At a seminar, I asked the 75 attendees to add up everyone they had ever worked with closely that they actively disliked. Then I turned the tables and asked them how many of the people they interviewed they disliked or absolutely couldn't work with. Not only was this a truly shocking differential, but it s also a lesson for us all. Obviously, personality is not a reliable hiring criterion. Character is harder to measure than personality, but it doesn't have the same emotional tug for most people.
Performance is a whole different ballgame.
Of the three core traits, performance is the easiest to measure and, as I've said, the best predictor of success. Fight with yourself to stay objective. Recognize when you feel relaxed or uncomfortable. When you talk with someone on the phone first, you automatically minimize the impact of personality and first impressions. This will help minimize emotions and set up the framework for a good dialogue.