Character + Competence = Trust, and Why That Matters
If you were to list the top two traits of a great leader, what would they be?
What do you look for when you interview candidates for leadership positions in your organization?
How does a leader build trust in their organization?
Character
Character reflects your true nature. Your values. Your approach to the world around you.
Character is who you are as a human being. It reflects your conscience, your integrity.
And why is character important? That’s because it is so hard to find these days. With so much focus on superficial, outward appearances, the true nature of people can be hard to determine. And it’s incredibly important because it forms the basis of how you think.
“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.” — Abraham Lincoln
Can you tell someone’s true character during an interview? It’s tough, and behavioral interviews were invented for this very reason. The goal with these interviews is to understand the individual’s thought process when handling specific situations— how they approach a situation, what actions they take, etc. These…
