Hire character. Train skill.

The aphorism distills a hiring philosophy: technical competencies are comparatively teachable, while character traits—integrity, reliability, humility, and judgment—are harder to instill after the fact. It implies that organizations should prioritize values and behavioral fit at the point of selection, then invest in training to close skill gaps. The line also functions as a warning about the hidden costs of “brilliant jerks”: even highly skilled employees can damage trust, culture, and long-term performance if their character is poor. In leadership terms, it elevates ethics and temperament as foundational, with skill as an important but secondary, developable asset.