Business Quote by Anonymous
“In looking for people to hire, you look for three qualities: integrity, intelligence, and energy. And if they don't have the first, the other two will kill you.”
About This Quote
Hiring should prioritize integrity above all; lacking it makes other strengths dangerous.
In simple terms: Integrity is essential; without it, other traits can backfire.
Key Takeaway
Never compromise on integrity.
Themes
integrity
intelligence
energy
leadership
Mood
cautious
serious
Type
advice
leadership
When to use this quote
- recruiting
- team building
- performance reviews
Key Concepts
ethical decision making
risk assessment
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you verify integrity in candidates?
- What safeguards can mitigate risks of low integrity?
A Different Perspective
Integrity cannot be measured as easily as skills.
![“Somebody once said that in looking for people to hire, you look for three qualities: integrity, intelligence, and energy. And if you don’t have the first, the other two will kill you. You think about it; it’s true. If you hire somebody without [integrity], you really want them to be dumb and lazy.” quote by Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e7a/warren-buffett-183_employees_somebody-once-said-that-in-looking-for-p_1105527.jpg)
![“[S]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once, for example, when I was just starting out in the food business, I was hired by the caper people to develop a lot of recipes using capers, and it was weeks of…” quote by Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d79/nora-ephron-1217_business_s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-th_980.jpg)
![“If the State does not acquire supremacy over [vast private] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State.” quote by Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/bad/bertrand-russell-69_acquire_if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy_1379.jpg)