On Character
Barack Obama faced a test. Maybe he realized it was an important test; most likely, he didn’t. Michelle Obama famously asked her brother, Craig Robinson, to invite Obama along to a pick-up basketball game. She was interested in Obama but she wanted to see what her brother thought about him after a neighborhood game on the asphalt courts. “If you aren’t showing character on the court, you probably won’t show character in life.” That was her father and brother’s mantra over the years. Ball hogs needn’t apply. Neither should show-offs. Sharing was good, especially when you were sharing the ball with the open man.
Luckily, Obama passed the test. The rest, at least from the personal point of view, is history. The stern and strict Michelle decided that Barack might make a good spouse. He didn’t back down on the drive to the hoop. That was good. When he drove to the hoop, that drive was the best move for the team. If there was a better play somewhere else on the court, he passed off if he could.
So, we have a new – or revisited – metaphor on life. Not all of us are talented on the court, so asking new hires or new teammates to join us on the court might not work very well. A “test” on the court early in a relationship may make some sense. Michelle played a little different game. She had known Barack for quite a while and was just getting to the point of considering her life with him. She had been tough on other potential beaus in the fast. Most hadn’t endured as long as Barack. She took her time before she quietly posed her test.
A hiring process could include a test, but my bet is it’ll work better if you wait a while before you try someone out this way. It’s tough to do, certainly, and may slow your hiring process considerably. It still makes sense. Have test, yes. Wait a while if you can, however.
Reference
Robinson, Craig. A Game of Character. A Family Journey From Chicago’s Southside to the Ivy League and Beyond. Gotham Books. 2010.