The 6 Elements of Character & Getting Leaders to Change

Leadership isn’t just about strategy, vision, or execution. It’s about character. And character isn’t some soft, intangible thing—it’s the foundation of trust, credibility, and influence. Without it, leaders might still get compliance, but they’ll never inspire true commitment.

So, what makes up character? Here are the six essential elements every leader needs:

1. Integrity: The Foundation of Trust

Integrity is doing the right thing even when no one is watching. It’s about keeping promises, owning mistakes, and aligning actions with values. The best leaders don’t just talk about integrity—they live it. And when they mess up? They don’t cover it up; they fix it.

Ask yourself: Do my actions consistently reflect the values I claim to hold?

2. Courage: The Willingness to Face Hard Truths

Great leadership isn’t about making everyone happy, it’s about making the right decisions, even when they’re unpopular. Courageous leaders give honest feedback, admit when they’re wrong, and challenge the status quo.

Ask yourself: Am I willing to have the tough conversations that others avoid?

3. Humility: The Ability to Learn and Adapt

The most dangerous leaders are the ones who think they have nothing left to learn. Humility isn’t about downplaying achievements—it’s about staying open to new ideas, admitting gaps in knowledge, and surrounding yourself with people smarter than you.

Ask yourself: Am I open to feedback, or do I get defensive when challenged?

4. Accountability: The Ownership of Results

Weak leaders blame. Strong leaders take responsibility. When things go wrong, they don’t point fingers—they own their part and fix the problem. Accountability isn’t about guilt; it’s about taking control of outcomes.

Ask yourself: Do I take full responsibility for my team’s success and failures?

5. Resilience: The Ability to Bounce Back

Failure isn’t fatal, but letting it define you is. Resilient leaders don’t crumble under pressure. They face setbacks, learn from them, and come back stronger.

Ask yourself: Do I let failures paralyze me, or do I use them as fuel for growth?

6. Empathy: The Power of Connection

People don’t follow leaders who don’t care about them. Empathy isn’t about being soft—it’s about understanding what drives, frustrates, and inspires your team. It’s the ability to see through their eyes, which makes leadership personal, not just positional.

Ask yourself: Do I truly listen to my team, or do I assume I already know what they need?

How Do You Get Leaders to Change?

Knowing these six elements is one thing. Getting leaders to change is another. And here’s the hard truth: most won’t change until staying the same becomes more painful than transformation.

Here’s how to make change stick:

Create a Mirror Moment – People change when they see the gap between who they are and who they want to be. Ask them: “If you were leading your own company, would you hire yourself as CEO?”

Make It Personal – Logic rarely changes behavior—emotion does. Tie leadership growth to their personal goals. “You say you want a high-performing team, but your leadership style is driving people away.”

Measure What Matters – If leaders don’t measure character, they won’t improve it. Have regular 360-degree feedback, ask direct reports for honest insights, and track patterns over time.

Model the Change – Leaders don’t transform by reading about change; they do it by seeing it in action. If you want them to be accountable, show radical accountability yourself.

Tie Change to Success – Every leader wants to win. Connect character growth to performance outcomes. “The highest-performing teams have leaders who prioritize trust and accountability—here’s how that impacts your bottom line.”

Make It a Process, Not an Event – You don’t change overnight. Make leadership growth a continuous process. Regular reflection, mentorship, and accountability structures ensure that transformation sticks.

Final Thought

Leadership isn’t about perfection. It’s about progress. The leaders who are willing to challenge themselves—to build character, embrace change, and own their growth—are the ones who build legacies.

So, the real question is: Are you willing to do the hard work of leadership, or are you just managing?