Book Review | The Five Attributes: Essentials of Hiring

It’s hiring season for those of us in education. The Five Attributes: Essentials of Hiring for Christian Organizations by Chad Carter is a great resource in this process. Anyone who is involved in hiring knows that the wrong hire can be devastating for an organization. The right hire, can be a boost that is a blessing for everyone involved! How do you know the difference and how can you avoid making mistakes? Carter gives a solid framework built around character, calling, competence, chemistry, and contribution. He also gives a super helpful resource in this book by including a ton of very helpful and discerning interview questions.

This book is very practical and is a pretty quick read. And…perfect timing as my day starts tomorrow with an interview of a potential employee. Grateful for the opportunity to recalibrate my heart and mind to make sure I’m keeping the main thing the main thing in this process!

I highlighted several things while reading and have included those notes below…

  • Proverbs 26:10 “Like an archer who wounds at random is he who hires a fool or any passerby.” p. 3
  • “I would rather endure the pain of not having someone in that position than having the wrong person in that position.” – Patrick Lencioni, p. 4
  • CHARACTER | The aggregate features and traits that form the individual nature of a person or thing with qualities of honesty, courage, or the like; integrity. Our character defines who we are. (1 Corinthians 15:33) p. 9
    • Ask the candidate how they are feeding and developing their character. p. 10
  • CALLING | A strong compulsion toward a particular way of life or career; a vocation. Especially one believed to be divinely inspired. Actively listening to God as he calls out to you for a particular season of service, something particular for you. (Ephesians 4:1-4) p. 19
    • “It is not office, it is earnestness; it is not position, it is grace which enables us to glorify God.” p. 22
    • If you could do one thing for the rest of your life and never get paid for it what would you do? p. 26
  • COMPETENCE | Fit, suitable, and sufficient for purpose through training and life experience. The ability to do something successfully and efficiently. Possesses capacity for knowledge and a capability to execute required tasks. p. 29
    • Competent people have six prominent strengths that other individuals often lack: Intellectual Horsepower, Discernment, A Solid Work Ethic, Strive to Continually Learn and Improve, The Ability to Simplify Things, and An Element of Confidence and Presence. (Psalm 78:72) p. 31
    • As a leader, why do you follow people? p. 33
  • CHEMISTRY | The intangible quality of being able to “fit” within the existing team. The ability to blend into and enrich the current circle of community while bringing relational harmony. (1 Corinthians 12:18) p. 39
  • CONTRIBUTION | An individual’s ability to make an immediate and long-term positive impact on the organization and in the role for which they are being considered. p. 49
    • Mature leaders hire individuals who are more gifted than they are. p. 53
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