Character Development from the US Army Leadership Manual

CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
People join the Army as Soldiers and Army civilians with their character, pre-shaped by their
background, beliefs, education, and experience. An Army leader’s job would be simpler if merely checking
the team member’s personal values against the Army Values and developing a simple plan to align them
sufficed. Reality is much different. Becoming a person of character and a leader of character is a careerlong
process involving day-to-day experience, education, self-development, developmental counseling,
coaching, and mentoring. While individuals are responsible for their own character development, leaders
are responsible for encouraging, supporting, and assessing the efforts of their people. Leaders of character
can develop only through continual study, reflection, experience, and feedback. Leaders hold themselves
and subordinates to the highest standards. The standards and values then spread throughout the team, unit,
or organization and ultimately throughout the Army.
Doing the right thing is good. Doing the right thing for the right reason and with the right goal is
better. People of character must possess the desire to act ethically in all situations. One of the Army
leader’s primary responsibilities is to maintain an ethical climate that supports development of such
character. When an organization’s ethical climate nurtures ethical behavior, people will, over time, think,
feel, and act ethically. They will internalize the aspects of sound character.