My mother tells me that I have been curious since birth. Soaking up information and lessons from everywhere I could—people, books, publications—all sources. While my mother ensured that I was exposed to lessons from others, she was my first and most influential teacher. The very first lesson my mother taught me was the importance of character. She drilled into me and my siblings that character is what you do when no one is watching. I center my mother’s words about character in everything I do, including how I carry out the role of President and CEO of the African-American Credit Union Coalition (AACUC).  

Because my character defines and guides me, I am continuously developing and strengthening it. To aide in this process, I draw inspiration from people I deeply admire. Below are a few powerful quotes about character and what they mean to me.

"Real integrity is doing the right thing, knowing that nobody's going to know whether you did it or not." - Oprah Winfrey, media mogul, talk show host, and philanthropist  

Ms. Winfrey’s sentiments are very similar to my mother’s and speak to being self-motivated to do what’s right, rather than acting with the hopes of obtaining validation from others. External validation is fleeting, but one’s values and commitments to honesty, fairness, and compassion should not be.

"You rent your title; you own your character." - Thasunda Brown Duckett, president and chief executive officer of TIAA

Ms. Duckett reminds me that one’s character is their most important trait. We fully own our character, and it is the core of who we are. Titles can change, but your character must always remain intact. I have had many titles over the years—executive assistant, trainer, chief of staff, and CEO—to name a few. Regardless of my title, seniority, or salary, my most important attribute was my character.

"I have learned that as long as I hold fast to my beliefs and values—and follow my own moral compass—then the only expectations I need to live up to are my own." - Michelle Obama, attorney and author who served as First Lady of the United States

Former First Lady Obama’s assertion notes the freeing power of good character. It frees us from having to worry about people’s judgements or expectations. When one is doing the right thing and trying to make positive impact, the others’ thoughts are no longer a consideration.

In 2020, the tragic death of George Floyd led me to launch Commitment to Change: Credit Unions Unite Against Racism. I did not know how the initiative would be received, but I knew it was critical that the credit union industry unite to confront racism. I followed my own moral compass. The response to Commitment to Change was universally positive and the engagement exceeded my greatest expectations.

"Courage is the most important of all the virtues, because without courage you can't practice any other virtue consistently." - Maya Angelou, poet, memoirist, and civil rights activist

Character requires courage. One must be courageous to remain entrenched in their values and beliefs when it’s hard—especially when it’s hard. I use the phrase “Be bold, mindful, and brave” as a rallying cry to myself and others to tap into their courage to exhibit virtue, integrity, and ethics always.

"Service is the rent we pay for the privilege of living on this earth." - Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman to be elected to the United States Congress

I believe service is a critical component of character. I view myself as servant leader wherein my primary goal is to serve others and the needs, growth, and well-being of AACUC’s members and staff are paramount. My success is intrinsically tied to the success of those around me.

My commitment to developing and strengthening my character is unwavering. At a time when it can seem like good people finish last, we must reaffirm the importance of character, and all take the steps necessary to bolster ours. We must speak about character, require good character from others and most importantly, model good character.

Original article here.