Hiring for Integrity

“We look for three things when we hire people. We look for intelligence, we look for initiative or energy, and we look for integrity. And if they don't have the latter, the first two will kill you, because if you're going to get someone without integrity, you want them lazy and dumb.”  — Warren Buffet
 
Investment icon Warren Buffet largely attributes his success to hiring the right people. And integrity is the one trait he values above all others. But, hiring managers “must dig hard in the interview process to get the answers they need to feel confident someone has the non-negotiable trait of integrity,” says executive coach Marcel Schwantes, writing in Inc.. Here are some suggested questions he proposes to get to the core of a person’s character:

1. Tell me about a specific time when you had to handle a tough problem that challenged fairness or ethical issues. What happened?
   
   
2. When was the last time you "broke the rules"?
   
   
3. Describe a situation where you saw an employee or co‐worker do something you thought was inappropriate. What did you do?
   
   
4. What values do you appreciate the most in a team environment?
   
   
5. What would your current/past manager say makes you most valuable to them? (Besides intelligence, skills, and qualifications for the job, listen for clues that point to integrity.)

How do you evaluate whether a potential hire has integrity? To join the conversation, click "comments" above. 

---