There seems to be a throwback in zeitgeist to an earlier time where character trumped importance in all things. For the past decade, the rise in radical identity politics has taken its toll. It began as a call to revolute against the norm or mainstream and challenged all things traditional. Of course, the roots to this call for social change was fueled by years of neglect on issues fermented in what had traditionally been viewed as marginal spaces in society. It seemed that there was a flip in focus that geared governmental policy to address protecting individuals and groups who identified in ways that vulnerablizied them. This shift in focus seemed to cause societies at large to cast its collective view on attributes related to the who one is rather than on the what one does or has achieved. In my view, this shift was mobilized by social media and did impact everyone on a global scale.
In recent times schooling, hiring and even dating practices shifted as well. How an individual identified became more important in candidate searches than anything else. You are likely familiar with the check-box system currently used when applying for school, job, or a date. There is a list of questions that work to categorize candidates based on identifiers such as race, ethnicity, gender, previous relationships, preferences, languages spoken and more. Some platforms seek questions about income levels, and the number of members in a household as well. There are many types of programs that currently seek ways to “identify” your demographic data. Some questions on survey-type platforms such as your age, marital status, or religious affiliation are no longer legal in most professional hiring or student application interviews.
Nonetheless, more and more platforms have been created to weed out individual identifiers that are not preferred in a particular context by systems designed to filter data. Some dating applications allow users to create limited filter settings, which activate remaining potential matches that programs determine are best for you. Many of you have certainly had experiences whereby identifier-matching services got it completely wrong, overlooking individuals who are truly a better fit for you. Job hiring apps and platforms are similar, also offering user-directed filters to target particular candidates for jobs. Hearing mostly about the lived-experiences of dating-app users, it seems that this data-driven process is imperfect.
An idealistic perspective of human character would be difficult to identify on platforms for hire or dating. Most hiring screening programs rely on information such as years of experience, languages spoken, the number of degrees earned and more. An imaginary online recruitment checklist for character might include some evidentiary support of:
- Respecting people’s time
- Listening with care to what people have to say & contribute
- Understanding that people have bad days
- Honouring one’s personal limitations and boundaries
- Affirming unique contributions by offering verbal praise, rewards, & bonuses
- Doing what they say they would do
- Trusting people to help
- Celebrating personal and social successes with authenticity
- Engaging fairly in tasks designed for groups
- Being honest about setbacks and failures
- Completing assigned tasks
- Speaking up when someone is being mis-treated
- Helping those expressing a need for support
Character is typically assessed once you have made it through the online screening process, and you are meeting with people in a formal interview, or on a date. Many single people posting on dating apps express how “exhausting” this process has become for them. They have accepted however, that in order to really meet anyone in today’s society, you must have a dating profile on at least one reputable dating app. There are obvious dating app preferences and after a short while on them, people quickly discern whether this is the site where they might meet like-minded individuals or not. Some people use dating apps for sex and hook-ups, but most adults are actually interested in finding a more serious life-partner and soul-mate.
It might be a worthwhile exercise to reflect on the concept of “character” and what it means to you at home, in the workplace, and at play. Do you feel that your character is as important to your sense of self as your physical attributes? Do you think that the people closest to you stay close to you based on those all too familiar identifiers used to screen your suitability for school, job, or a date? Or, do you believe that perhaps people choose to be close to you because you are trustworthy, kind, helpful, loyal, honest, fun-loving, and compassionate?
The ways that people identify and speak about the self is of utmost importance. Your “I” is unique and as such open to terms that best identify your sense of self. An authentic sense of self is definitely greater than the sum of it’s individual parts or identifiers. In this sense, you likely feel that there is more to you than the terms used to identify your cultural, physical, religious, or ethic affiliations and gender. Character transcends your identity and is best understood as a qualifier rather than an identifier. Being with that individual impacted me positively because of the genuine care and concern spent trying to understand what I had in mind. Qualifiers might help guide you in your quest for candidates to date or to employ. This is especially true when you begin to describe your experience with the candidate using “I'” statements such as, “I found this person’s honesty really uplifting during our chat today”.
“The purpose revolution: How leaders create engagement and competitive advantage in an age of social good” is an excellent read for those of you in business. It provides several examples where leaders unpack what customers are really seeking, how brand loyalty develops, and why and how people decide to invest in you and your company. Much of what is written in this book speaks to human character, and the need for people to feel as though they are seen and respected during capitalistic exchanges. The traditional term might be “customer service”. When I call a number or ask a question in-person, will someone take the time to listen and assess what I need, and then help me or not? The Best Buy Blue Shirt strategy is one such example shared in the book where customer service is based on authenticity and care.
It seems that first world countries continue to progress and enjoy the liberties associated with greater wealth. As the gap between the rich and poor widens globally, governments aiming to protect the “social good” need to be more vigilant than ever before about listening to voices rising from marginal spaces. Perhaps, identity-informed character will help to lead the way.
Enjoy your day,
Lisa Romano-Dwyer BSc, MSW, PhD, RSW
