CLED_815_Six_Dimensions_Paper_GMH.docx.pdf

Running head: SIX DIMENSIONS PAPER

Six Dimensions Paper

Genevieve Hamer

School of Divinity, Liberty University

February 20, 2022

Author Note

Genevieve Hamer

I have no known conflict of interest to disclose.

Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Genevieve Hamer

Email:ghamer@liberty.edu

mention that “character, who he was as a person, was leaving a wake behind that included more

than just sales numbers”. (p. 11). In a biblical worldview, character or integrity is what defines

you. It is the outward sense of what others see about you. A. W. Tozer describes character as “the

excellence of moral beings”. In simple terms, one’s character and integrity as a leader assert

one’s reputation. Proverbs 11:3 says, “The integrity of the upright guides them, but the

crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.” Integrity is a foundation on which sound

leadership is biblical based. When we think about leaders with good character, we often describe

them as honest, with strong moral fiber, caring and concerned for others. Christian character and

integrity begins with faith in Christ. It is one’s faith in Christ which separates them from mere

civil or secular morality. (Hebrews 11:6). Simply acting good is not enough. The motives for

end, trust is about the heart, and someone making an investment in you from his or her heart.” (p.

22). Ultimately, Christians are taught to put their trust in God. Scriptures like Proverbs 3:5-6

say, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy

lean on others, and it is important to know how to trust.

Cloud offers his views on building trust through connections. In his opinion, a connection “is

the experience by one person that another is invested in him or her.” (p.23). Cloud goes on to say

that using empathy or “the ability to enter into another person’s experience and connect with it in

such a way that you actually experience it to some degree” is a great way to build trust. As he

moves through his theory on building trust, the author believes that extending favor is another

way to enhance the level of trust between individuals. By creating a stance of being “for” the

As Cloud describes the dynamics of building trust, this writer can see that she already

employs many of the tactics into areas of ministry. As a youth minister and youth worker on

ministry weekend, it is necessary to quickly establish a bond of trust. Being able to identify with

the group of students that one is working with is essential in order to find a place to empathy.

Also, sharing past failures and ways that this leader has overcome mistakes made in her own

personal life has allowed her to build trust within the groups she interacts.

ii. Character Dimension Two

For some people, the default when integrity is mentioned is to point towards honesty an

(p. 38). However, the staunch facts are that most of us do lie. In some fashion or form everyone

bends the truth at some time. Perhaps, it is seen as a necessity or not a big deal to tell little white

lies like “I’m fine” when you really are not or “that was great!” when you really thought

something was awful. Unfortunately, for some people lying does not stop at this level. What

seem to be small lies continue to roll up and soon nothing withstands the test of truth. Lies

become a way of life. According to Cloud, “The premise here is that telling the truth is

foundational, but not enough for success in love and life,” (p.39). People too quickly lose sight

to keep our own internal stability, we do not see other in the reality of who they are.” (p. 44).

Reading through the material on Dimension Two, this writer does see that she values

orientation to the truth more than seeking the opinion or feedback of others. Experiences that

have occurred in the authors professional work like have made honesty and telling the truth

essential to business success. Where some may feel that the exact opposite is necessary to

succeed in a business setting, the author of this paper has found that honesty has always been the

best policy. Identifying strengths and weaknesses have always been a difficult task. As most

leaders in ministry, the writers finds that she works alone and does not often have the interaction

consistently improve.

iii. Character Dimension Three

In the third dimension of character, Cloud discusses results. He mentions that nothing is

more valuable to an individual than the actual information and experiences gained from going

about doing “the work”. (p.52). Cloud states, “no matter what you do, for the most part your

training has been about the work itself.” (p. 52). He goes on to allude to the fact that over the

years many people gain a lot of know concerning the “what” behind their work. In his words,

good definition of who they are just from being around them.” (p. 53). It is in this dimension of

integrity that Cloud contends, people develop the ability to make difficult calls. Responsibility of

this level becomes a matter of one’s character.

This writer finds that Cloud’s words concerning finishing well ring true in her practical life

experiences. When Cloud writes, “there is more to the character aspect of work than a good work

ethic. As we have seen, working hard, consistently, with diligence and perseverance, is

paramount” (p. 59), the author of this paper is able to identify with that statement. In her own

personal work experience, hard work has always been a mantra. Having entered into the

telecommunications industry with no experience and no college degree, this individual found

professional career, she has received accolades from her colleagues for always being someone

that they could trust and someone that they could immediately identify with.

iv. Character Dimension Four

In his writings on dimension four of his six dimensions of integrity, Cloud begins to speak to

the fact that life is full of problems. According to him, “Orienting oneself to and intellectually

understanding that life is about problems in one thing. Being equipped to deal with them and

resolve them is quite another.” (p. 62). Here the author points out is where character requires

and resolve them? If one considers this viewpoint in a larger scale, this is almost like Jesus

choosing to die for the sins of everyone. He actively sought out the issues which was sin. Then,

He found the resolution which would correct the problem once and for all which was to give His

perfect life in place for the lives that should pay the price.

Cloud goes on to mention the results of high achievers that confront their problems head

on. He says, “People of character, when facing a negative, embrace it. They do the hard work

first. They do the hard work before going on vacation. Then, as a result of doing the hard stuff

first, embracing the negative and dealing with it, either in themselves or someone else, they are

ready for things to be easy for a long time. Personally, the writer of this paper has found that in

favorable for all parties is the best outlook. There have been situations both in the writers

personal and professional life when problems have seemed to be unsurmountable. At those times,

it was especially important to keep the perspective that once the issue was resolved, a new

outlook would affect others. Professionally, the result of dealing with major problems in this

manner as resulted in process and procedure implementation within the organization where the

writer is employed. This outcome had long lasting effects on the productivity at the company.

Personally, learning how to maturely address issues in marriage as they come up instead of once

He contends, “In life, some people are good problem solvers, but are not growers.” (p. 73). There

are some people that seem to be content with where they are in life. Whether is it their personal

life or professional life, they clean up all of the messes around them but have no desire to expand

outside their immediate vicinity and develop. Cloud goes on to say, “people with this character

trait leave a wake of making things bigger and better over time.” (p. 74). The essence of making

things better or leaving this bigger is in a sense the same thing as leaving a legacy behind

wherever one goes. Cloud refers to this as a demand of reality for one to be “growing and always

increasing our abilities, skills and capacities, in every area of life.” (p. 74). One of the most

ushers in death.” (p. 74).

From the message in chapter five concerning the fifth dimension of character, the author

of this paper identifies most readily with the need to grow. At the age of forty-five, the essayist

made a decision to enroll in college. Life was going along fine and being content was good.

However, there was no growth. The passion of this writer’s heart was always to complete school

but she has fully surprised herself in allowing for the continually development and potential to

push herself to a doctorate degree. Problem solving always came naturally to this author.

“Self-centeredness is not admirable, paradoxically, as the ones who possess it often crave the

very admiration that their character does not earn.” (p. 85). There is an opposing trend of

thought to this sort of self-absorption. Cloud refers to this quality as “transcendence”. (p. 85).

According to him, this person is one “who has gotten beyond, above, or transcended ordinary

human selfishness and self-centeredness and lives in a very different reality from thinking life

revolves around him or her.” (p. 85). Cloud describes this type of individual as one who realizes

that things are much bigger than their own existence, “life is about things that transcend her”.

(p.85). He goes on to make the comment, “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 ability to step outside oneself is a definite sign of maturity in character and integrity.

The writer of this paper has personally experienced the necessity to have to transcend her

own needs. When she married her husband, her mother-in-law was physically impaired from a

stroke she had suffered years before they met. Without hesitation, she agreed that the couple

would care for her husband’s mother. There were many times that her mother-in-law’s needs

were placed ahead of any other needs in the marriage. There was never a second thought given to

those decisions. The bigger picture was that she needed the attention at that time in her life.

Cloud managed to take his reader on a journey through developing character. By

illustrating the dimension of character and correlating them with growing and succeeding in

business, it is easy for a leader to identify potential areas of improvement and growth. In his

writings, Cloud makes it abundantly clear that an integrated leader looks outside himself and

finds ways to make a lasting imprint on the organization and people that he leads. He goes on to

emphasize that great leaders do not settle. They continue to push themselves and seek personal

and professional growth. He finishes by reminding his readers that everyone is unintegrated to

some degree and that everyone lacks some portion of the integrity that his book speaks about. In his final