Peter Drucker has been credited with saying that “Culture eats Strategy for breakfast.” Character is the building block of culture, and one of the key tools that all Townsend Institute Certified Executive Coaches utilize is the Townsend Character Model. This model was developed by Dr. John Townsend, and is comprised of four main components:

• Attachment
• Separation
• Adulthood
• Integration

Attachment – Leaders must be able to connect with those they lead on a personal level. That means they must listen well to others with empathetic and reflective listening. Leaders must attune with others to understand the beyond their words, connecting to the deeper message found in their feelings. Through attachment, true leaders build trust with others in a vulnerable way.

Separation – Effective leaders must be able to separate and differentiate themselves from others in healthy emotional ways. They must clearly articulate their internal value system, and be able to tolerate when others may disappoint them. However, most importantly leaders must be able to confront others with both grace and directness. By establishing clear boundaries, these leaders actually create a safe structure for others to operate in.

Adulthood – Leaders lead with authority and gravitas that others are naturally drawn to follow. Leaders bring their wisdom to the group by telling inspiring stories that help others buy in to the mission, and emphasizing that the mission comes first. It is through their adult character that others seek these leaders out for guidance and mentoring. It is the adulthood character trait that allows leaders to effectively lead in the midst of a storm.

Integration – Leaders need to fully integrate all the components that build up their character. Integration is that ability to balance all that life throws at you. Integrated leaders create standards of excellence that are not so lofty as to not be attainable. They create a safe space for their followers to speak openly as part of the change process. Truly integrated leaders have the internal balance that allows them to acknowledge their own flaws and work to resolve them.

 
Townsend, J. (2016) "Competence-Plus-Character Model for Leaders," Townsend Institute, Irvine