Credentials or Character…What do you see?

“So, where did you go to school?…”

Here is another loaded question,

“What’s your degree in?…”

Years ago I wrote an essay (that is probably in a box somewhere in the attic) that addressed what I call the “Paper Kingdom” mentality. The content focused on society’s obsession with paper. Paper money, paper identities, paper people. It has become a standard practice to judge individuals based on what they look like on paper. What’s their credit report like? Do they have any outstanding debt? What University issued the engraved document that bears their name? What are their “credentials?” Once you tell me I’ll determine if I should give you more than cursory attention or I’ll politely extricate myself from your company. I mean, you may be a nice person, however you may not be as smart as I and hence not worthy of my company.

Now, I know what some of you may be thinking. “People don’t do that…not really…well…I don’t…do I?” Many kindred intellects, especially those of us “with papers” may be the first to analyze and assess such as view as cynical or exaggerated. However, I consider myself ever the wry observer of human folly. Now, I don’t mean wry as in having a lopsided, extremist view which would be closer to the literal sense of the word which indicates “having a bent or twisted shape or condition”; my wryness I believe is closer to the meaning of finding things cleverly and often ironically or grimly humorous. I find it more than vaguely humorous that in this, the age of knowledge and technology, where everyone is so passionate about being “politically correct” that many will seemingly go out of their way to practice “intellectual bigotry.”

Interestingly, the etymology of the word bigot is French and is closely related to the word “hypocrite.” Bigot refers to “a person who is obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices; especially one who regards or treats the members of a group (as a racial or ethnic group) with hatred and intolerance.” (Merriam-Webster) Well, perhaps we don’t go so far as to treat “unlettered” people hatefully. However, can we honestly say that there is not some degree of prejudice when we interview a person and find that they did not go to an institution of higher education? And if they have acquired a college education, do we wonder which one they went to and make small mental notes about this that ultimately color our perception of the individual’s capabilities? No, you say? Most people would answer in the negative. Most people would be lying to themselves. I mean, who do you trust more, a person who went to a “Community College” or one who graduated from Yale or Harvard? How do you really feel about someone who got a degree at “night school” or, Heaven forbid, over the Internet? Please understand I’m not making blanket statements about anyone. Merely an observation of something I continue to come across.

I ask you would you let someone without a medical degree operate on you? Don’t be so quick to say no. I would answer, “It depends on who the someone was.” I proffer the following as Exhibit A:

Vivien T. Thomas was born on August 29, 1910 in New Iberia, Louisiana. He was educated in the public schools. In 1929, after saving enough money, he enrolled as a premedical student at the Tennessee Agricultural and Industrial College. However his academic career was short lived. Vivien lost his life’s savings during the bank crash in early 1930 and could no longer pay for his schooling after the first year. Being an out of work African-American in the 1930s was not an easy situation to find oneself in. In January of that year, Vivien took a job at Vanderbilt University as a laboratory assistant. That meant he cleaned out the animal cages and swept the laboratory when the surgeon, Alfred Blalock, was done for the day. Blalock noticed the young Thomas’ interest in medicine and did something completely out of character for one of his position and ethnic background, he allowed Vivien Thomas to begin participating in and cataloging his research.

Thomas became a key player in the pioneering of surgical strategies that would become life saving techniques. Working closely with Blalock the unlikely pair designed procedure specific instruments. The quality of Thomas’ work was of such high caliber that when Blalock transferred to Johns Hopkins in 1941, he asked Thomas to come with him. At Johns Hopkins Blalock and Thomas developed an innovative approach to “blue baby” syndrome that revolutionized heart/lung surgery and saved countless infants from untimely death. For more than 35 years Vivien Thomas oversaw Hopkins surgical laboratories and trained many surgeons in the sensitive techniques of heart and lung procedures. All this he accomplished without a degree from a medical institution. In 1976, Vivien T. Thomas was awarded the honorary Doctor of Laws, by the Johns Hopkins University. He was on the school faculty from 1976 until his death in 1985.

The point is, paper is not necessarily a good indicator of a person’s capabilities. Using Vivien as an example, when he stood behind Blalock and talked him through the “blue baby” procedures he was, by academic standards, not worthy of even being in the operating room. When we interview potential candidates for a position are we only looking at their schooling? Really, how can one tell whether the character of the person in front of us is one that will mesh well with current staff? What are their values, morals, philosophies? Who are they at the core? These are questions seldom asked by interviewers and equally seldom volunteered by the individual. So, more often than not, we hire based on credentials and then hope that the candidates will be able to play well with the others on our team. We consider him or her a good fit because of what they know and never consider that what they believe, and who they are at the core may impact their ability to excel in their field when put in a situation where their personality clashes with that of others. A PhD doesn’t guarantee their values will be congruent and complementary with our mission and core principles.

So, how do you know what you are getting? Simply put, you ask. You may not be able to ask what their character is like, but you can ask; “So, what kind of books do you read?” This is one of the first questions I ask in every interview. Most of the time I get a wrinkled brow as response. Bryan Dodge says: “If you’re not learning you’re not growing.” In this present world, what you are learning currently is just as important as what you may already know. In some cases, even more important. If they can’t remember the last book they read or they just don’t like to read, don’t make snap judgments, perhaps they listen to audio books or personal development courses on CD. If not, where do they get their belief system from? That is where the character is developed. If they are not into developing themselves are they growing? Will they grow in your employ? If they don’t do it for themselves…get the point?

“What are your values? What is your mission statement?” If these questions elicit a blank stare or the potential candidate begins to stutter or fidget…red flag. If they haven’t given thought to what they want to accomplish in the future, other than making money and acquiring status and possessions, beware. If their goals center solely around self, major red flag. If a person is only centering on what they can do for themselves what are the chances they will look out for a group?

In his book “How To Become A Rainmaker” Jeffery J. Fox uses this killer sales question to find out what is most important to the client: “What question should I be asking, that I’m not asking?” When you think about it, this should be one of the questions on your list. People just love to talk about themselves. If you let them talk long enough they will tell you more than a resume ever could. If you have ever read the book or seen the movie “Catch Me If You Can” based on the real life exploits of forger Frank Abagnale Jr. (and if you haven’t you should) you know that just because a piece of paper says so, doesn’t mean you are who it says you are!

So the next time you are looking at an impressive resume and the good looking “paper candidate” smiling back at you, ask yourself: “What am I really hiring? Their credentials or their character? The choice, dear colleagues, is entirely yours…and so will be the results.