Hire for Will AND Character — Not Just Skill💥

Clients often ask what they should look for in applicants. Most default to education and technical skills. Those matter — but they’re not what separates good employees from great ones. I always recommend they also look for character traits like optimism, flexibility, resilience, and grit.

Ask any manager what they want most from their employees. Before they mention technical competencies, they almost always say two things: (#1) show up every day, and (#2) work hard, persevere, and finish the job.

·      Number 1 is strength of character. Number 2 is strength of will.

o   Strength of character includes courage, integrity, resilience, and honesty.

o   Strength of will is the ability to stay focused, manage emotions, honor commitments, and push through difficulty.

Isn’t that what you want in your employees? If the answer is yes — and it should be — here are two practical behavioral interview questions that reveal each:

1. “Tell me about a time when you were under intense pressure to hit a deadline, but doing so would have meant compromising quality or your personal ethics. What did you do?”

·      Why it works: It forces a choice between will (get it done) and character (do it right).

·      Character Indicators: Integrity, honesty, accountability, empathy.

2. “Describe a project that failed or a time you received significant negative feedback. How did you react, and what steps did you take afterward?”

·    Why it works: It tests emotional resilience and humility (character) and the drive to improve (will).

·      Will Indicators: Persistence, proactivity, solution‑orientation, stress management.

It’s simple — but breaking old interview habits is not. Talk with your hiring managers about adding these questions to the technical ones they already use. Have them practice. Encourage them to try these in their next round of interviews and see whether they uncover more well‑rounded candidates.

My experience is that they will. Let them try and come to their own conclusions today.

 

 

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869 – 1948): Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist, and political ethicist who employed nonviolent resistance to lead the successful campaign for India's independence from British rule.[1]

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[1] He inspired movements for civil rights and freedom across the world. The honorific Mahātmā (from Sanskrit, meaning great-souled, or venerable), first applied to him in South Africa in 1914, is used worldwide.

 

The Real Employee Benefit No One Talks About: Upward Mobility🚀

If that’s true, then the most powerful HR policy any company can embrace is simple: promote from within. Nothing drives performance, retention, loyalty, satisfaction, customer experience, or company spirit more than the promise of personal growth.

Performance. When people see a path forward, they raise their game. Attention to detail, timeliness, and personal excellence all improve when advancement is possible.

Retention. Your best employees stay when they believe the company recognizes and supports their growth. Opportunity is the strongest retention tool you have.

Loyalty. Promotions signal loyalty from the company — and employees return that loyalty with commitment and pride.

Employee Satisfaction. Few things matter more than knowing your manager is invested in your future. Growth is one of the deepest drivers of satisfaction.

Customer Experience. Motivated employees don’t just serve customers; they create memorable experiences.

Company Spirit. Happy employees talk. They become ambassadors for the company without being asked.

Employees live in the real world. They see layoffs in the news, hear friends being asked to do more with less, and notice the “help wanted” signs everywhere. In that environment, they either worry about their future — or they’re grateful to work for a company that recognizes and rewards performance. Which one describes your organization?

Managers can influence the answer. By recognizing great work, promoting deserving employees, practicing emotional intelligence, and staying engaged, they create pockets of excellence that spread.

Leaders with a passion for taking care of their employees are the ones with the happiest, most loyal teams. They’re the ones whose departments outperform others. They’re the ones employees talk about with pride.

In any company, in any industry, at any moment in time, those leaders and their employees are the ones who will get ahead today.

Mary Ann Evans (1819 – 1880): known by her pen name George Eliot, was an English novelist, poet, journalist, translator, and one of the leading writers of the Victorian era.

Passionate 🔥 Leaders Don’t Just Build Companies — They Attract Great People

The most attractive companies are often those owned or led by visionary entrepreneurs. I joined the Golden Nugget for exactly that reason — the passion and clarity of its owner and CEO made it a place people wanted to be.

When Steve Wynn bought the Golden Nugget in the early 1970s, he entered a landscape filled with larger‑than‑life casino owners and operators who shaped Las Vegas during a pivotal era. Among them were:

·       Harvey Gross at Harvey’s Club

·       Billy Weinberger at Caesars

·       Bill Harrah at Harrah’s

·       Sam Boyd at Sam’s Club

·       Jackie Gaughan at the El Cortez

·       Frank Fertitta at Palace Station

·       Margaret Elardi at the Frontier

·       Benny Binion at the Horseshoe

·       Claudine Williams at the Holiday Inn

·       Kell Houssels at the Showboat

·       Barron Hilton and Henry Lewin at the Las Vegas Hilton

·       Wilbur Clark at the Desert Inn

·       Del Webb at The Mint

·       The Petersens – Dean, Faye, and Murray - at the Westward Ho

These were self‑made professionals — tough, compassionate, business‑smart, and people‑smart. They were the successors to the mob‑era operators, but they brought something different: a deep personal investment in their businesses and the people who worked for them. They resembled Sam Walton, who embodied the core tenets of his leadership philosophy:

·       Servant Leadership: Understanding that their job was to support employees so employees could take care of customers.

·       Humility and Accessibility: Staying close to the front lines, listening, learning, and staying grounded.

·       Relentless Focus on Value: Prioritizing long‑term value over short‑term gain, always keeping the customer at the center.

These leaders, Wynn included, created workplaces where passion wasn’t a slogan — it was a lived experience. Their energy attracted talent. Their vision inspired loyalty. Their presence set the tone for excellence.

People want to work for leaders who believe in something. Leaders who care. Leaders who show up. Leaders who make the work feel meaningful.

Those are the leaders who ignite passion in their teams. Those are the leaders people follow. Those are the leaders we should all strive to emulate today.

Robert Toru Kiyosaki (born 1947): American businessman, entrepreneur, and author, known for the Rich Dad Poor Dad series of personal finance books.

Start Your Day with Passion🔥and Purpose 🎯

The best job for someone is often the one they already have — the challenge is learning to make it the one they love. The one they feel passionate about. The one that gets them up and out the door every morning with purpose.

Leaders play a critical role in helping employees discover what they love about their work. But the truth is, most people start by telling you what they don’t love — their frustrations with tasks, coworkers, schedules, or even life outside of work. Let them talk. Let them release it. Then shift into coaching mode: listen deeply, ask questions, and help them reconnect with why they’re there and what they want to achieve.

Because the reality is simple: they’re going to spend eight hours a day, five days a week at work. That time will pass regardless — so why not help them find what’s good and build from there?

·       Encourage them to identify one thing they’re passionate about and weave it into every part of the job.

·       Help them build relationships so teammates can share the work in ways that play to each person’s strengths.

·       Show them how combining individual passions can create a more energized, holistic approach to getting things done.

·       And guide them in tackling the mundane tasks together so no one carries the burden alone.

Help your employees see that work is a means to a better life — and that each day is a fresh opportunity to collaborate, contribute, and go home feeling like they fulfilled their mission today.

Eric Thomas (born 1970): American motivational speaker, author, consultant, and minister.

If There Were No Tomorrow ⏰ What Would You Do Differently Today?

This quote from the film Groundhog Day is a punch line, but in life and work it’s a valid question: What would you do differently today if there truly were no tomorrow?

Not in a morbid sense — but because life moves forward whether we’re ready or not.

·       What if you missed a chance to apologize? Don’t let a relationship carry the weight of something you could have made right.

·       What if you missed an opportunity to go above and beyond for a customer? That’s why being fully present matters.

·       What if you forgot to finish your part of a project? Others are counting on you; never leave people waiting for your piece of the bargain.

·       What if you failed to tell someone you cared? Like ships passing in the night, some moments don’t return.

The list is potentially endless, and for many of these moments, there is no do‑over. Every interaction carries its own intensity, emotion, and meaning — and once it passes, it’s nearly impossible to recreate the original clarity or impact. Where fulfillment should stand, confusion or hurt often takes its place.

This is where mindfulness belongs. It’s what emotional intelligence is for. It’s why the Golden Rule remains one of the most powerful leadership tools we have.

Put yourself in the shoes of the people you encounter. How would you feel if someone missed the chance to do right by you? “Right” simply means timely, appropriate, thoughtful, and effective.

Be intentional. Be present. Be passionate about leaving nothing undone today.

Bill Murray (born 1950): American actor and comedian who played the character Phillip Connors in the movie “Groundhog Day”.

A Workplace Isn’t “Great” Until It’s Great for Everyone...🤝

                                      

This isn’t a political statement. It’s a reminder of what it takes to create a great place to work. Whatever our personal views, both management and employees understand the importance of collegiality, teamwork, and a shared commitment to excellence.

·      Collegiality — cooperation and companionship among colleagues who share responsibility.

·      Teamwork — working together toward common objectives.

·      Commitment to Excellence — supporting and encouraging each other to be their best.

When these values are alive in an organization, two outcomes follow:

·      Corporate Success — employees understand the role they play in achieving profitability and results.

·      Employee Security — employees believe (until proven otherwise) that their efforts will be rewarded with stability and financial well‑being.

For generations, there has been an unwritten compact between management and employees: if you work hard, you will be appreciated and taken care of. Sometimes unions help safeguard that compact; sometimes management upholds it through consistent leadership. The pandemic — and the layoffs that followed — fractured that trust. But the best organizations, the ones that build cultures of excellence and earn Employer of Choice reputations, have worked intentionally to rebuild it.

So ask yourself: What is the trust level in your organization?

And more importantly: What are you doing to reinforce it every day?

Trust cannot be assumed. It must be nurtured. A workplace will not be a good place for anyone until it is a good place for everyone today.

Theodore Roosevelt r. (1858 – 1919): American politician who served as the 33^rd Governor of New York, 25^th Vice President, and the 26th President of the United States (1901-1909).