.
The authors argue that character development requires a shift from passive learning to active habituation, which can be reinforced through:
Consistent practice in real-world settings
Structured mentorship programs that provide guidance and accountability
Reinforcement within organisations, ensuring character is a core principle rather than a peripheral concern
These elements collectively help institutionalise character development so that it becomes an ingrained part of leadership training rather than an add-on.
A Multidisciplinary Approach to Leadership Development
To develop a well-rounded leadership character, the authors advocate for a multidisciplinary approach that integrates perspectives from various fields, including:
Philosophy, to explore ethical reasoning and moral dilemmas
Psychology, to understand cognitive and emotional influences on decision-making
Business ethics, to align leadership values with corporate responsibility
Kinesiology, to study how physical habits and behaviours contribute to leadership presence and resilience
By drawing from multiple disciplines, leaders can gain a more comprehensive understanding of how character operates in practice, ensuring that their ethical foundations are deeply rooted and adaptable to complex global challenges.
Implications for Students and Emerging Leaders
For students preparing for leadership roles, this research reinforces the importance of not just acquiring knowledge but actively shaping their character. Leadership is not merely about skills—it is about who you become through repeated actions, ethical reflection, and intentional practice.
Practical ways students can integrate character development into their journey include:
Engaging in self-reflection and seeking constructive feedback
Taking on leadership roles in student organisations or project
Seeking mentorship from experienced leaders who model strong character
Integrating interdisciplinary learning to strengthen ethical reasoning and judgment
Implications for Organisations and Business Leaders
Organisations must move beyond occasional leadership training sessions and commit to embedding character into leadership practices at every level. This involves:
Prioritising character in hiring, promotions, and performance evaluations
Ensuring senior leaders model ethical leadership through their own decision-making
Creating accountability structures that reinforce character-based leadership
Fostering an organisational culture where integrity, resilience, and ethical judgment are actively rewarded
Organisations that invest in developing principled, character-driven leaders gain long-term benefits, including greater trust, stronger teams, and sustainable competitive advantage in an increasingly complex global landscape. A structured approach to leadership development should focus not only on building competence but also on fostering ethical decision-making, integrity, and deeply rooted values.
Implications for Educators and Academic Institutions
For educators, the call to action is clear: invest in character development, both for students and for themselves. Professors, mentors, and trainers play a crucial role in modelling the very character they seek to cultivate in students. Institutions should integrate character development into curricula by:
Embedding character-building exercises in leadership and management course
Encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration to expand students’ perspectives on ethical leadership
Developing long-term assessment models that evaluate character development, not just technical competencies
Implications for Researchers and Policymakers
Finally, researchers and policymakers have a responsibility to continue exploring, refining, and expanding our understanding of leader character. The field of leadership studies must move beyond siloed disciplines and embrace cross-disciplinary collaboration to develop new insights that bridge theory and practise.
Investing in further research on character-based leadership will help ensure that leaders at all levels—whether in business, academia, or governance—are equipped with not just competence, but the ethical grounding needed to lead with integrity.
A Call to Action for All
Leadership is not just about strategy—it is about building a strong foundation of character that ensures sustainability and resilience in an evolving global landscape. This research reinforces the urgent need to embed character into leadership development at every level—students, educators, business leaders, and researchers alike. Leadership education must evolve beyond traditional skill-building to focus on developing ethical, values-driven individuals who can navigate complex moral dilemmas with confidence.
Whether you are a student stepping into leadership, an educator shaping future leaders, an executive fostering ethical workplaces, or a researcher advancing the field, the responsibility is shared. Developing leader character is not a passive process—it is an active commitment that requires practice, mentorship, and institutional support.
For a deeper exploration of these insights, we encourage you to read the full paper in Academy of Management Learning & Education.