So the challenge is to prove to others that you are indeed a credible person, which can be done by demonstrating that you have character and are competent at what you do. It also helps to show your capacity for long-term thinking and being adaptable to changing situations.
And don’t try to make up for a deficiency in competence by overdeveloping your character, or vice versa.
For example, let’s say you’re preparing to skydive. Would you trust the person preparing your parachute if he had loads of character – meaning he was kind and thoughtful – but wasn’t a competent parachute-preparer? On the flip side, what if he had a wealth of experience but demonstrated a lack of character by being arrogant and emotionally unstable? Would you want him to be responsible for your safety?
Then there’s the importance of displaying a long-term perspective, which is another way of showing your colleagues that you’re thoughtful, considerate and can be trusted to see things through to the end.
