Download Character Development and Faces of EvilAshford UniversityMGT and more Lecture notes Accounting in PDF only on Docsity! 1 Character Development and Faces of Evil Ashford University MGT 440: The Dark Side of Leadership 2 Character Development and the Faces of Evil Websters describe character as “One of the attributes or features that make up and distinguish an individual” (Wesbsters.com, 2020). Knowing a person's character will help you understand how an individual will handle certain situations and what steps they take to correct a problem. An individual's character is based on many different aspects, from upbringing to past experiences and hardships, they have experienced in life. Not all past experiences are good, and unfortunately, some individuals develop darker or evil character traits from these past experiences. There are ways to help ensure a person's character does not develop these traits, but there is no guarantee. Understanding how an individual’s character is developed over time and from past experiences will help make sure they do not develop evil characteristic traits. Character Development There are six broad categories of character strengths, Wisdom and Knowledge- cognitive strengths entailing the acquisition and use of knowledge. Courage- and emotional strength involving the exercise of will to accomplish goals in the face of opposition, external or internal.Humanity- an interpersonal strength that includes tending to and befriending others. Justice- a civic strength underlying healthy community life. Temperance- a strength protecting against excess. And Transcendence- a strength that forges connections to the larger universe and provides meaning. (Johnson, 2018). These broad categories help us explain how what makes up an individual’s character and provided character traits that should be developed by good mentorship and positive reinforcement. Some traits individuals are born with and are much harder to teach or cultivate. According to Duckworth et al (2007, as cited Dunkel and Linden, 2017), “Grit, defined as “perseverance and passion for long-term goals” has recently received a 5 Unethical Leader The energy company's bankruptcy in 2001 after allegations of massive accounting fraud wiped out $78 billion in stock market value and led to the collapse of Arthur Andersen and the passage of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. A class action settlement of $7.185 billion was the largest of all time. Former President Jeff Skilling is serving a 24-year sentence (10 Unethical Famous Examples, 2020). This is a great example of both Exclusion and Bureaucracy perspectives of evil. Exclusion because those outsides of the group were treated extremely poorly by mismanagement, fraud, and outright deception. Bureaucracy dealt with the compartmentalization where it was difficult to see all the financial discrepancies because it was spread across several departments. Real-World Application I will be able to use these lessons in daily life to assess how both myself and my employer treat others and how they conduct business practices. There may not be much I can do at my current position to change business practices at work, aside from choosing to continue employment if I see some of the negative sides of character. For me, I think the biggest lessons learned will be in my own self-evaluation. Ensuring that when I am leading troops or in command of my helicopter crew, I am acting with sound moral character and not letting any evil character traits dictate my actions or decisions. I do not think I have difficulty doing this based on my past experiences, but it is nice to be able to break down the different aspects of character. I think this will serve me well with future decisions, mentorship, and dealing with others who struggle with evil tendencies. 6 References Dunkel, Curtis S.; van der Linden, Dimitri. Journal of Genetic Psychology. Nov/Dec2017, Vol. 178, Issue 6, p334-338. 5p. DOI: 10.1080/00221325.2017.1381070 Johnson, C. E. (2018). Meeting the ethical challenges of leadership: Casting light or shadow (6th ed.). Retrieved from https://www.redshelf.com K.M.Trust& Partners. (2020). 10 Unethical Famous Examples. https://www.kmtrust.com/10- unethical-famous-examples/ Webster, M. Dictionary. (2020). Character definition.https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/character
