Tag Archives: Warren Buffett

“You’re looking for three things, generally, in a person: intelligence, energy and integrity…”

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“You’re looking for three things, generally, in a person: intelligence, energy and integrity. And if they don’t have the last one, don’t even bother with the first two.”

– Warren Buffett, American businessman, inventor, and philanthropist

519Image from Flickr by blu-news.org.

If there is a single quality that I look for in a potential coaching candidate, it’s integrity. Whenever I examine the reasons for the success of all the individuals I’ve coached, integrity seems to trump all other factors – perhaps because it’s foundational for many other qualities and characteristics, including:

  • Honesty
  • Quality of relationships
  • Leadership
  • Courage
  • Hard work
  • Dedication
  • Persistence
  • Loyalty
  • Character
  • Service to others
  • Passion
  • Purpose
  • Drive

Just as a building will stand firmly on a solid foundation, a life and career built on a foundation of integrity will stand powerfully and endure.

Exercise:

What actions can you take today to associate with others of high integrity? What steps can you take now and in the future to be the type of person who Warren Buffett would gladly hire?

“If you can tell me who your heroes are, I can tell you how you’re going to turn out in life.”

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“If you can tell me who your heroes are, I can tell you how you’re going to turn out in life.”

– Warren Buffett, American businessman, investor and philanthropist

While doing a bit of research on Buffett’s interesting upbringing and career, I learned that he was highly influenced by a prominent investor of his time, named Ben Graham.

Ben is noted for creating the concept of intrinsic business value – which, at the time, was a fundamental alternative to the value of a company’s stock price.

As one of the world’s richest men, Buffett obviously was inspired by his hero to follow his teachings.

Exercise:

Who are your heroes? What values, behaviors, and wisdom do they possess that would cause you to model your own life after them?

Consider the idea that you are someone’s hero. How will you continue your own growth journey to be the kind of person worth following?