Honor, Duty, Respect
The Citadel maintains and fulfills its longstanding history and deeply embedded traditions through its three core values: Honor, Duty and Respect.
The Seven Key Leadership Characteristics
In accordance with these core values, The Citadel’s Cadet Leader Development Program focuses on seven key leadership characteristics:
- Lead with Humility
Demonstrating humility involves viewing one’s own strengths and weaknesses in a balanced perspective that recognizes the abilities of others and invites their contributions. - Embrace a True, Authentic Self
Staying open and truthful with others involves acting consistently, demonstrating authenticity by accurately representing one’s true intentions and commitments and avoiding inconsistent behavior based on roles or positions. - Act and Speak with Courage
Proactively engage challenging situations by strongly relying on values and convictions. Take reasonable risks for potential benefits, especially for innovation and creativity. - Develop and Value People and Resources
Taking responsibility for the value of people and resources involves stewarding them in the common interest rather than using them for one’s self-interest. - Empower and Hold Others Accountable
Empowering others through personal development, believing in each individual’s inherent value and granting authority to make decisions. Additionally, holding accountable for performance and outcomes within their control, ensuring clear expectations are communicated. - Respect Others by Building Trust and Learning from Mistakes
Creating a trusting and liberating environment where others can learn from mistakes. Accepting and understanding others to foster trust and healthy relationships and to bring out their best. Making conscientious efforts to avoid rejecting or punishing others, and refraining from seeking retaliation. - Serve Others Before Self
Prioritize the interests of others, give them support and credit them for their achievements.
These leadership principles represent a particularly empowering form of leadership that allows the freedom to develop creative and adaptive solutions that meet the demands of fluid and complex situations.
The Four Pillars
The Citadel Experience integrates the core values and seven principled leader characteristics across four functional areas, known as pillars:
Character
This pillar consistently permeates all aspects of The Citadel Experience, instilling high moral standards and core values. Principled leaders, embodying integrity, truthfulness and transparency, build trust and hold themselves and others accountable. These standards are consistently applied in problem-solving and decision-making, avoiding temporary or convenient solutions.
Academics
Academic success provides the knowledge and skills needed for a chosen career. This pillar encourages lifelong learning, critical thinking, problem analysis and innovation. The Citadel’s challenging academic environment enhances strategic thinking, practical application and cross-cultural engagement. Academics lay the foundation for essential leadership skills. A well-educated cadet gains sound judgment and the ability to influence and serve others.
Military
Since 1842, The Citadel has combined rigorous education with a military environment for character and leader development. The military pillar fosters personal discipline, a commitment to service and a strong sense of honor, duty, and respect. It promotes teamwork, respect and mutual accountability. These experiences prepare cadets for team building and leadership, emphasizing mission accomplishment and service-oriented leadership. Cadets train in the Citadel Training Model (CTM) and acquire specific leadership skills through its execution.
Fitness
A focus on fitness helps cadets build the physical and mental strength to thrive under stress. The Citadel enhances cadet fitness through challenges and recovery. Fit individuals handle stress better, work harder and project confidence. This pillar develops leaders who foster organizational fitness and health, preparing cadets to contribute significantly to society with the essential characteristics for productivity at all levels.
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