The Character Edge: Leading and Winning with Integrity

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The Character Edge is a groundbreaking leadership book that shows you how to win the right way. Based on real-life experiences and empirical research, it is co-authored by retired three-star General and former Superintendent of the US Military Academy at West Point, Robert Caslen, and Professor of Engineering Psychology at West Point, Dr. Michael Matthews. From the battlefield to the classroom, General Caslen and Dr. Matthews have witnessed firsthand the vital link between strong character and strong leadership, and how the latter cannot exist without the former. Competence matters, but without character, leadership ultimately fails. And the co-authors are increasingly troubled by the prevalence of character failures in society today; dishonest politicians, CEOs committing fraud, disgraced military commanders, and cheating athletes are among many other "win at any cost" stories dominating the news. While serving as head of West Point (the "Preeminent Leader Development Institution"), General Caslen personally oversaw the development of a plan to assess and foster character as a means of shaping tomorrow's leaders, a focus supported by Dr. Matthews's work. They now want to spread what they have learned to a much broader audience. The Character Edge will weave stories from their own lives and myriad other leaders together with new research about how to classify, measure, and cultivate character. The book is the first of its kind in employing the insights of a decorated military leader together with the knowledge of a prominent positive psychologist. It provides a compelling case for the powerful role character plays in trust, culture, and leadership; and it offers readers tools to exercise and strengthen their own character.

Reviews

The Character Edge is inspiring and practical in equal measure, drawing upon both scientific research and personal experience in how, and why, to develop strengths of heart, mind and gut. Only Mike Matthews and Bob Caslen could have written it. This will surely be an instant classic! -- Angela Duckworth, CEO of the Character Lab and bestselling author of Grit
Few great leaders have charismatic personality, but all have character that inspires. Caslen and Matthews show how and why this fundamental inner architecture of leadership can and must be built. -- Jim Collins, author of Good to Great and co-author of Built to Last
In The Character Edge, Caslen and Matthews offer the definitive guide to how individuals and organizations may build and utilize positive character to flourish and win. Corporations who get this message excel, those that do not will fail in the long run -- Indra Nooyi, former chairman and CEO of PepsiCo
What determines the importance and long-lasting impact of leadership Lieutenant general and former West Point superintendent Caslen and psychologist Matthews examine the qualities of character that make a leader worth following . . . [their] combined experience culminates in a fascinating study of leadership -- Booklist
If you ever aspire to effective leadership, whether at the tactical or strategic level, you'll soon learn that the most important ingredient in effective leadership is character. Bob Caslen and Mike Matthews have captured this truth in both theory and application with moving and insightful stories and personal experiences. This book will both challenge you and motivate you to lead a life of integrity and honor, and in so doing, inspire the men and women you lead to the highest achievements they never thought possible. Bob and Mike have something very, very important here. I hope it goes viral in a big way. -- Admiral William H. McRaven, US Navy (Retired), and bestselling author of Make Your Bed: 10 Life Lessons from a Navy SEAL

Author Bio

General Caslen has led more than 200,000 soldiers, under nine commanders in chief, deploying six times; and he's headed West Point, the institution from which he graduated, for five years. Dr. Matthews has 40 years of experience as a psychologist, the past 15 of which have focused on character assessment and development among West Point cadets; he is a founding member of the Military Child Education Coalition's Science Advisory Board.