In life’s most crucial moments, we often face decisions that test not just our judgment, but our values. This week’s question, drawn from Gregory Stock’s thought-provoking collection The Book of Questions, presents exactly such a dilemma:

You need to have dangerous brain surgery and must choose between two surgeons: one extremely gifted but a dishonest jerk; the other less skilled but very honest and friendly. Who would you pick? What if you were accused of a serious crime and had the same choice in attorneys?

At first glance, this might seem like an easy choice. After all, when your life or freedom hangs in the balance, shouldn’t pure competence trump all other considerations? Wouldn’t we want the most skilled hands performing our brain surgery, regardless of the surgeon’s personality? Shouldn’t we choose the attorney most likely to win our case, even if their methods are questionable?

But as with many ethical dilemmas, the answer becomes more complex the deeper we delve into it.

The Medical Scenario: When Your Life Is in Their Hands

Consider the brain surgeon scenario first. The stakes couldn’t be higher – we’re literally putting our life in someone else’s hands. The “extremely gifted” surgeon might have the steadiest hands and the most impressive track record of successful operations. Their technical expertise could mean the difference between life and death, or between a full recovery and permanent disability.

However, their dishonesty raises serious red flags. A surgeon who lacks integrity might:

• Misrepresent their success rates or experience with particular procedures
• Fail to fully disclose risks or potential complications
• Be unwilling to admit mistakes or learn from them
• Put their ego ahead of patient care
• Resist collaboration with other medical professionals when needed

Meanwhile, the less skilled but honest surgeon might not have the same technical prowess, but their integrity ensures they will:

• Be truthful about their capabilities and limitations
• Fully inform you about risks and potential outcomes
• Seek second opinions when needed
• Admit and learn from mistakes
• Put patient care above personal ego

In this scenario, I would choose the honest surgeon, even with less technical skill. Here’s why: medical care isn’t just about the procedure itself – it’s about the entire journey of treatment, recovery, and follow-up care. A surgeon’s honesty directly impacts the quality of care we receive. When complications arise (as they often do in medical procedures), I want someone who will be straight with me and my family, someone who will prioritize my wellbeing over their reputation.

The Legal Scenario: Justice and Ethics in the Courtroom

The attorney scenario presents a similar dilemma but with some crucial differences. Here, we’re not dealing with physical life and death, but rather with our freedom and reputation. Some might argue that in legal matters, winning is everything, and a “shark” attorney who bends the rules might be more effective at securing an acquittal.

But this perspective overlooks several important considerations. An attorney who is willing to be dishonest might:

• Encourage you to lie under oath
• Suppress or tamper with evidence
• Coach witnesses to give false testimony
• Make deals behind your back
• Prioritize their win record over your best interests

The honest attorney, while perhaps less aggressive, offers:

• Clear, truthful advice about your situation
• Ethical representation that won’t compromise your integrity
• Transparent communication about strategy and progress
• A defense based on facts rather than deception
• Peace of mind knowing you’re not compounding one problem with another

I’ve seen firsthand, through a friend’s experience, how an unethical attorney can win a case through dishonesty and witness coaching. While they achieved the desired outcome, the moral cost was steep. My friend’s ex-husband won their divorce case, but at the price of justice and truth. This real-world example reinforces my belief that victory achieved through deception is a hollow one.

Values Over Victory

In both scenarios – medical and legal – I choose the honest professional over the more skilled but unethical one. This choice reflects a fundamental belief that character matters more than raw ability, especially in high-stakes situations where trust is paramount.

Some might argue that this prioritizes personal comfort over practical outcomes. After all, wouldn’t we rather have an unpleasant victory than a friendly defeat? But this oversimplifies the relationship between character and outcomes. A professional’s integrity doesn’t just affect their bedside manner or courtroom demeanor – it influences every aspect of how they handle your case.

Moreover, choosing the ethical professional aligns with broader values that extend beyond immediate outcomes:

• It reinforces the importance of honesty in professional relationships
• It acknowledges that how we achieve our goals matters as much as achieving them
• It considers the impact on family members and others who must interact with these professionals
• It recognizes that true success includes maintaining our moral compass

The Bigger Picture

This dilemma touches on a broader question that resonates throughout our lives: How do we balance competence with character? In a world that often celebrates results above all else, choosing the less skilled but more honest professional might seem naive. But perhaps this “naivety” is exactly what we need more of in our society.

When we choose professionals based solely on their technical skills or win records, we inadvertently encourage and reward unethical behavior. We become part of a system that values success over integrity, that prioritizes outcomes over ethics. Each time we make such a choice, we contribute to a culture where being a “dishonest jerk” is seen as an acceptable price for achievement.

Conclusion: A Matter of Values

In the end, my choice in both scenarios would be the honest professional, even at the potential cost of technical expertise. This isn’t just about choosing someone pleasant to work with – it’s about aligning our most important decisions with our core values.

The honest surgeon might not be the most technically gifted, but they’ll give us the truth about our condition and options. They’ll seek help when needed rather than letting ego drive decisions. The honest attorney might not have the highest win rate, but they’ll defend us within ethical boundaries, preserving not just our freedom but our integrity.

These choices reflect a belief that character and competence aren’t entirely separate qualities. True professional excellence includes both technical skill and ethical behavior. When forced to choose between them, I’d rather put my trust in someone who might have less skill but whose moral compass I can rely on.

After all, in life’s most challenging moments, we need more than just technical expertise – we need professionals whose character gives us confidence that they’ll act in our best interests, tell us the truth, and help us make decisions we can live with long after the immediate crisis has passed.

What would you choose? How do you weigh technical excellence against personal integrity in your own decision-making? These questions reveal much about our values and what we believe truly matters in life’s most crucial moments.