My answer is that neither should stand alone.<\/p>
In my views : The most successful organizations are built on three pillars:<\/p>
Performance. Loyalty. Character.<\/strong><\/p> When these three qualities come together in your team members , you will be lucky as extraordinary things happen.<\/p> When one is missing, challenges begin to emerge.<\/p> When two are missing, the organization faces serious risk with regard to their culture and performance.<\/p> The Employee Every Leader Wants<\/strong><\/p> The ideal team member demonstrates:<\/p> These individuals consistently deliver results.<\/p> They support the mission of the organization.<\/p> They celebrate the success of their colleagues.<\/p> They act with integrity and high quality even when nobody is watching.<\/p> They remain committed during difficult periods, not only during successful ones.<\/p> These employees become future leaders because people trust them.<\/p> In my experience, trust is the foundation upon which influence, teamwork, long-term success and legacy are built.<\/p> Skills may open doors. Trust keeps them open.<\/p> High Performance Without Loyalty<\/strong><\/p> Many organizations encounter individuals who are highly capable but not deeply committed.<\/p> They produce excellent results.<\/p> They are intelligent, ambitious, and often highly visible.<\/p> However, their commitment is primarily to themselves rather than to the mission.<\/p> These employees may leave when a better opportunity appears.<\/p> They may prioritize personal recognition over team success.<\/p> They may focus more on individual achievement than collective impact.<\/p> They are also ;<\/p> It is a serious problem. High Performance alone does not create culture.<\/p> Significant Results alone do not build institutions<\/p> A disloyal high performer can sometimes cause more damage than a loyal average performer because:<\/p> While they can create significant benefit , leaders must manage this situation<\/p> An organization built entirely around individual stars eventually becomes fragile because loyalty and shared purpose are missing.<\/p> What Should a Leader Do?<\/strong><\/p> High Loyalty Without Performance<\/strong><\/p> This is often one of the most difficult situations for leaders.<\/p> The individual is trustworthy.<\/p> They care deeply about the organization.<\/p> They support their colleagues.<\/p> Their intentions are sincere.<\/p> Yet they consistently fail to deliver the level of performance required.<\/p> Leaders often hesitate because they appreciate the person\u2019s commitment and good character , they respect him , in many cases like him.<\/p> However, loyalty cannot replace competence.<\/p> Organizations exist to fulfill missions, achieve objectives, and create impact.<\/p> Good intentions alone cannot carry an institution forward.<\/p> The responsibility of leadership is to support development, provide coaching, offer opportunities for improvement, change their work scope , explore their other interests\/ strengthens and create every reasonable chance for success.<\/p> But eventually, performance standards must be respected.<\/p> Compassion should never mean lowering standards.<\/p> The Most Challenging Combination: Low Performance and Low Loyalty<\/strong><\/p> In my experience, the most difficult employees are not high performers who eventually leave.<\/p> The most difficult are individuals who demonstrate both low performance and low loyalty.<\/p> This combination creates a unique challenge.<\/p> The organization receives little value from their contribution.<\/p> At the same time, the individual often resists accountability.<\/p> When expectations are discussed, excuses appear.<\/p> When feedback is provided, responsibility is shifted elsewhere.<\/p> When improvement plans are introduced, blame often replaces ownership.<\/p> The challenge becomes even greater when separation becomes necessary.<\/p> Employees with low performance and low loyalty may attempt to justify their failures by creating alternative narratives.<\/p> Instead of asking what they could have done better, they focus on explaining why their shortcomings were someone else\u2019s fault.<\/p> In some cases, they may spread misinformation, make accusations, exaggerate events, or attempt to damage reputations.<\/p> Not necessarily because they are evil.<\/p> Often because accepting personal responsibility requires humility and a character .<\/p> This is why many leaders find these situations emotionally exhausting.<\/p> Why Letting Them Go Feels So Difficult<\/strong><\/p> Many people assume that terminating a low-performing, disloyal employee should be easy.<\/p> In reality, it is often one of the hardest leadership decisions.<\/p> Not because the decision itself is unclear.<\/p> But because responsible leaders care about people.<\/p> They understand that every employment decision affects lives and families.<\/p> They want to be fair.<\/p> They want to give second chances.<\/p> They want to believe improvement is possible.<\/p> Unfortunately, prolonged tolerance of poor performance and disloyal behavior creates another problem.<\/p> It sends a message to high-performing employees.<\/p> It tells them that standards do not matter.<\/p> It tells them that accountability is optional.<\/p> It tells them that excellence and commitment are treated the same as mediocrity and indifference.<\/p> Nothing damages morale faster.<\/p> Great employees want fairness.<\/p> They want leaders who protect culture.<\/p> They want leaders who recognize contribution.<\/p> And they want leaders who have the courage to address behavior that harms the organization.<\/p> What I Look for When Hiring<\/strong><\/p> Leaders hire people because they can deliver results. Skills, competence, and potential matter . But they should also assess integrity, professionalism, and alignment with organizational values.<\/p> A highly skilled person who lacks integrity can create significant damage despite delivering strong results.<\/p> When evaluating candidates, I look beyond amazing technical skills and long nice Cv full of achievements .<\/p> Skills can be developed.<\/p> Experience can be gained.<\/p> What is far more difficult to teach is character.<\/p> Competence gets people hired.<\/p> Character determines whether they remain successful.<\/p>
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