What Is Character and How It Is Transformed
According to Wright, the character is a set of individual personality traits formed as a result of a person’s behavior and thinking. Character transformation is a daily work and, in a way, even an art; it is essential to understand how this process occurs (Wright, 2010). The thinker claims that the transformation of character can be represented as a process of three steps. This process will take the form of setting a goal, determining the necessary actions, and then creating a habit.
The Greek morality, Aristotle puts happiness as a moral ideal. He creates a model of ethics where every person, by performing actions, makes virtue, if at the same time they strive to improve the mind and affects. Wright’s biblical morality is based on the need to obey the Biblical laws of good and accept them. Morality is determined by the Christian system of views, the eternal and unchangeable laws of good, unlike Greek, where virtue is based on behavioral traditions of etiquette.
In my opinion, Wright’s position deserves attention, and I agree with him that harmonious world order can only be based on the universal and voluntary observance of the laws of good. Biblical ethics differs from other moral codes; it is better adapted to the arrangement of a perfect being determined by God. There are no private, transient behavioral norms in it; Christian morality has exhaustive subject completeness, comprehensive universality, and an incredible moral height.
Christianity has created a new idea of man’s historical existence and his future – the Kingdom of God. Therefore, as Wright points out, according to biblical values, the transformation of character will lead a person to the kingdom of God (Wright, 2010). I agree with this point of view, and I also believe that a person needs to change their character by following the ideas of virtue set out in the Bible. After all, the Commandments of God must lead a person to the Kingdom of Heaven, so people should try to follow them.
According to Wright, all the biblical moral norms of being aim to form a worthy member of society (Wright, 2010). In the books of the Old Testament, the requirements of the Law are formulated, observing which people should build interpersonal relationships. The books of the New Testament convey teaching that is intended to tell how to lead one’s life righteously; they are all based on universal values.
How Character Relates in Kouze’s and Posner’s Leadership Models and Maxwells Reflections
The leadership model of Kouzes and Posner is a relationship between people based on following, not on submission. When selecting such a leader, his features, professional skills, and unusual character traits are considered. This is a leader-servant who achieves recognition through the expression of the interests of his followers. He can mobilize many people to achieve common goals and is guided by what is expected of him and what his followers believe and need.
In chapter 3, Maxwell focuses on the inner side of leadership, specifically on honesty as the basis of leadership. It is one of the top personal qualities of a leader-servant; the relationship with the team and other people directly depends on this trait. A natural leader needs to be honest because he is a guarantor of trust for his followers. He should not be silent about anything or form a false idea about himself.
The leader’s word and deed should not differ; he should fulfill his promises. The leader always takes the side of justice, especially when others are mistreated. As stated in the Bible, living the truth helps those around the leader come to the truth. To be honest, it is to follow in the footsteps of God because He cannot lie. Therefore, honesty and decency are the fundamental qualities of a leader.
How Flexible Is My Moral Code, Joseph L. Badaracco
Joseph Badaracco discusses moral codes and how leaders develop their own. Badaracco uses Chinua Achebe’s story “Things Fall Apart” to illustrate his message. The story tells about the leader of an African tribe named Okonkwo. When the British intend to change their way of life, Okonkwo tries to get his clan to oppose him. However, his tribe eventually rejects his leadership because his moral code has not developed for a long time. What initially made Okonkwo a great leader turned out to be a sign of weakness, not strength.
Badaracco believes that flexibility is the main sign of moral strength (Badaracco, 2006). Okonkwo was so firm in his beliefs that he ignored those around him who could help him develop this flexibility. It is dangerous for a leader to think that he acts morally only because he believes he has a strict moral code. Okonkwo’s life shows leaders the need to think about the correctness of their deep beliefs.
There is a contradiction between Badaracco’s moral flexibility and the integrity of the values expressed by Kuzes, Posner, and Maxwell (2004). According to Badaracco, a leader’s values, beliefs, and attitudes are formed under the influence of society (Badaracco, 2006). He renews and enriches his worldview, value orientations, attitudes, and convictions under the influence of culture. According to the point of view expressed by Kuzes et al. (2004), the leader sets an example and does not follow social values but establishes them. It is he who primarily directs the activities of followers and determines their attitude to the world, themselves, and other people.
In my opinion, the content of the laws is subject to strict, unchangeable formulations and unambiguous interpretation; morality is characterized by flexibility and abstraction. The weak usually insist on their rightness because they are afraid to discover their existing shortcomings. If a person shows moral flexibility, then they deserve respect. The recognition that one’s own opinion is wrong and the other person is right is a characteristic of solid people who want to improve their character.
The uniqueness of biblical morality lies in its flexibility, which sometimes can imply a complete change in the course of life. Thus, the Bible says that God is pure, holy, and perfect and that He is not comparable to the sins that man creates on earth. Nevertheless, God can forgive a murderer, a rapist, a robber, and other people who have committed serious crimes. There are many examples in the Bible of how the Lord pardons sinners and criminals: for example, a sinful woman, a robber, and even those who crucified Jesus. The Lord forgives all those who sincerely repent and come to Him with a request for indulgence, which sets an example of moral flexibility for their children.
As can be seen from the Bible, over time, with the development of the Bible society, the moral values of the Bible also changed. Over time, the Bible has evolved from a morality based on the principle of “an eye for an eye,” presented in the Old Testament, to eternal forgiveness in the New Testament. The Bible, as a result of moral flexibility from the original set of norms and rules of behavior, came to the teaching of hope, faith, and love. It is the flexibility of morality and not a firm system of views that allows us to live according to the laws of the Lord and find authentic faith.
References
Badaracco, J. (2006). Questions of character. Boston, Mass.: Harvard Business School Press.
Kouzes, J., Posner, B., & Kouzes, J. (2004). Christian reflections on the leadership challenge. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Wright, N. (2010). After you believe. New York, NY: HarperOne.