Character is the virtue of hard times.
Meaning
De Gaulle wrote this in his 1932 book on leadership and military command, arguing that steadiness shows itself under pressure rather than in easy periods. When a team faces a setback, a leader can practice this by staying calm, being honest about the problem, and keeping commitments.
Source: Le Fil de l'épée (1932)
About the author
Charles de Gaulle (1890–1970) was a French general who led the Free French Forces during World War II and later founded the Fifth Republic, serving as its first president from 1959 to 1969.
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