I am Yoshida, president of Yamada Shusei Ltd., a professional apparel garment repair group in Nagaoka City, Niigata Prefecture.
Again, I will introduce his words from
“Warren Buffett In His Own Words” (edited by David Andrews, translated by Fumiko Ishii).
There was a businessman in Omaha named Pete Keiwitt who always said that when you hire someone, you look for three qualities: integrity, intelligence, and energy. But he also said that if you don't have integrity, intelligence and energy are meaningless. This is because we want a person who is not sincere to be stupid and lazy. It would be dangerous if someone without integrity were smart and energetic.”
Speech at the University of Florida, October 15, 1998
Three important qualities to focus on when hiring someone
1) Importance of integrity
Integrity is one of the most important qualities in employment. A person who lacks integrity is likely to engage in behavior that undermines trust and can negatively impact the entire organization. Without integrity, even if a person has intelligence and energy, he or she will not be able to properly utilize his or her abilities. Integrity is the foundation upon which the other qualities are built.
2) The Role of Intelligence
Intelligence brings problem-solving skills and creativity. Having knowledge and skills is important, but without integrity, that intelligence can be misused. For example, an intelligent person without integrity might use his or her knowledge to deceive others. Thus, intelligence is valuable only when combined with integrity.
3) Energy Influences
Energy indicates passion and aggressiveness in one's work. An energetic person can be a positive influence on those around him or her and boost team morale. However, if integrity is lacking, energy can have the opposite effect. For example, an energetic person without integrity can cause chaos around them.
Elsewhere, Buffett himself stated that 90 percent of success is determined by character.
