A meritorious approach to merit (part 1)

One might wonder based on earlier posts (here, here, & here), but I’m a true believer in merit. I don’t believe in the empty “merit” of status credentials, or the superficial “merit” of “he seems a lot like me, so he must be great.” I also do not believe in the crony carnival we’ve all been watching lately, which makes a farce out of actual merit (turns out that picking Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense sent the wrong Signal on being merit-based).

And I’m especially tired of the specious claim that diversity, equity, and inclusion are somehow the opposite of merit, when the reverse is so plainly true. DEI is what helps ensure that people different than me in one or more ways, who have merit, will have a fair shot when I make hiring or advancement decisions.

What I do believe in is the merit of having the talents, competencies, and drive to add meaningful value to an organization – to make it successful. But how do we best go about discerning actual merit when we make decisions on who belongs?