Promotion by Personality

In our latest episode, Kristen Ziman and Sylvia Moir tackle the "selection problem" in modern organizations, debating whether leaders are too often promoted based on surface-level traits like charisma, confidence, and visibility rather than true substance. Using their signature "hollow bunny" metaphor to describe leaders who look the part but lack depth, Kristen argues that standard interview panels routinely reward high-visibility personalities over quiet competence and team-building capability. Sylvia offers pushback by introducing the Ivey Business School Leader Character Framework, emphasizing that robust leadership evaluation must test multidimensional character traits - such as judgment, humanity, courage, and temperance - under pressure. Ultimately, Kristen and Sylvia examine how leaders frequently promote others based on shared personal values, offering a compelling look at how organizations can look beyond charm to assess authentic character and capability.