What do you value the most in people?

This subject is about people. not just colleagues, business acquaintances, but also friends, family, leaders, in fact anyone.... just people. It's a personal view.

People, people, people

We have all read the well-worn finely-honed list that is always the answer to this question - openness, honesty integrity, intelligence etc etc.... there's nothing wrong with this - I generally endorse the answers. Here's my slightly offbeat, harder hitting, more crudely worded, but nonetheless equally valid, list - how I judge people..... Note - nothing here is about ability, skills, knowledge, education, training or strengths and weaknesses. All of that stuff can be trained into a person. Its about the way individuals are wired, their values, the way they are, what makes them tick as people.....

Kind - number 1 personal characteristic. Full stop. A strong inbuilt unshakable bias towards treating people well, fairly and being disposed to helping, giving, supporting. People with warmth, who care. (for clarity - this isn't a descriptor for the soft and fluffy. Kind people can also be demanding and hard as nails when the context requires)

Gets shit done - There is a place for considered evaluation, for strategising, for creativeness, for sound planning. All of these are inevitably the pre-cursor to getting stuff done. As my old friend would say it's where the doers take over from the talkers. People with a bias towards execution / doing things / getting things done will always thrive.

No dickheads - this is not my phrase but one that I completely endorse ( and have been tempted to write large on the walls a few times). Some folk can be gifted, brilliant at what they do, but... well.... Dickheads! These are the people, despite their effectiveness ( or otherwise) who behave in a way that destroys teamwork, undermines relationships, plain pisses-off people. They don't always know it, or mean it, and are often immune from gentle (or more direct) guidance. They usually benefit from great tolerance. They are inherently dickheads. You know who they are.

Hardworking - a close cousin of getting shit done. An ability to graft, knuckle-down, do the hard miles, without complaint. The kind of people who understand that effort is a prerequisite to success. Selfless contributors to a team.

Humble - down to earth, approachable, naturally underplay their role and ability, gets on with it - without a hint of arrogance, or self promotion. Genuinely good people with a positive attitude, big heart and small ego.

Frankness - it this the same as honesty? Kind of. Frankness is telling the truth when it needs to be heard. It's the opposite of yes-people who follow but don't lead opinion. This value is about not flinching or shying away from telling people the truth. I don't mean opinionated.. I doing need to always know your opinion necessarily. I do want (need) you to confront me with the truth. Tell me I am wrong. Tell me I am unfair. Tell me I am unreasonable. it's the most helpful, but most difficult thing a person can do. But..... do it in an emotionally intelligent way.

Resourceful (bring solutions not problems) - some people habitually bring you problems (usually theirs) and need your help. There's nothing wrong with needing help sometimes but some people make a habit of it. Other folk bring you solutions, answers, They are inventive and resourceful and have an inbuilt mindset to fix, improve, resolve. They are the embodiment of tenable, sustainable, self-helpers.

Empathy this one is harder to immediately see. Usually the preserve of those with good people skills. Empathy is an ability to understand how people feel - specifically the effect that you are having on them. Great leaders need this, truly great salesman have it needs to have in spades. This is the one omission in people that sometimes amazes me.

You don't have to agree - you may see things differently. That's diversity!