Intrinsic Qualities in Hiring

Intrinsic qualities are fundamental character traits and drives that are largely inborn or acquired in childhood, making them the most critical factors to screen for during hiring.

Core Intrinsic Qualities

Drive

• Internal motivation to achieve and excel
• Self-starting energy
• Persistence in face of obstacles
• Not dependent on external rewards

Integrity

• Moral and ethical consistency
• Doing the right thing when no one is watching
• Binary quality: “medium integrity is low integrity”
• Non-negotiable foundation for trust

Curiosity

• Natural desire to learn and understand
• Asking “why” and “how”
• Intellectual hunger
• Drives continuous learning

Deep Care

• Genuine concern for outcomes
• Emotional investment in work
• Care for users, customers, team members
• Goes beyond professional obligation

Ownership

• Taking responsibility without being asked
• Seeing problems through to resolution
• Thinking like an owner, not a renter
• Accountability mindset

Why Intrinsic Matters Most

Extremely Difficult to Develop

• Largely formed in childhood
• Require major life transformations to change
• Can take decades to shift
• Often binary (present or absent)

Foundation for Everything Else

• Drive enables learning
• Integrity enables trust
• Curiosity enables growth
• Care enables quality
• Ownership enables autonomy

Multiplier Effect

Someone with strong intrinsic qualities but weak skills will:

• Learn skills quickly (driven by curiosity)
• Apply them effectively (motivated by care)
• Improve continuously (driven by ownership)

Someone with strong skills but weak intrinsic qualities will:

• Stagnate (lack of curiosity)
• Underperform (lack of drive)
• Create problems (lack of integrity)

Hiring Implications

Screen Heavily for Intrinsics

During interviews, assess:

• Past demonstrations of drive (what have they initiated?)
• Integrity in difficult situations (ethical dilemmas)
• Curiosity patterns (what do they learn outside work?)
• Evidence of deep care (what do they obsess over?)
• Ownership examples (when did they go beyond their role?)

Don’t Compromise

• Skills can be taught
• Processes can be learned
• Intrinsic qualities cannot be easily changed
• One person with low integrity can poison a team

Look for Patterns, Not Claims

• Anyone can claim to have drive or integrity
• Look for consistent patterns across time
• Ask for specific examples with details
• Check references for character, not just competence

The Binary Nature

Some Qualities Are All-or-Nothing

Integrity:

• You either have it or you don’t
• “Medium integrity” is actually low integrity
• Small compromises reveal character
• One lie destroys trust

Ownership:

• Either takes responsibility or makes excuses
• Either sees it through or hands it off
• Either proactive or reactive

Why Binary Matters

• Can’t “sort of” trust someone
• Can’t “partially” rely on someone
• Team dynamics require consistency
• Culture is defined by lowest common denominator

Common Hiring Mistakes

Overweighting Skills

• Hiring impressive resume over strong character
• Valuing pedigree over drive
• Choosing experience over curiosity

Hoping for Change

• “They’ll become more curious once they see our mission”
• “They’ll develop ownership as they grow”
• “They’ll care more once they’re invested”
• Reality: Rarely happens

Ignoring Red Flags

• Small integrity issues (“everyone does it”)
• Lack of curiosity (“focused on execution”)
• Blame-shifting (“my manager didn’t support me”)

When Intrinsics Can Change

Major Life Transformations

• Near-death experiences
• Becoming a parent
• Profound loss or failure
• Spiritual awakening
• Therapy and deep personal work

Specific Techniques and Frameworks

Some argue that intrinsic qualities can be adjusted with the right approaches:

“The Attributes” by Rich Divine: Recommended in the LinkedIn discussion by Andrey F., this book apparently provides techniques for adjusting attributes traditionally considered intrinsic. Claims that we can teach our brains to be more curious and adjust levels of drive, care, and other qualities.

To explore: Whether structured techniques can meaningfully shift intrinsic qualities in reasonable timeframes.

Long Time Horizons

• Not months or years
• Decades of sustained effort
• Requires intense self-awareness
• Needs strong motivation to change

Don’t Count On It

• Can’t build hiring strategy around hope
• Can’t wait decades for someone to develop drive
• Can’t risk team culture on potential change

Building for Intrinsics

In Hiring

1. Define the intrinsic qualities you need
2. Design interview questions to surface them
3. Check references for character
4. Don’t compromise on non-negotiables
5. Be willing to keep searching

In Culture

• Strong intrinsics in early hires set the standard
• Culture attracts similar people
• Weak intrinsics spread like cancer
• Protect culture by maintaining standards

In Development

• Focus coaching on skills (coachable)
• Support learning of judgment (learnable)
• Accept intrinsic qualities as given
• Help people leverage their intrinsic strengths

Related Concepts

• [[Coachable vs Learnable vs Intrinsic Skills]]
• [[Growth Mindset vs Fixed Mindset]] - Belief in ability to develop
• [[Right No vs Wrong Yes]] - Integrity in decisions
• [[Source: Shreyas Doshi Hiring Framework]]