Warren Buffett, one of the most successful businesspeople in the world, once made the following comment about appointing people into his businesses:
“Look for three things in a person – Intelligence, Energy, and Integrity. If they don’t have the last one, don’t bother with the first two.”
Warren Buffett is well known for his investment nous which has made him an extraordinarily rich man. It is obvious that his success was not based on only his knowledge and wisdom. There is a myriad of people involved in generating the profits in the businesses Buffett has invested in. What Buffett has is the ability to find all the contributing factors leading to the wealth generation which includes the quality of the human capital employed in the particular investment entity. One can safely assume that his views on integrity are based on solid experience.
What does integrity mean? Broadly speaking, integrity implies that a person with integrity will, no matter the situation, be honest and morally correct. When considering a candidate for employment a person with integrity:
· Can be relied upon, irrespective of the situation, to be honest.
· Will not apply for a position for which they are not suitably qualified or incapable to perform.
· Will not lie about qualifications, experience, and performance.
· Can be trusted.
· Will be an asset.
· Will help you to realize your business’s vision and mission.
As important, it is of crucial importance that the integrity of the selection process of candidates for employment must be sound. This requirement has several elements, among which:
· Objectivity. This implies an absence of bias. (Cultural bias, age bias, gender bias, disability bias, religious bias, etc).
· The process must be scientifically sound. It must be able to withstand peer scrutiny.
· It must be completed within an acceptable time frame, so as not to frustrate the employer or the candidate for employment.
The Integ assessment instruments will aid to identify capable candidates with integrity. But as important, it will do it without adding any undue expenses to the appointment process. For that reason, we can say that Integrity differentiates and enhances your bottom line!