As much as we’d like to believe that the great resume, amazing interviews and stellar references of our newest executive will equal a stressless and steady career with our company the real world will disabuse of that notion. We’re not hiring statues or saints. We’re hiring people. Regardless of their past accomplishments and the opinions of references who may have been leery about ‘burning bridges’ the newest star in our corporate constellation will have flaws.
Are they correctable flaws? If the new employee has the same commitment to self-improvement that he has to ‘change management’ or ‘significant cost cutting’ or ‘progressive team development’ then there’s room for hope. We can work with him, support and encourage him, monitor his performance and make course corrections where necessary.
But there’s no room for hope if he lacks two qualities: credibility and integrity. Regardless of his work ethic and talent and relationships and resume, if we turn a blind eye to those weaknesses then shame on us.