To Reform Meritocracy, Put Character at the Center

To Reform Meritocracy, Put

Character at the Center

Organizations that aspire to hire and advance employees based on merit should

consider character, not just skills or performance.

By Thomas A. Cole

The idea of meritocracy is under attack: It has been

called a “myth,” a “sham,” a “trap,” a “tyranny,” and an

“alibi for plutocracy.” While meritocracy, as historically

and currently practiced, is clearly in need of reform, it

is hard to accept the notion that it is so awed that it

should be abandoned as an aspiration.

Done right, meritocracy puts the best and most

deserving people into positions of power and inuence;

it can convey a sense of fairness and maybe even restore

respect for authority. A critical element of reforming ...