Warren Buffett once said, “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.” It’s a perspective that invites leaders to reflect on which qualities truly matter most in the hiring process.

Intelligence and drive are powerful qualities, but in the wrong hands, they can create far more harm than good. A highly capable employee without integrity can damage your organization’s reputation, destroy trust, and create long-term risks that far outweigh their contributions.

That’s why integrity has to be the foundation of every hiring decision. Skills can be trained, energy can be redirected, but integrity, or the lack of it, shapes everything about how a person shows up at work. Employees with strong values strengthen culture, foster trust among teams, and ensure decisions are made with the organization’s best interests in mind.

The challenge is that integrity doesn’t show up on a résumé. It has to be revealed through conversation and observation. That’s where thoughtful interview questions come in. By asking candidates to reflect on past behaviors and values, employers can gain insights into whether a person’s integrity aligns with the organization’s culture and expectations.

12 Interview Questions to Reveal Integrity
Here are 12 questions, adapted from Inc.com, that can help you uncover a candidate’s character during the interview process:

1. Tell me about a time when you experienced a loss for doing what’s right. How did you react?
2. Describe a time when your trustworthiness was challenged. How did you respond?
3. Share an example of solving a problem that tested your sense of fairness or ethics.
4. When was the last time you broke the rules? What happened?
5. What would you do if you suspected a coworker was stealing?
6. Tell me about a time you saw inappropriate behavior at work. What did you do?
7. Describe a time you distrusted a colleague. How did you repair the relationship?
8. When working with others, what’s your preferred relationship style?
9. What values matter most to you in a team environment?
10. If we had a difficult client situation, would you tell a white lie to fix it?
11. What would your past manager say makes you most valuable?
12. What qualities did your best boss have and how do you reflect those traits?

As leaders, it’s our responsibility to build workplaces where people can thrive, collaborate, and trust one another. That starts with hiring the right people for the right reasons. Integrity may not always be easy to measure, but when you make it the top priority, the rewards are unmistakable: stronger teams, healthier cultures, and organizations that stand the test of time.

How do you measure one’s integrity during the interview process? Email me at mcorrado@aseonline.org.