“In looking for people to hire, look for three qualities: integrity, intelligence and energy. And if they don’t have the first, the other two will kill you.”
Warren Buffett, Chairperson of Berkshire Hathaway

Recognizing Poor Character Leaders

The April blog focused on the importance of good character – people who have integrity. The question is begged: “If good character is important, why are there so many leaders of poor character?”
Here is a description of leaders of poor character and several reasons why leaders of poor character can still rise to power.

Description of Poor/Mal-Intentioned Leaders

Leaders with traits such as narcissism, psychopathy, and authoritarian tendencies can significantly impact organizational culture. Leaders with these traits often rise to power because they can provide a competitive advantage.

Mal-intended, aggressive leaders can sometimes achieve things that leaders of good character might not be able to, due to their lack of integrity. They have a willingness to exploit others, disregard accepted norms and ethical considerations. These individuals may be more willing to use others as stepping stones and discard them when no longer needed¹.

Self-Aggrandizement to Gain Power is a Tool in the Poor Character Leader’s Arsenal

In today’s social media-driven world, leaders who boast/exaggerate their accomplishments and qualifications can capture more attention, even if their character is lacking². The accuracy of information affects the quality of our decisions. Misinformation can pose significant risks, including the spread of false information that can lead to dangerous consequences. It highlights the importance of good character in leadership to prevent the dissemination of misinformation and maintain ethical standards³.

Misinformation and disinformation are identified as major global risks. Misinformation, which is the accidental spread of inaccurate information, and disinformation, which is intentional deception, can erode trust in authority, shift public opinion, and cause serious harm. An organization can be significantly affected by one leader of poor character.

The World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report 2024 emphasizes that misinformation and disinformation are among the biggest short-term risks, with implications for social stability, democracy, and business. Advances in AI and the prevalence of information wars further exacerbate these risks⁴.

Neglect of Character Development puts Organizations at Risk

Many leaders focus heavily on developing their skills and intellectual capacity, neglecting the development of their character. This can lead to a situation where their skills take them to a place their character cannot sustain, resulting in a lack of ethical leadership and a compromised organizational culture⁵.

Conclusion

Leaders of good character behave with integrity. Integrity in the workplace builds trust, fosters positive relationships, enhances team cohesion and productivity. Demonstrating honesty and accountability strengthens professional reputations and organizational culture. Encouraging open communication and ethical decision-making promotes a transparent and respectful work environment. Integrity is often viewed as one of the most important and highly sought-after characteristics of both employees and employers. A recent Global Integrity Survey from EY reported that 97% of respondents agree that integrity is a vital foundation for any corporation. Despite the sweeping agreement that integrity offers significant value to organizations, EY highlights a widening gap between awareness of integrity’s role in business operations and diminishing standards of conduct⁵.

Potential Next Steps

Questions for leaders to ask in your workplace;

1. What level of integrity do you perceive in our workplace?
2. What behaviours indicate that the person has integrity?
3. How can we ensure that our leaders value and behave with good character?
4. What should be done if there is a perception of poor character?

Prove It!

¹ and ² https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/head-strong/202310/when-leaders-fail-in-character
³ https://briandoddonleadership.com/2025/01/21/10-reasons-why-leaders-fail-in-2025/
⁴ https://hls.harvard.edu/today/spread-of-false-information-causes-dangers-says-sunstein/
⁵ https://positivepsychology.com/integrity-in-the-workplace/

Our next blog is in September

My plan is to spend time this summer interviewing people in the workplace about the issue of good character and in September start profiling individual people who exemplify this behaviour.

I wish you a very good, enjoyable summer.

With gratitude,

Kathleen Redmond MA, MCC
kr@centreforcharacterleadership.com
905.478.7962

We are living in challenging times. I hope that this information and tools may be helpful in strengthening our organizations and country.

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Centre for Character Leadership | 1111 Davis Drive 1-174 | Newmarket, ON L3Y 7V1 CA
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Our theme for 2025 is Speak Up. There is a word we hear a great deal these days – bullying. Let’s be sure you feel ready if this word arises in your workplace. If in the course of your discussions the issue of people feeling bullied arises here is some information. In this blog we’ll look at the importance of dealing with bullying behaviour and what to do, and not do, about it.

In the Workplace

Workplace bullying is a pervasive issue that can have serious consequences for both individuals and organizations. It is essential to address and manage bullying effectively to create a healthy and productive work environment.

Understanding Workplace Bullying

Workplace bullying is any repeated, harmful behavior aimed at a person or group. It is meant to undermine, intimidate, or humiliate the person on the receiving end of it. Unlike normal disagreements or conflicts, workplace bullying tends to happen slowly over time, creating a hostile work environment for the person or people involved. Bullying can take many forms, including verbal, psychological, physical, cyber, and professional bullying.

The Impact of Workplace Bullying

The effects of workplace bullying are far-reaching. It can lead to serious mental and physical health issues, such as stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, high blood pressure, and gastrointestinal problems. Bullying creates a place where individuals are constantly afraid and unable to be themselves, leading to decreased job satisfaction and productivity. Moreover, bullying can erode trust within the organization, making it difficult for employees to collaborate effectively and achieve their goals.

Why Addressing Bullying is Crucial

Dealing with bullying behaviour in the workplace is often painful and difficult, but it is necessary for the well-being of both employees and the organization. Confronting this issue requires courage and skill, and organizations must have clear processes for identifying and managing bullying behaviour. If serial bullying succeeds, it can consume much of the creative and productive efforts of the organization, ultimately destroying its effectiveness. Therefore, it is essential to differentiate between bullying and other behaviours that may look similar, ensuring that staff and management can effectively stop and prevent bullying.

Big Picture Strategies

To effectively address workplace bullying, organizations should implement the following strategies:

1. Establish Clear Policies and Procedures: Develop and promote expectations for appropriate behaviour and create reporting procedures for workplace bullying. Ensure that employees are aware of these procedures and their specific roles and responsibilities.
2. Promote a Positive Work Culture: Encourage a culture of respect, inclusion, and collaboration. Use tools like SNIP© (Stop, Notice, Inquire, and Plan) to help employees manage their reactions and align their intentions, thoughts, feelings, and actions.
3. Provide Training and Support: Offer training sessions on recognizing and addressing bullying behaviour. Provide support for employees who have experienced bullying, including counseling and mediation services.
4. Take Swift Action: When bullying is identified, take immediate and appropriate action to address the behaviour. This may include disciplinary measures, reassignment, or termination of employment.

When dealing with this behaviour, it’s crucial to avoid certain actions that can exacerbate the situation. Here are some things not to do:

1. Do Not Respond with More Bullying: Reacting with aggression or bullying back can lead to further problems and escalate the situation. People who choose to bully others often seek a reaction, and responding aggressively can give them the power they crave.
2. Do Not Keep It to Yourself: Hoping that the bullying will go away on its own is not effective. It’s important to report the bullying to a supervisor, HR, or another authority figure who can help address the issue.
3. Do Not Skip Work or Avoid Activities: Avoiding work or activities because of fear can impact your professional growth and well-being. Instead, seek support and take steps to address the bullying.
4. Do Not Blame Yourself: Remember that bullying is not your fault. No one deserves to be bullied, and it’s important to recognize that the issue lies with the perpetrator, not with you.
5. Do Not Get Angry or Sarcastic: Avoid getting angry or sarcastic in your response. Instead, try to remain calm and composed, and respond assertively without aggression.
6. Do Not Isolate Yourself: Isolating yourself can make you more vulnerable to bullying. Instead, stay connected with trusted friends and colleagues who can provide support and protection.
7. Do Not Ignore this inappropriate behaviour: While it may be tempting to ignore or attempt to placate the person, it’s important to address the behaviour and seek help from authority figures if necessary.

By avoiding these actions, you can better manage the situation and take steps to address and prevent bullying in the workplace.

In addition to the strategies mentioned, it’s important to understand the underlying reasons why adults bully others in the workplace. Factors such as low self-esteem, jealousy, and fear of exposure can drive bullying behaviour. Recognizing these factors can help in developing effective interventions and support systems. By implementing these best practices, organizations can create a safer and more supportive work environment for all employees.

Questions to ask:

• What makes you feel comfortable and supported in our workplace?
• What makes you feel uncomfortable in our workplace?
• What have you done about it when you feel uncomfortable?
• Would you like to learn about next steps and options?

Conclusion

Dealing with bullying behaviour in the workplace is essential for creating a healthy and productive work environment. By implementing clear policies, promoting a positive work culture, providing training and support, and taking swift action, organizations can effectively manage and prevent workplace bullying.

Resources

Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety has many practical and helpful resources available.
https://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/psychosocial/bullying.html

We are living in challenging times. I hope that this information and tools may be helpful in strengthening our organizations and country.

With gratitude,

Kathleen Redmond MA, MCC
kr@centreforcharacterleadership.com
905.478.7962

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Centre for Character Leadership | 1111 Davis Drive 1-174 | Newmarket, ON L3Y 7V1 CA
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Oh Canada! What a challenging time. Given the gift of many decades on this earth I believe we are, for the most part, a decent people striving to do the right thing.

At the same time, we are experiencing workplace productivity issues¹, and the North American political situation is causing upheaval as well. It’s an opportune moment to consider one way we can strengthen our Canadian workplace.

By focusing on what apparently everyone wants, but we require tools to deal with – good character. Both for our organizations and us, as individuals.²

One part of good character is speaking up. Speaking up honestly and candidly is part of integrity. We have integrity – let’s make sure others know it.

The Canadian character is often described as too passive. “A nice, apologetic, gentle people” ³ which make us vulnerable to be sidelined by the most aggressive, bullying voice.

There are two ways practical ways to consider this issue. First, think about your own voice – when you speak up and when you don’t. The other consideration is ensuring that those around you are speaking up. Hearing your colleagues, particularly your team, your peers and your leader is important, as you well know.

More communication,in all directions,can increase engagement.⁴ Speaking up about what is valuable and could be done more effectively increases the opportunity to develop a culture that enhances more constructive participation and thereby effectiveness.

Good character requires self-awareness, intentionality and skills. Of course, it is possible to develop good character⁵ – speaking up is only one element, but it is important.

Here is a short self-assessment covering both organizational culture and personal perspectives regarding speaking up.

Topic Additional Information True somewhat true, not true

1. Your Character You believe it’s best to remain silent and conciliatory to keep the peace. Or not offend or hurt anyone.
2. Finding the Words You fear an aggressive push back after you speak up, and you won’t know what to say next.
3. Organizational Culture Your organization does not encourage people to share thoughts, so you keep your ideas to yourself.
4. Trust You don’t believe that you will be heard and understood if you explain your point of view.
5. Feel Ignored You make a suggestion, and it is ignored. Another says the same thing and is lauded. You often feel powerless.
6. It’s Common Practice You see disrespectful, inappropriate behaviour as the norm in your workplace and therefore you just tolerate it.
7. Given up You are so often interrupted, or your sentences finished by others that you have given up.
8. Fear of Repercussions You’re concerned about damaging your reputation (being seen as difficult or odd) or facing other negative consequences if you speak up.
9. Shrink down You are concerned that other’s may not approve if you express your true thoughts and feelings.
10. Bullied into silence You are silenced and uncomfortable when experiencing bullying behaviour.
11. Cashed Out You are so disappointed or hurt by past issues that you aren’t interested in organizational success.
12. Too Late You are late in recognizing when you have been treated disrespectfully, and it is too late to say anything.
13. Big Enough You know something negative has happened to you, but you worry that the issue is too small to mention.
14. Hurt our Relationship You don’t want to damage a good relationship, so saying nothing seems like the best choice.

Interpreting Results.

If you find more than a couple of “somewhat true” or “not true” responses, then you may choose to make some changes. The Character Intelligence Model©⁶ can be applied to “skill up” in that particular area.

The goal of the blog this year is to provide information on developing a confident, authentically good, powerful voice by leveraging your character, both for you and your organization.

The assessment topics will be covered in 2025 blogs. The assessment is also in a downloadable template to use as required, for yourself and your team.

Click here to access assessment tool.

An example of one issue – Your Character (1.)

One of your team overtalks at meetings. This person interrupts others and dominates the conversation the majority of the time. You have asked them to invite others into the discussion and not interrupt, to no avail. This behaviour is hurting the team’s productivity and this person’s effectiveness. You know they mean well, they are a productive contributor in many ways, and enjoy talking, but you need to be clear regarding their impact on the team. You want to practice speaking up.

Following the Character Intelligence Model©, the starting point is Intention. Intention has four aspects: beliefs, principles, values and goals.
Here are some questions to ask yourself to ensure that your words and actions (speaking up behaviour) align with your intention.

Intentions:
• Beliefs – today, what do you think is the right thing to do in this situation?
• Principle – what is fair to all parties concerned?
• Values – what is important to you in this circumstance?
• Goals – what specific action would you like to take in this situation? What are the words and actions you would like to say/take?

By clarifying your intention, you determine that you will be more assertive and honest with the person and hold them accountable to change their behaviour. You decide to hold an in-person meeting and describe the behaviour you have observed and the impact on themselves, their colleagues, the work and you. You will ask them what they will do to stop taking so much airtime, and what they need to do this. You will set a follow up meeting with the person to assess the change/results.

To do this, you will be required to pay attention to your own thoughts so that your intention is not derailed. Also, attend to your feelings. Feelings of concern for the person can override your intention/actions.

The Character Intelligence Model© can be applied in any situation to determine if you should speak up or not by asking the questions above and paying attention to your thoughts and feelings as you apply your desired behaviour.

This is indeed a time when all our voices need to be heard. The self-assessment supports awareness around this issue and Character Intelligence Model© is a tool to develop greater strength and power in speaking up.

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” – Martin Luther King Jr.

Kathleen has written five books based on good character in the workplace.

The books are accessible at www.centreforcharacterleadership.com

Resources and Additional Reading
¹ https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/230519/dq230519b-eng.htm
² https://www.regent.edu/journal/international-journal-of-leadership-studies/leading-with-integrity/
³ https://www.cbc.ca/2017/sorry-can-we-talk-about-why-canadians-apologize-so-much-1.3939997
⁴ https://www.benefitscanada.com/news/bencan/canadian-employees-engagement-in-line-with-global-average-of-21-survey/
⁵ https://your.yale.edu/work-yale/learn-and-grow/career-development/build-your-character-through-lifelong-learning
⁶ link to the Character Intelligence Model.

With gratitude,

Kathleen Redmond MA, MCC
kr@centreforcharacterleadership.com

905.478.7962

 Visit our website

Centre for Character Leadership | 1111 Davis Drive 1-174 | Newmarket, ON L3Y 7V1 CA
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The Case

A client wrote that they work with an untrustworthy peer. Promises aren’t kept, the person is demeaning, etc. Their leader doesn’t deal with the situation and in the past when the client tried to provide feedback directly, they were rudely ignored. Our client offers this as an issue to be dealt with in a “Character Approach manner – how to work effectively with this person?

The Character Approach

Intention – What he wants to happen
The intention of this client is to continue working with the person, as he chooses to stay in this job. Hopefully, he finds a way to improve the relationship and one way or another, get the job done as effectively as possible. He also wants to be able to deal with the situation without evoking an emotional reaction on his own part.

Thoughts – What he thinks about the situation
The client suspects that any attempt to communicate directly about past issues will be met with disdain and will be unproductive. He believes the best approach is to find a way to move forward.

Feelings – What he feels about the situation
The client feels like he walks on eggshells around his person as he is fearful of a negative outcome. He is uncomfortable with the lack of civility and collaboration. “Feeling” questions for him to consider are “what is reasonable to expect of other people?”, “how do you deal with the other people in your life who are untrustworthy?” and “ideally, how would you like to feel/behave when you are confronted with people who behave in an untrustworthy fashion?”

Behaviours – What he is choosing to do
Working together when trust is lacking can be challenging, but not impossible. By establishing clear goals and expectations, communicating openly and honestly, focusing on common ground, and addressing conflicts directly, people can often work together effectively, even when trust is not strong. It takes skill and commitment, but can be worth the effort. Continuing without making changes is not in his best interest.

1. Establish clear goals and expectations. It is a reasonable step to clarify the goals and expectations of each as they work together.

Putting it into Words. “As colleagues, we need to agree on what we want to achieve and how we will measure our progress. What are the main objectives and deliverables for our work/project? What are the roles and responsibilities of each of us? How will we communicate and coordinate our work? What is the best approach if an issue arises?”

2. Communicate openly and honestly Continue to create an agreement for how they work together.

Putting it into Words. “If you have any information, questions, or feedback that might affect our work, please share it with the me. This is what I require to be effective. If you have any issues or challenges that you need help with, please let me know. I’m ready and willing to support you and ask the same from you.”

3. Focus on common ground Trust may be lacking in a team because there is a lack of rapport or connection between the people. They may have different backgrounds, personalities, or styles, which can create differences or clashes. To avoid this, it is important to focus on common ground, finding areas of agreement, similarity, or interest. This can help build empathy and respect in the team and foster a positive and collaborative team culture. Also think about having the same conversation with other colleagues to create a consistent work style.

Putting it into Words. “What are some of the things that we have in common, such as values, interests, or goals? How can we leverage our diverse strengths, perspectives, and experiences to enhance our work? How can we celebrate our successes and learn from our mistakes as colleagues?”

4. Apply your listening and empathy skills. In previous blogs we talked about Listen-Acknowledgement-Ask©, as well as SNIP© (Stop, Notice, Inquire, Plan). These skills will come be useful in these conversations.

Putting It Into Words.

Listen-Acknowledge-Ask©

SNIP©

5. Follow up and Documentation. After the conversation consider sending an email (or whatever form of documentation is appropriate) to outline your agreement and establish a date to review progress.

Conclusion: Navigating such scenarios requires patience, empathy, and a commitment to open communication. The character approach provides a structured, assertive way to address this challenge, promoting a healthier, more respectful work environment. It requires effort to work with people who have different values and styles that yourself, but it is often required. Hopefully this approach will be useful to you.

Call to Action: Have you faced similar situations? How did you handle them?
Please send us other situations for a future blog at my email below.

Kathleen Redmond MA, MCC
kr@centreforcharacterleadership.com
905.478.7962

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Centre for Character Leadership | 1111 Davis Drive, 1-174, Newmarket, L3Y 7V1 Canada
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Sent by kr@centreforcharacterleadership.com

Happy New Year.

2024 is off to a rollicking start and it appears good character, collaboration and healthy cultures continues to be a point of focus.

This year the blog will be a little different.
There have been many requests for the actual wording in different situations. Clients often say – I know what I want to say, but can’t find the words to say it.

In response to these requests, let’s take a case per month and explore, from a character point of view (Intention, thoughts, feelings, behaviours) the words and actions that are reasonable and potentially appropriate for you.

January case – What to do when a peer is maligning your reputation?

The case
Your leader was promoted. You and a peer applied for their position. You, although younger and with less tenure, were promoted. The fellow applicant has been saying negative things about you to other team members. The team members have been telling you confidentially about the negative comments. You are not sure what to do.

The Character Approach – Dealing with issues with a courageous, considered response

Intention – Responding vs reacting
· What do you want to achieve in this situation?
· What would be the best possible outcome for you?
· How have you seen other similar situations successfully handled?

Thoughts – What is going through your mind?
· How does this person treat you?
· What assumptions are you making about their motivation?
· How can you deal with the issue without revealing what has been told to you in confidence?

Feelings – How to handle emotion – yours and the other persons?
· What is your emotional reaction when you hear what you are being told? (I know from my clients and indeed in my own life, this type of situation can take you aback. It might be useful for you to make notes about the situation as you work through it. Ideally the next time something like this happens, you will feel more prepared.)
· What are your feelings about dealing with this situation?
· What do you fear might be the reaction if you confront the issue directly?
· What do you think is happening emotionally to the other person?

Behaviours – What you actually say and do to deal with the situation

An option is to speak to the person directly. Ask for a private meeting with the person and ensure you are prepared to listen as well as speak. The focus is on what will be different in the future. The past is over and there is no point bringing up what happened.

The tools of Listen-Acknowledge, Ask©, and SNIP© are referenced in these links.

Behaviour – Putting It Into Words

Thank you for making the time for this conversation which is very important to me. I know that we both applied for this job and I am wondering what it is like for you at this point?

Listen. Use empathy (Listen – Acknowledge – Ask©) as appropriate.

I need to be sure of your support. If you see an opportunity to either recognize what I am doing well or if I can be more effective, please bring the issue to my attention. And only discuss the issue with me. How does my request land with you?

If the person asks if you have heard something from others, tell the truth. E.g.

Yes, and what I think is fair, rather than believe second hand information, is to bring issues directly to you. What is important is how we treat each other. I will certainly be honest and supportive of you with and am asking for the same from you. Do I have your commitment?

If the person commits to this behaviour, establish a follow-up date and send an email to them to summarize the meeting.

Final Thoughts
Of course, every circumstance is different, and you will do what is right for you, in the words you are comfortable with, and as fits the situation. The goal of this blog is to offer a structured approach and a pathway for consideration. Whatever path you take, you will learn more about yourself and your character.

Please feel free to send your comments or other cases to consider at my email below.

Best wishes,

Kathleen Redmond MA, MCC
kr@centreforcharacterleadership.com
905.478.7962

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