When we think about great leaders, we often focus on their skills: their ability to strategise, to execute, to manage complex situations.
And it’s true that competence is important, but it’s not the whole story. From Julius Caesar to Winston Churchill, great leaders are distinguished not by what they know, but who they are.
Which is where character comes into play. The quiet power behind lasting influence, the character of a leader shapes vital decisions, builds trust, and sets the tone for entire organisations.
In the modern world where skills can be quickly taught and picked up and technical knowledge can be accessed easily online or through AI, character is becoming the ultimate differentiator.
As an influential leadership authority in elite level sport, education, and business, Drew Povey outlines his view on why character is the hidden engine of great leadership.
Beyond Knowledge: Why Who You Are Outweighs What You Know
Whether you learn most effectively through group courses, independent research, or one-to-one coaching, knowledge is abundant and can be acquired at speed.
While there’s no doubt that knowledge will get you a seat at the table, character determines how long you’ll be there for and whether people want to sit there with you.
Why? Because knowledge can always be gained, but character (while it can be taught with time and effort), is ingrained into a person. Character can’t be Googled, outsourced, or picked up in a matter of minutes.
It’s the foundation of how a leader shows up: how they act under pressure, how they handle power, and how they balance personal ambition with the good of the team.
When times are uncertain, people don’t just follow the most knowledgeable leader. They follow the one whose integrity is steady, whose values are clear, and whose actions are consistent.
Character First: The Leadership Filter We Keep Ignoring
Too often, competence is the most scrutinised element during an interview for a leadership role. Recruiters typically focus on the applicant’s years of experience, qualifications, and accreditations, commonly overlooking character.
However, the way a leader handles setbacks, communicates under pressure, and makes decisions when no one is watching reveals far more than a polished CV ever could.
As reported by Harvard Business Review, this is supported by the results of a study by the global consulting firm, KRW International which found that CEOs whose employees gave them high marks for character had an average return on assets (ROA) of 9.35% over a two-year period.
In contrast, those with low character ratings had an average ROA of just 1.93% – that’s nearly five times less than those with higher perceived character.
The conclusion – a leader’s character can directly impact business performance and the company’s bottom line, so why are we so quick to overlook character in favour of competence?
When looking at recruitment to fill a leadership vacancy, a more balanced approach that assesses both character and competence can help to ensure the position is filled by someone who’s not only capable, but also trustworthy and resilient.
The Unseen Advantage: Why Character Shapes Decisions, Teams and Trust
Character is the prime mover for everything that a leader does, quietly driving their decisions, priorities, and how they treat people – especially when things go wrong.
A leader’s character acts as a multiplier. When it’s strong, it amplifies trust, cohesion, and long-term performance. Conversely, when it’s weak, it erodes confidence and undermines results, no matter how competent the leader may be.
This line of thinking is supported by Max H. Bazerman, Jesse Isidor Straus Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School, and his work on ethical leadership:
“Leaders can do far more than just make their own behavior more ethical. Because they are responsible for the decisions of others as well as their own, they can dramatically multiply the amount of good they do by encouraging others to be better.
“As a leader, think about how you can influence your colleagues with the norms you set and the decision-making environment you create.”
Teams pick up on character instinctively. They notice whether their leader acts with integrity, fairness, and consistency and they respond accordingly. The result is often greater loyalty, higher levels of discretionary effort, and a deeper collective commitment to success.
In that sense, character is no longer a “soft” quality, it’s a strategic advantage that supports sustained success.
The Hardest Skill to Teach: Why Leaders Win or Lose on Character
Skills can be taught. Competence can be developed through training and experience. But character? That’s significantly harder, but not impossible, to cultivate.
According to the Harvard Business Insight ‘The Case for Leadership Character’, various learning methods, including feedback, coaching, practice, and modelling, can help leaders to enhance their authenticity, integrity, courage – all key attributes of character.
However, this process demands self-awareness, reflection, and a willingness to be shaped by challenge and failure. Leaders that successfully undergo this process set themselves apart from the crowd.
Ultimately, time and time again, it’s character that determines whether leaders merely survive in an organisation or inspire and endure.