You can’t download character

It is 9 years old now, but there is a scene in the film, ’The Matrix’ where the main characters (Neo and Trinity) are running from the bad guys (Agent Smith and friends). They are at the top of a building where there only method of escape is a helicopter. Neo asks Trinity; “Can you fly this?”, she replys; “Not yet”. In the next scene she has downloaded into her brain all the information required to fly the helicopter, this takes merely seconds.

I often think of this scene as I watch people pick up different skills for different jobs and roles around SU. My observation is that it is getting easier to obtain the information and training required for a variety of tasks in a short period of time. Of course there are still many roles that require skills that can only be developed over a few years and our skills always require practice to become effective. Access to the information required for new skills though is now readily available from multiple sources.

In contrast to this a persons character cannot be downloaded. Character are the behavioural traits that we display or operate by. They develop over time and are often shaped quite strongly by the values and principles that we choose to adopt and put into practice. Throughout the Bible and the history of the people that follow God are stories of character being exercised, failure of character and outlines of what characteristics the people of God should develop.

Character in leadership is one of the three components that I believe go towards making a good leader. In particular I believe two characteristics that help leaders become great are they have a servant attitude and a determined will. While the term servant, is not always picked up in leadership literature. Alot has been written on the values of leaders being team focused, humble and having the emotional intelligence to be able to understand the needs of the people they lead. In hand with a servant attitude seems also to be fierce determination.

An important part of character are people’s personality, the bit that gives our character it’s flavour.

This is why I do not believe in Christian Leadership as a discrete subject. I believe that a Christian who has had their character developed and matured by time and experience who is then given the opportunity to learn some leadership skill will make a potentially fantastic leader in Christian contexts.