Advice Quote by Dee Hock
“Hire and promote first on the basis of integrity; second, motivation; third, capacity; fourth, understanding; fifth, knowledge; and last and least, experience. Without integrity, motivation is dangerous; without motivation, capacity is impotent; without capacity, understanding is limited; without understanding, knowledge is meaningless; without knowledge, experience is blind. Experience is easy to provide and quickly put to good use by people with all the other qualities.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Principles of Trust, Dee Hock, 2005
Integrity is the foundation of effective leadership; each subsequent quality depends on the previous one, making integrity essential for success.
In simple terms: Integrity must come first; everything else builds on it.
Key Takeaway
Prioritize integrity in hiring.
Themes
leadership
trust
values
organization
human resources
Mood
thoughtful
serious
Type
advice
principle
When to use this quote
- recruiting
- team building
- performance management
- leadership development
Key Concepts
ethical foundations
hierarchical dependency
organizational culture
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you assess integrity reliably?
- What balance of experience and other traits yields the best teams?
A Different Perspective
Integrity alone cannot guarantee competence; other traits still matter.
