Character and leadership took center stage at Vanderbilt University as retired Gen. Stanley McChrystal joined retired Gen. Paul Nakasone, founding director of the Institute of National Security, for the institute’s speaker series Monday evening.
Vanderbilt welcomed McChrystal to a packed Langford Auditorium for a fireside chat hosted by the Institute of National Security and Dialogue Vanderbilt, part of the Lecture Series on Modern Conflict and Emerging Threats, to discuss his new book, “On Character: Choices That Define a Life.”
The event highlighted Vanderbilt’s commitment to open dialogue on the difficult issues leaders face. It also reinforced the university’s role as a convener of national conversations, with the evening’s discussion televised by C-SPAN.
Dialogue and free expression are “the lifeblood of transformative education and path-breaking research,” Chancellor Daniel Diermeier said in his comments. He praised the university’s students for demonstrating character in the wake of recent national tensions, pointing to a joint statement from the Vanderbilt Democrats and Republicans affirming civil discourse as a cornerstone of democracy.
While McChrystal kept the audience laughing with moments of self-deprecating humor — he joked that as the first guest in this fall’s speaker series, he would, for at least a short period, “be the best”–– his core message was serious: character is built and tested over time and ultimately measured by conduct.
“Character is the essence of who we are…It’s measured by what we do, not what we say.”
Character is the product of deeply held, pressure-tested beliefs multiplied by the courage to live up to them, McChrystal said. Outcomes don’t always reveal the quality of a decision, though. “I ask if a choice aligns with my values, and whether I could look my three granddaughters in the eye and say, ‘I did the best that I could.’”
McChrystal framed his own character growth in terms of software updates.
His version 1.0 was an Army career that began when he entered West Point Academy at 17 and culminated in senior command as a four-star general leading the war in Afghanistan. Version 2.0 began after a 2010 Rolling Stone article about him, viewed by many as critical of civilian military leadership, quickly resulted in McChrystal offering President Obama his resignation.
The collapse of version 1.0 led to his teaching at Yale, advising organizations, writing, and choosing “to live forward.”
“At the end of every day, I sort of dwell on those places where I (fell short), and there’s always some,” he said. “You just step back and say, ‘that’s not the new normal. I have to do better.’”
He credited his parents, West Point education, and Army Special Operations experience as formative influences in helping to build his character, but he emphasized the role of daily self-reflection.
Backstage, before the program, McChrystal and Nakasone agreed that Vanderbilt has a role in shaping future leaders. “It’s critical to teach character,” Nakasone noted. “What we’re trying to do here at Vanderbilt is open young people’s minds to the critical thinking of what’s right and what’s wrong.”
National debates matter, McChrystal said, but character “is built around dinner tables, in classrooms, in teams,” where communities decide what they value and how they’ll act.
Nakasone, a retired four-star general and former commander of U.S. Cyber Command and director of the National Security Agency, also emphasized personal self-development. “Character is what you are in the dark.” Parents, schools, and training can help shape us, he said, “but at some point, you have to take responsibility for it.”
On stage, McChrystal provided practical advice for Vanderbilt students: don’t be intimidated by who’s in the room and don’t simply echo the prevailing view. “As a leader, they bring you in for your knowledge and judgment. If you just go along with the crowd, they don’t need you in the room.”
Students played a visible role throughout the program. Vittoria Reidling, who serves as a student advisor for Dialogue Vanderbilt and is a member of The Institute of National Security’s immersion cohort, introduced Chancellor Diermeier.
A reception in Langford Lobby followed the fireside chat, where attendees were given a copy of McChrystal’s new book.
The evening launched the Institute of National Security’s speaker series, part of Vanderbilt’s broader effort to foster open dialogue on leadership and character.
About Gen. Stanley McChrystal
Retired Gen. Stanley McChrystal was born in Chattanooga and grew up in a military family. A graduate of West Point, he served more than three decades in the U.S. Army, including leadership of elite special operations forces and command of U.S. and international forces in Afghanistan.
Since retiring in 2010, McChrystal has taught leadership at Yale, founded the McChrystal Group consulting firm, and authored several books, including his newest, On Character: Choices That Define a Life.