“Hiring” a President

To me, the upcoming presidential election reminds me of my active professional life, when I had to hire key associates that would potentially have a huge impact on the quality and the life of the business I was running. 

Over the years, I have become pickier and more savvy about who to hire for various executive and sales jobs, because I learned from my numerous mistakes, and while I made too many of them, I always (successfully) endeavor not to repeat them. 

I was prioritizing attitudes over skills. For instance, a born-salesman is always better in sales even if the individual comes with a few flaws of his own and some deficiencies or lack of product knowledge. If the person is smart enough it can always be added later, but if the character isn’t right, it’s very unlikely to change in a few years. 

Generally, it’s agreed that one should always look for the following qualities: 

• Leadership Traits: Before anything, the best candidates are ethical and trustworthy. They don’t lie and cheat..They’re true leaders, with vision, seeing the big picture and setting clear goals. They’re able to make tough decisions promptly and are inspiring to motivate and inspire a team. 
• Interpersonal Skills: They communicate clearly, they’re positive, civil and respectful, show empathy and are understanding and responsive to the needs of others. They’re open-minded, collaborate and work effectively with a wide variety of individuals. They’ve strong interpersonal skills to foster positive relationships. 
• Strategic Thinking: They don’t complain, accept the rules and are problem-solvers, able to identify and address complex situations. They’re also able to analyze data to make solid decisions from it. Adaptability to constantly changing circumstances are also required qualities as well as managing risk intelligently. 
• Business Acumen: The know and master financial concepts and metrics, understand the market and are aware of trends and competitors. They can develop and implement effective business strategies and be great negotiators for the long term interests of the organization. 
• Personal Attributes: Finally, they need to be resilient and bounce back from setbacks, show passion and determination to succeed. Accept defeat and learn from their mistakes, while effectively managing their time and offering a strong dose of emotional intelligence. 

Now, when I look at that long list and ask myself, who of Trump or Harris are the best equipped to meet these criteria, the answer is totally clear.