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Six Dimensions Assessment
Brittany L. Thompson
CLED 815 – Character & Ethics in Leadership and Education
Author Note
Brittany L. Thompson
I have no known conflict of interest to disclose.
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Brittany L. Thompson
Email: blthompson11@liberty.edu
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Integrity
An individual’s character speaks more volume than the words that come out of their
mouth. For the Bible states in Proverbs 22:1, “Choose a good reputation over great riches; being
held in high esteem is better than silver or gold” (NLT). Every leader has a reputation that is
based on how effective they lead as an individual. “Leadership is not about titles, positions or
flowcharts. It is about one life influencing another” (Maxwell, 2019). Whether one agree or
disagree, there should be traits within that person that exemplify moral human rights and ethics.
Leaders are often looked upon for advice, guidance, and the individual who holds the vision for a
specific organization or department. With this great responsibility, one must ensure they are
leading in an integral way; to ensure the maintenance of integrity, it is best to lead God’s way.
Six Dimension Personal Assessment
Establishing Trust
Trust is such a delicate action that is hard to be gained by some and others give it freely.
As a leader, having the skill and ability to build a quick rapport with individuals will carry one a
long way. For someone to trust a person, they must be able to connect with them. “This empathy,
or ability to enter into another person’s experience, takes some depth of character. It requires that
the practitioner have a heart that’s able to feel, rather than be closed off or sentimental” (Study
Leadership, 2009). Just as a baby latches on to its mother, the individual must be able to identify
some part of themselves within their leader. A common ground must be established. Leaders will
need to possess empathy to understand others surround themselves with and to be more relatable.
“We trust people who we think hear us, understand us, and are able to empathize with our
realities as well as their own. That is why the abilities to connect, and trust are so intertwined”
(Cloud, 2009). Vulnerability is like the mirror for trust. Leaders have followers and followers
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are seeking individuals they can relate too. For a leader to gain the trust of their followers they
must know how to leverage power and vulnerability. “When dealing with people, let us
remember we are not dealing with creatures of logic. We are dealing with creatures of emotion,
creatures bristling with prejudices and motivated by pride and vanity” (Carnegie, 2011). This is
just the beginning, as the author draws deeper into what being relatable really looks like. Cloud
calls this “in touch with reality”.
Oriented Toward Truth
Trust is treasured and truth is valued at a high cost. “Basic truthfulness and reality 101, as
we are calling it here, is that people of good character are people who can be trusted to tell the
truth, and to give a representation of reality to others as best as they understand it” (Cloud,
2009). Many times, if not so often, people beg and plead for the truth and are not ready for what
lies on the other side of it. Though a person may be honest, sometimes to spare another’s feelings
they may life. This in some cases can be a negative thing. Dishonesty can distort the perception
of an individual if not given all the pieces of the puzzle. “Distorted views of others form when
those people might remind us of our unresolved past, or the distortions fill our needs. We also
often project onto other qualities we can’t see in ourselves, good or bad” (Study Leadership,
2009). Only those who are in touch with reality seek the truth, possess the emotional intelligence
to handle it, and look at the information they are given from various perspectives. Leaders should
keep this at the forefront of their mind as they lead. Truth in the life of a leader will yield
immeasurable results. “We can negotiate reality if we know what it is. But, when we are given
something other than the truth, we are in trouble” (Cloud, 2009). Being honest will assist a leader
in getting results and cooperative team.
Getting Results
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There are experts in almost every field of study. Those who are passionate about what
they do and seek to explore knowledge beyond what the classroom experience has given. These
individuals seek to live up to their full potential in life. “Results are the fruit of other aspects of
our makeup as well” (Cloud, 2009). Nevertheless, to do reach such a point, they must be in tuned
with who they are as a person. “Humility means honest self-evaluation, not denying the reality of
one’s gifts. People who lack self-knowledge and follow other expectations will be less than fully
engaged and will not perform well” (Study Leadership, 2009). Many people believe that
working on multiple tasks at one time make them more effective or a high producing employee.
This is not the case. From a leadership perspective, getting results is a great achievement, but its
in the “how” one goes about achieving those results. Leaders must have the capabilities to
manage their time in a way that it frees up time to develop even further in their leadership
journey. “One can’t replace the good with better as long as he or she is attached to the old, so
making a firm commitment to the new goal is necessary” (Study Leadership, 2009). Leaders
must practice good habits to evolve into a high performing and producing leader. “Habits are the
compound interest of self-improvement” (Clear, 2021).
Embracing the Negative
Being in a decision-making position, does not come without the problems. After all,
problems are the sharpeners to the skill of critical thinking and conflict resolution for the leader.
“Being equipped to deal with them and resolve them is quite another. This is one reality that
requires mature equipment, very complete equipment if done well” (Cloud, 2009). Those leaders
who are born for this embrace the problems and sharpen their skills along the journey. “Problem
solvers know that the best way to solve a problem is not to have one, so they trust their instincts
when a situation seems uncomfortable. They have usually done enough homework to know good
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from bad and have developed the ability to spot a bad situation before they can fully explain why
it’s bad” (Study Leadership, 2009). Perception is everything for a leader and it is a good rule of
thumb to have a clear one when a person is in power. Leaders cannot allow their vision to
become distorted or the entire ship will sink. “Being equipped to deal with them and resolve
them is quite another. This is one reality that requires mature equipment, very complete
equipment if done well” (Cloud, 2009).
Oriented Toward Increase
To increase, one must be willing to grow. Growth never happens in the comfort of one’s
safety net but rather the dive into the ocean of unknowns. “It’s only after you’ve stepped outside
your comfort zone that you begin to change, grow, and transform” (Bennett, 2020). Leaders
have an appetite for more knowledge and more beyond the level they are currently on. They do
not settle for where they are. “Most people’s appetite for growth has withered or been injured,
through experiences of lack of support and criticism. This experience shapes a person’s
character and stimulates negative self-talk, which in turn shapes how and what they will
produce in the outside world, more so than any actual failures” (Study Leadership, 2009). To
grow, one must be willing to take a risk that exceeds the current view, perception, and thoughts
of where they are. “Risk taking is an important dynamic to growth. It means that someone is
putting himself in a position of exposure, where he can be hurt. But, that is really just a synonym
for being alive. It is risky to drive down the freeway, in that definition” (Cloud, 2009). This will
require a new set of ongoing challenges that will shape and perfect the leader into who they were
truly called to be. James 1:2-4 states, “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come
your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested,
your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed,
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you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing” (NLT). When leaders have fully matured,
there will be little room for offense and great room for learning.
Oriented Toward Transcendence
Leaders who lead with love rather than pride goes further. When one understands that it
is not all about themselves and there is a greater good and bigger picture, then humility can begin
to operate in the individual. “A person with integrated character is a person who possesses the
awareness that it is not all about him or her, and the ability and willingness to make the necessary
adjustments to the things that transcend him or her at any given juncture” (Cloud, 2009). Even
the Bible states that “one should not think too highly of themselves” (Romans 12:3). When pride
enters, destruction is sure to follow. “When people see themselves as the ultimate interest, results
like the 2004 financial meltdowns occur, wreaking havoc for themselves and everyone else,
including innocent bank employees, stockholders, and the general public” (Study Leadership,
2009). Over the course of history, America has seen good and not so good of leadership coming
from the leaders of the free world. Each individual leadership was characterized by their ability
to put others first, make decisions in the best interest of the country and their overall character.
Some leaders have been a proven fit for the job while others lacked the basic skillset to lead just
one person. It all comes down to who has the heart of a servant. “Of all the things that sustain a
leader over time, love is the most lasting. The best-kept secret of successful leaders is love:
staying in love with leading, with the people who do the work, with what their organizations
produce, and with those who honor the organization by using its work” (Kouzes & Posner,
2017).
Conclusion
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Leaders have a compilation of skillsets and strengths they must possess to succeed at
leadership. Often, the perception of leadership is skewed and not given the proper credit that it is
due. “Some people idealize leaders, hiding their own shortcomings out of shame and limiting
opportunity for growth. Others assume poor character, such as dictatorlike qualities, are what
made people successful” (Study Leadership, 2009). It takes a lot of courage to accept the task of
leading others all while one is growing as an individual, personally, and professionally. Where
do leaders go when they need a leaning post? Who supports them and uphold their arms like
Aaron and Ur did or Moses? God. Leaders must lead the Godly way and look unto Him as a
source to replenishment and nourishment. “To grow, and to internalize new patterns, we need a
“feedback loop” that sees where we are at any given level, makes us aware of it, gives us
feedback with a path to do better, monitors the new changes, and repeats the cycle” (Cloud,
2009).
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References
Clear, J. (2021). Atomic Habits. Random House.
Cloud, H. (2009). Integrity: The Courage to Meet the Demands of Reality (Reprint ed.). Harper
Business.
Kouzes, J. M., & Posner, B. Z. (2017). The Leadership Challenge: How to Make Extraordinary
Things Happen in Organizations (J-B Leadership Challenge: Kouzes/Posner) (6th ed.).
Jossey-Bass.
Maxwell, J. C. (2019). Developing the Leader Within You 2.0 (Reprint ed.). HarperCollins
Leadership.
Study Leadership. (2009, November). Integrity: The Courage to Meet the Demands of Reality.
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