Leader development is an enduring priority for most organizations, and the U.S. Army is no different. People deserve leaders they can trust, leaders who are competent at their job and committed to the team and the mission. More than anything else, people deserve leaders of exemplary character.

Character development is a continuous process enabling an individual to develop a powerful sense of purpose, resilience and integrity. Various methods, such as self-reflection, mentor feedback and implementing a plan of action, help cultivate character.

The Army released Field Manual (FM) 6-22: Developing Leaders in November. This new doctrine defines character as “a person’s true nature comprised of their morals, virtues, values, conscious and sense of purpose, which make up their core and are the mindset and moral foundation behind actions and decisions.” FM 6-22 describes leaders of character as soldiers who “adhere to the Army Values, display empathy, the Warrior Ethos/Service Ethos, humility, and practice good discipline.”

Though there are multiple definitions of character, there is no objective way to measure a person’s character. Therefore, it is difficult to identify what desirable character traits people possess and what they need to improve.

Character development is the art of identifying the character baseline and remaining engaged throughout the cultivation process while being cognizant of ethical fading and demanding accountability when necessary. All these terms are defined below.

The Baseline

Personal values, beliefs and attitudes are the baseline for character development. Values are the core principles that guide a person’s life through their conditioned behaviors and actions. Beliefs are the ideas and convictions a person holds to be true and with which they make decisions. On the other hand, attitudes are a person’s feelings and opinions, and shape how an individual responds to a situation. These elements work together to form the foundation of character and provide the baseline for character development.

The process of developing character has been studied and discussed by experts in the field of leadership, including retired Brig. Gen. James Anderson and his son Dave Anderson, authors of the 2017 book Becoming a Leader of Character: 6 Habits that Make or Break a Leader at Work and at Home. In the book, they explain how “Our thoughts and what we do with them are the first step toward developing our character.”

There is no objective measure of character. Rather, character is a complex web of values, beliefs and behaviors shaped by both nature and nurture. Leaders within organizations can determine what character traits an individual possesses by focusing on their behaviors and actions. For an organization to be successful, its leaders must have character traits that align with its ethical principles and values.

The Army has established a set of core values—the Army Values—which are loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity and personal courage. Leaders must assess the character of their leaders and soldiers within the organization by determining whether their behaviors and actions align with these values.

FM 6-22 further outlines specific leader attributes within the Army leadership requirements model representing what a leader of character should be. These attributes include the Army Values, empathy, the Warrior Ethos or Service Ethos, discipline and humility. Leaders must continually personify these attributes while refining and developing a soldier’s character during the cultivation process.

Cultivation Process

The process of character development requires continuous assessment, candid and constructive feedback, mentorship and a plan of action. Assessing an individual’s character should be centered around their commitment to the core values and principles of the organization, as well as their capacity to lead and make decisions with integrity. The assessment process encompasses both self-assessment and leader observation. Constructive feedback is essential for identifying areas of improvement and character strengths requiring further development. Mentorship is a critical component of character development.

In their 2020 book The Character Edge: Leading and Winning with Integrity, retired Lt. Gen. Robert Caslen Jr. and Michael Matthews describe the importance of cultivating character and how it can help create and maintain success. According to Caslen and Matthews, “positive and sustained mentoring is fundamental to cultivating character.”

Leaders are responsible for developing a plan of action using the information gathered during assessments and feedback sessions, and implementing the plan of action through counseling and mentorship. Mentors can provide guidance, support and accountability to their mentees, which can help foster a powerful sense of character and integrity.

In best practice, cultivating character begins in the preliminary stages of a soldier’s development and continues once they become a leader. Cultivating character requires a commitment to self-improvement and a dedication to living the Army Values.

Soldiers should focus on development of their individual character strengths. Leaders have a duty and responsibility to develop others and must focus on developing a soldier’s character using an integrated approach. Mature, seasoned and experienced leaders have the capacity to develop leaders of character when the junior leader is committed to self-development.

Organizations also must enable and support character development by setting expectations and empowering leaders. Senior leaders’ behavior within an organization demonstrates their commitment to cultivating character. Practicing certain behaviors, such as conducting self-assessments, command assessments and climate feedback surveys, can proactively prevent leaders from making illegal, immoral or unethical decisions when placed in positions of power.

Ethical Fading

In 2015, retired Lt. Col. Leonard Wong and retired Col. Stephen Gerras, both professors at the U.S. Army War College, conducted a study on the culture of dishonesty among Army officers. The hard truths outlined in their report, “Lying to Ourselves: Dishonesty in the Army Profession,” clarified a concept known as ethical fading.

In their report, Wong and Gerras elaborated on how “ethical fading allows Army officers to transform morally wrong behavior into socially acceptable conduct.”

Ethical fading occurs when leaders gain personal or positional power, and their character lacks the development needed to withstand temptations. When a leader focuses more on the potential rewards of a particular decision or action, rather than the probable moral or ethical implications, ethical fading becomes apparent. This ethical fading corrodes the principles and values for which the organization stands.

As Caslen and Matthews point out, “When major institutions are led by people who do not embrace positive values, confidence in the institutions they represent erodes.” The process of cultivating character is essential to preventing these behaviors. When ethical fading occurs, it is critical to hold those leaders accountable.

Accountability

Leaders of character hold their people accountable for actions that do not align with the ethical principles and values of the organization. As Caslen and Matthews state, “Holding people accountable for their actions is essential for sending the right message to the organization.”

In addition, accountability allows individuals the opportunity to reflect on their actions and take initiative to make better decisions. This reflection period is a self-assessment process that further develops the individual’s character.

Accountability takes different forms, depending on the leader and the circumstance. For serious ethical misconduct, accountability appears in the form of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Or accountability may look more like additional training, counseling or administrative measures for other lapses in character. Holding the individual accountable for their actions is vital because, without accountability, there is no character development.

Character development is both an art and a complex process. This process begins with leaders identifying a person’s character baseline and remaining engaged throughout the cultivation process. This process includes assessment, feedback, mentorship and developing and implementing action plans.

Finally, as organizations strive to cultivate character in their people, it is vital to recognize the potential for ethical fading and hold people accountable for their actions. Character development matters because soldiers deserve leaders of exemplary character—trustworthy leaders who are grounded in the Army Values, make ethical decisions and hold others accountable.

Sgt. Maj. Charlene Crisp is the command paralegal for the 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. She has served in the 2nd Infantry Division; the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault); at the Combined Arms Center, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; and at the Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School, Virginia. She served two tours in Afghanistan.