Strength of Character

I have been reading Winston Churchill's four volume History of the English Speaking People. I am not in a big rush to get through it, and usually read it at night sitting at on the back porch by a fire in the fire pit. Of course, the hot summer has drastically cut back on that. Churchill's writing is somewhat confusing at times because there are so many names it is hard to keep straight who he is talking about. It also seems that assumes some knowledge about English history that I don't have, and so some of the plot has passed me by. It is hard to remember who is on whose side. However, it is an enjoyable read and I am sure it gets better towards the modern era, which is the period of history I enjoy more anyway.

In volume I, he writes of the beginning of the Stuart dynasty in Scotland. He says,

The first two Stuarts, Robert II and Robert III, were both elderly men of no marked strength of character”(Churchill, History of the English Speaking People, Vol 1, p. 271).

It struck as a insightful comment about weak leadership. Men with no "marked strength of character" will never be good leaders. They might turn out to be men of great influence through force of personality, family connections (What's wrong with nepotism so long as you keep it in the family?? ... sorry for that little rabbit trail), being one of the "good ole boys" to someone in power. But lacking strength of character will always prove on to be a bad leader.

Particularly sad about this, to me, is that these were "elderly men" who had no strength of character. One can understand a lack of character in a younger man. After all, maturity does not come overnight. But to be elderly with no character would seem to me to be evidence of a wasted life on all fronts.

If you want to lead, start with yourself. Develop your character. As many have said, Leading flows from being. Pursue excellence in personal growth and development. Do not accept from yourself that which you would not accept from others. Do not let yourself off the hook. Develop strength of character so that it will not be said of you that you were elderly with no marked strength of character.