The Man I Almost Didn't Hire

Many years ago, while I was GM of our manufacturing operation in Yemen, my brother at head office recommended Mr. Ali to me for an HR position.

On the day of his interview, he was waiting outside my office when my secretary came in.

"Mr. Marwan, someone outside needs to see you urgently."

I let him in.

The gentleman knew Mr. Ali. He hinted at political connections and warned me that bringing him into the company could create problems.

He left.

Seconds later, Mr. Ali walked in.

I interviewed him, but my mind was already affected. Someone had painted a picture of a man I had never met.

Later, my brother called.

"How did the interview go?"

"I don't think I want to take him."

"Why?"

I explained.

He became upset.

"How can you judge a man because of what somebody said seconds before his interview? Judge him yourself."

He was right.

I reconsidered.

We hired Mr. Ali.

Over the years, he proved himself, became our Head of HR and one of the people I trusted most.

From then on, I judged people by what they did.

I believed in accountability.

If I found serious negligence in the factory, I acted. On rare occasions, I deducted half a day's pay from the responsible supervisor.

But I remembered that person.

Days later, if his area was spotless or his shift performed strongly, I recognized it.

Not to reverse the punishment.

The punishment belonged to the mistake. The reward belonged to the good work.

Accountability should never become personal rejection.

My responsibility also went beyond the factory.

Some key employees supporting wives and children could work for years and still never save enough to build a decent home.

So, selectively, we gave them interest-free loans to build modest homes, repaid through salaries and bonuses.

Mr. Ali helped me run this program.

But one instruction was absolute:

If an employee passed away before repaying, the balance was written off.

We would never ask his family for it or put their home at risk.

That house remained with his wife and children, our gratitude for his years of service.

Then came the day I was transferred from Yemen to Malaysia.

Mr. Ali was the first person I told.

We sat at the meeting table in my office. I was at the head; he was on my right.

Just the two of us.

"Mr. Ali, I have been transferred to Malaysia."

I had barely finished.

His expression changed. Within seconds, I saw the tears in his eyes.

He stood up.

I stood up.

He hugged me.

I have never forgotten that moment.

This was the man I almost didn't hire.

And this is why I say to CEOs and senior executives:

You cannot delegate culture.

You cannot sit at the top, tell HR to look after your people, and consider your job done.

You have to live inside the culture yourself: know your people, hold them accountable, recognize them, understand their lives and care about the future they are building.

Leadership is not watching the culture from the top.

Leadership is living inside it.