In this insightful conversation, Peter Rea, founder of Better Humans, Better Performance, explains how virtue-based leadership drives measurable results. Drawing from his experience at Parker Hannifin, he shares research showing that 75% of performance variance comes from character, not cognitive ability. Peter explores the seven classical virtues and their application in leadership, highlighting gratitude as a key driver of engagement and performance. He also offers practical advice for parents and educators on focusing on character development. This conversation provides actionable tools for creating lasting positive change through virtue.
Highlights from the episode:
- The seven classical virtues (trust, compassion, courage, justice, wisdom, temperance, and hope) are universal across cultures and throughout history
- When implementing virtues at Parker Hannifin, teams saw engagement increases of 10-20% annually
- Gratitude practices showed the strongest impact on employee engagement and resilience
- Character issues account for 89% of employee terminations, while competence issues only account for 11%
- Neuroplasticity research confirms that "what we pay attention to and practice is who we become"
- Focusing on character and process rather than outcomes reduces anxiety and improves performance
- Better Humans, Better Performance nonprofit, offers resources and training for character-based leadership
- For children and teams, asking three questions promotes virtue: Were you brave? Were you kind? Did you learn from your mistakes?
- Practicing virtue with humility acknowledges that no one has earned the right to measure others
https://www.toddbertsch.com/podcast/episode-34-better-humans-better-performance-leadership-lessons-from-peter-rea/
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