Washington, Robert E. Lee, and
George C. Marshall, are remembered
not only as great leaders but also as
men whose character predominated.”
Lee, in particular, is regarded by his-
tory as a military leader of exception-
ally strong character. In the wake of
the Civil War, it was Lee’s leadership
by example that promoted reconcilia-
tion, rebuilding, and national har-
mony and discouraged those who
wanted to resume the fight against
the Union.
The role of character in effective
leadership has also been recognized in
the business world, although perhaps
not on the scale that it has been in the
military realm. Most people know
intuitively that good character helps ...