Dr Edward Brooks, Executive Director of the Oxford Character Project, spoke to Hannah Finch, Editor in Chief of The Beautiful Truth, about why character is back in fashion in education and professional development. He explained that the Oxford Character Project began in 2014 as a response to widespread questions during the aftermath of the financial crisis, when there was discussion of a leadership crisis and patterns of leadership needed to be reconsidered.
Reflecting on the Project’s decade-long research, Brooks described character as “the constellation of dispositions or habits that consistently shape how [people] think, feel and act.” These qualities, he emphasised, can be positive or negative, but “character is not set in stone” and is always being developed. Good character, he noted, is inherent good, which is fundamental to a flourishing human life.
Brooks also highlighted that focusing on character is not about fixing individuals but about helping people to be the best versions of themselves and about shaping organisations so that they uphold human values and purpose. Leaders with character qualities such as solidarity, creativity, courage, humility and hope are crucial for organisations and society to navigate present challenges and flourish into the future.
Click below to read the full interview.