I recently wrote about having values-fit and it struck a chord with people.
You want to work with people who share your values but you need to take this a step further…
People might share your values on paper but living those values is an entirely different animal. What you really want is virtues-fit.
Virtues are about living your values—they are values in motion. They are about doing what you say. Walking the walk. Virtues are about behavior and moral excellence, and it’s this "excellence of character" which most closely translates to ancient Greek.
The Greeks talked a lot about virtues and had their own ideas about what they should be. As did the Stoics who aspired to wisdom, courage, temperance, and justice.
Here's a good way to think about it:
Values are things that you think are good
Principles are rules for behavior
Virtues are traits of your character
Another explanation that I found on Reddit:
"Lying is bad" is a value
"Don't lie" is a principle
"Not being a liar" is a virtue
In startups and in life, you want to work with people who live virtuously because it means that people are aligned. Their actions are in line with yours so that you can be more effective without friction.
Also when you live virtuously there is no room for hypocrisy, and this makes you happier, and so when everyone is happier, they do better work.
Testing for virtues is hard but it’s easier than testing for values because you look at a person’s actions. Does this person do what they say? Do they follow through with things? Do they act ethically? Do they practice what they preach?
No one is perfect but try practicing virtue ethics because it’s better for everyone.
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