Page 376 - Ray Dalio - Principles

On the other hand, sometimes I see people dealing with each
other, especially in groups, without regard for these differences.
They are like the parable of the blind men touching different parts
of an elephant and arguing about what it is. Just think about how
much better it would be if people were open-minded enough to
realize that none of them have the complete picture. Both people
expressing their own views and those considering others’ views
need to take each other’s differences into account. These

differences are real, so it’s dumb to pretend they don’t exist.
a. Understand how to use and interpret personality assessments. Personality
assessments are valuable tools for getting a quick picture of what
people are like in terms of their abilities, preferences, and style.

They are often more objective and reliable than interviews.

b. Remember that people tend to pick people like themselves, so choose
interviewers who can identify what you are looking for. If you’re looking for
a visionary, pick a visionary to do the interview in which you
probe for vision. If you are looking for a mix of qualities,
assemble a group of interviewers who embody those qualities
collectively. Don’t choose interviewers whose judgment you don’t
trust (in other words, make sure they are believable).

c. Look for people who are willing to look at themselves objectively.

Everybody has strengths and weaknesses. The key to success is
understanding one’s weaknesses and successfully compensating
for them. People who lack that ability fail chronically.

d. Remember that people typically don’t change all that much. This is
especially true over short periods of time like a year or two, yet
most people want to assume that when someone does something
wrong the person will learn the lesson and change. That’s naive. It
is best to assume that they won’t change unless there is good
evidence to the contrary that they will.

It’s better to bet on changes you have seen than those you hope
for.

8.3 Think of your teams the way that

sports managers do: No one person

possesses everything required to