14 Characteristics of High-Performing People

Character Counts! 

Welcome to our new blog series!  We’re so excited to share with you – we plan to spend a few weeks talking about core character elements.  Why does character matter?  Living life as a character-driven person leads to greater fulfillment and an increase in your sense of self-worth.  Last year, we blogged about the characteristics of high-performing teams.  You can find it here:  https://www.myunconditional.life/blog/14-characteristics-of-high-performing-teams   

Teams are made up of people, right?  So, whether you are at work, at home or in your community, engaging with others in a respectful and humble way builds strong relationships.  When you show up authentically, people see the real you, and you start to build trust in your relationships. 

Take time to examine your character, and how you show up in the world.

Character is important!  So, what does it mean to be a person of character?  It means building your core identity skillset by:   

• Being Assertive 
• Getting Curious 
• Having Faith in Others 
• Being Transparent 
• Seeking to Understand 
• Avoiding Gossip 
• Keeping Things Confidential 
• Responding to Communication Quickly (and Effectively)
• Taking Personal Responsibility 
• Conveying Thoughts Clearly 
• Keeping Their Word 
• Being Humble 
• Initiating Personal Growth 
• Trusting the Process 

You've already noticed that these traits are interconnected - they show up together in individuals. They are not like á la carte menu items where you can just choose one to sample.  They are a character stew where each one mingles with the others to create a delightful aroma.  Chances are if someone has a couple of these, they have several or most of them.  For example, if you are assertive, it is likely you will have faith in others and take personal responsibility for your behaviors.  When someone takes time to examine their character, they should reflect on how they show up in the world. 

It's Not That Simple 

We’re talking about the idea of personal character – some people try to make it simple: 

Character = Courage + Integrity 

What does that even mean?   

When most people talk about someone being a person of high moral character or high spiritual fiber or whatever they're not actually talking about their worthiness.  Although it tends to read that way, you are worthy because you are here and what we’re talking about is the way you engage with the world around you. 

Other people do not “know” your character they only see your actions or behaviors and observe your attitude toward them.  These are the windows to your soul that others may see through and know how character shows up as you walk through life.  Lynn said it wraps around, because who you are as a person has many aspects and we discern character by observing behaviors.  For her, the concepts of fear and love are the basis of everything we do.  Fear is always there; it gets in the way of revealing who we really are.   

Think of fear as the shutters on a window.  When we conquer our fear of authenticity, we push open the shutters.  We start to show up as ourselves and people can see us for who we are.  Think about a lighthouse – its purpose is to shine a beacon but if the shutters are closed, the true nature of the lighthouse is hidden.  When the shutters are open, a great source of light is sent out to the world: The essence of the lighthouse is revealed.   

Love and Fear and Everything in Between  

Love and fear are opposing forces – people who are trusting of others and confident in themselves walk boldly because they have a sense of purpose in life.  They tend to show up as people that others see as having character.  Their integrity shines through.  They are strong enough to be humble and engaged enough to be curious.  They are forgiving enough to have faith in others.   

If you are looking for a way to quantify it, start at that level, where someone is not fearful of the results of their actions to the extent that they hide inside their shell.  All these character elements represent someone’s current level of authenticity.  The stronger you show up (the more elements you practice) reflects how much you are willing to represent your true nature to the world.  Your character is an expression of everything that falls between fear and love.   

Being Assertive 

The first character trait on the list is "Being Assertive".  Sounds familiar, yes?  We just finished a series of blogs talking about "What is Assertiveness?" So, we aren’t going to spend much time on that one for this series.  You can catch up on it here:  https://www.myunconditional.life/blog/assertive-boundaries-how-to-create-healthy-relationships 

Going back to the blog on character traits from last year, members of high-performing teams understand the tenets of assertive communication and thinking.  They know how to set healthy boundaries and make space for each other’s working styles and preferences.  When conflict arises (and it will) they seek solution-focused win-win outcomes 

How much more important is this in our families and our relationships with others in our community?  We are all connected, and character is the tissue that holds us together.  It’s opening the shutters so that others see us as we are, without fear of judgment, when we show up as our authentic selves.  It’s the love we have for each other.