The billionaire’s advice can help you build a trustworthy, high-performing team.
这位亿万富翁的建议能助你打造一支值得信赖、业绩卓越的团队。

Billionaire Warren Buffett, who will step down as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway at the end of the year, has built one of the most successful companies in history by living out a set of values that are as practical as they are inspiring.
亿万富翁沃伦·巴菲特将于今年年底卸任伯克希尔·哈撒韦公司首席执行官一职。他凭借践行一套既实用又鼓舞人心的价值观，缔造了历史上最成功的公司之一。

When it comes to hiring, Buffett doesn’t mince words. Skills and experience matter, but if you miss one critical trait, you risk bringing serious damage into your organization.
谈到招聘，巴菲特直言不讳。技能和经验固然重要，但要是你忽略了一个关键特质，就可能给公司带来严重损害。

The Buffett Quote:
巴菲特名言：

“Somebody once said that in looking for people to hire, you look for three qualities: integrity, intelligence, and energy. And if you don’t have the first, the other two will kill you. You think about it; it’s true. If you hire somebody without [integrity], you really want them to be dumb and lazy.”
“有人说，在招聘员工时，要考察三个品质：正直、智慧和精力。如果你没有第一个品质，那么后两个会毁了你。你仔细想想，确实如此。如果你招聘了一个没有[正直品质]的人，那你还真希望他又笨又懒。”

In a knowledge economy, intelligence is obviously key. And energy fuels passion and productivity. But integrity? It’s the bedrock that holds everything together. Without it, talent becomes dangerous.
在知识经济时代，智慧显然至关重要。而精力能激发热情，提高生产力。但正直呢？它是将一切凝聚在一起的基石。没有它，才华就会变得危险。

In my line of work coaching high-level leaders, integrity is a non-negotiable. I see how employees, colleagues, customers and stakeholders alike respond to their integrity by trusting their decision-making. People working for such leaders know that their actions are transparent, and their judgment sound. In collaborative environments, trustworthy leaders quickly earn a reputation for dependability and accountability—two accelerators of team trust.
在我为高层领导者提供指导的工作中，正直是不容商量的。我看到员工、同事、客户和利益相关者都因信任他们的决策而对其正直品质做出回应。为这样的领导者工作的人知道，他们的行为是透明的，判断是合理的。在协作环境中，值得信赖的领导者很快就能赢得可靠和负责的声誉——这是加速团队信任的两大要素。

They also help fill the leadership pipeline. Employees who model integrity naturally influence others, command respect, and set the cultural tone you want future managers to embody.
他们还能为领导梯队输送人才。以身作则展现正直品质的员工自然会影响他人，赢得尊重，并树立你希望未来管理者具备的文化基调。

Assessing Integrity During Job Interviews
面试中评估正直品质

Back to Buffett. Since he emphasized hiring for integrity, hiring managers and HR need to know how to assess for integrity. While résumés highlight skills and experience, interviews should uncover values and character. That requires behavioral interviewing—asking situational questions that reveal how a candidate has acted under pressure, navigated ethical dilemmas, or responded to challenges.
回到巴菲特的话题。既然他强调招聘时要注重正直品质，那么招聘经理和人力资源部门就需要知道如何评估正直。简历突出的是技能和经验，而面试则应挖掘价值观和性格。这就需要采用行为面试法——提出情境问题，了解候选人在压力下的表现、如何应对道德困境或对挑战的反应。

Here are 12 sample questions that can reveal integrity in action:
以下是12个能揭示候选人正直品质的示例问题：

1. Tell me about a time when you experienced a loss for doing what’s right. How did you react? 跟我说说，你曾因做正确的事而遭受损失的一次经历。你是如何应对的？
2. Describe a time when your trustworthiness was challenged. How did you respond? 描述一次你的诚信受到质疑的经历。你是如何回应的？
3. Share an example of solving a problem that tested your sense of fairness or ethics. 分享一个解决考验你公平感或道德感的问题的例子。
4. When was the last time you broke the rules? What happened? 你上一次违反规则是什么时候？发生了什么？
5. What would you do if you suspected a coworker was stealing? 如果你怀疑同事在偷东西，你会怎么做？
6. Tell me about a time you saw inappropriate behavior at work. What did you do? 跟我说说你在工作中看到不当行为的一次经历。你做了什么？
7. Describe a time you distrusted a colleague. How did you repair the relationship? 描述一次你对同事产生不信任的经历。你是如何修复这段关系的？
8. When working with others, what’s your preferred relationship style? 与他人合作时，你偏好的关系模式是怎样的？
9. What values matter most to you in a team environment? 在团队环境中，你最看重哪些价值观？
10. If we had a difficult client situation, would you tell a white lie to fix it? 如果我们遇到难缠的客户情况，你会为了解决问题而说善意的谎言吗？
11. What would your past manager say makes you most valuable? 你过去的经理会说你身上什么特质让你最有价值？
12. What qualities did your best boss have—and how do you reflect those traits? 你最好的老板有哪些品质——你又是如何体现这些品质的？

The Bottom Line
总结

Buffett’s formula is clear: integrity + intelligence + energy = a great hire. But integrity isn’t just the first quality—it’s the qualifier. Without it, the rest doesn’t matter.
巴菲特的公式很明确：正直 + 智慧 + 精力 = 优秀员工。但正直不仅仅是首要品质——它还是基本条件。没有它，其他都不重要。

Audit your current hiring process. Are you screening for integrity as thoroughly as you are for skills? The best hire is not just the most talented; it’s the one you can trust when no one is watching.
审视你当前的招聘流程。你在筛选正直品质时，是否和筛选技能一样严格？最好的员工不仅仅是最有才华的；而是即使无人监督，你也能够信任的人。