At the heart of things In looking for employees, the common wisdom involves the 3-C test: competence, chemistry and character. Obviously, employers seek people with the skills to a job. They want competent workers. They also want people who mesh with others, whose personality and demeanor fit with the rest of an existing team. In the workplace as well as the lab, the wrong chemistry can be disastrous. The last “C” – character – may be harder to determine. Few prospective job seekers walk in with some obvious character flaw and boast about it. “In my last setting, I led our company in making shady deals that helped us maximize profit.” If only they were that obvious. While competency and chemistry are vital, character trumps them both. Hiring a person with spotty character ultimately undermines competence and chemistry. For character builds trust, and any business or organization can only move as fast as the speed of trust. Our true impact on others comes from who we are, not just what we do. Character reflects our soul in the same way the groves and contours of our fingerprints help to identify us. You’ve probably heard the phrase “slippery character” or a “slick” operator. These phrases describe someone who lacks character, whose life has not been etched by virtue. Consequently, nothing sticks. So what imprint does your character leave on others? When others encounter you, do they feel the grooves that readily identify you as a person of integrity? While King David of ancient Israel was far from perfect, two times he is referred to as “a man after God’s own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22). Even after a significant moral failure, he was still remembered as a person of character. How might Davids example guide us this week in forming character that leaves the fingerprints of our soul on the people and projects we touch? Grace and peace, Michael
Posted on: Tue, 26 Aug 2014 13:21:29 +0000
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