Character Is an Essential Competence 571.4
Character Is An Essential Competence.mp3
If you were hiring a new CEO, what are the most important qualities you’d look for?
Surely you’d want a high level of demonstrated competence – knowledge, experience, intelligence, vision, communication, and relationship skills and the ability to motivate, manage, and solve problems. But what about qualities such as honesty, moral courage, accountability, and fairness?
Despite bold rhetoric about the indispensability of good character, many hard-driving organizations are willing to be flexible on character to get an exceptionally competent person.
Thus, many current scandals – in business, the church, and sports – have occurred because organizations compromised their principles by recruiting, retaining, or tolerating leaders with serious character flaws who generated costly accusations of wrongdoing and undermined trust, morale, teamwork, and loyalty.
I used to tell clients that competence and character were two separate aspects of intelligent employment decisions. Now I think it’s a mistake to disconnect them. Good character is an essential aspect of competence.
Long ago, Samuel Johnson said, “Integrity without knowledge is weak and useless, but knowledge without integrity is dangerous and dreadful.” Warren Buffet updated that notion: “In looking for people to hire, look for three qualities: integrity, intelligence, and energy. But if they don’t have the first, the other two will kill you.”
Since it’s easier to train a person of good character to do a job well than to develop character in a skilled but unprincipled employee, if you have to choose, hire for character and train for skills.
This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.
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Comments
The only issue I see with the "hire for character and train for skills" method is that many people can talk a good game. They will tell you stories and give examples that might make them seem like they are of good character, but until they make a mistake or get caught in a bad position, you may not know their true character. Let's face it, more people talk the talk than walk the walk (unfortunately)!
Posted by: Anonymous | June 20, 2008 12:44 PM
While I agree with Anonymous, in general, I think it’s a matter of learning what to look for in a candidate. Like the saying goes, “If it’s too good to be true, it is.” Learn to trust your gut. Check references. Yes, you may still be fooled into hiring a less than desirable employee every once in awhile, but it’s better than just surrendering to the belief that to hire a qualified person you must sacrifice your organization’s morals or ethics. A lesser experienced person with strong ethics may not make your company a huge success, but a more qualified person with questionable ethics will most surely bring it to its knees. See Enron, Countrywide Mortgage, et al. You know all those levees that have been failing in the Midwest flood zones? The entire levee system didn’t just collapse – only a small portion gave way first, which led to their eventual complete failure. Organizations are the same.
Posted by: James | June 23, 2008 5:30 PM
Dear Mr. Josephson:
I can't think of a person who would not be positively affected by your commentary, which I listen to on radio almost daily.
Your words are so artfully embossed on the thoughts you express that I am forced to reflect on what you said.
Your commentries help overcome most human failures like prejudice, hypocrisy, misery and evil.
I am 68 today. I wish I had the power of your expression when I was young.
This world needs a horde of 'Michael Josephsons'.
God Bless you.
Muhammad Arshad
Posted by: Muhammad Arshad | June 24, 2008 10:54 PM
Regarding hiring for character and training for skills, one could substitute the word "promote" for the word hire. The same principle holds true. Having read this commentary in the past, I was able to use it during our board meeting for promotional discussions. When I used the line, it sucked the air out of the room for a moment and made everyone take a second look at their candidates for promotion. Changes to the final list were made upon this reflection.
Posted by: Sam | July 6, 2008 4:45 AM