If you’ve been in hiring long enough, you’ve probably said it:
👉 “They just weren’t a culture fit.”
But what do we really mean by that?
Too often, “culture fit” becomes code for “comfortable”, “familiar,” or “people like us.”
And that, my friend, is where innovation goes to die.
🚩 1. The dangers of culture fit obsession
🔸 It encourages sameness
🔸 It filters out difference
🔸 It quietly reinforces bias
🔸 It limits learning, growth and perspective
📌 The result?
A nice, polite echo chamber where no one challenges anything… and no one grows.
✨ 2. What we really need: Culture add
Culture add isn’t about fitting in.
It’s about bringing something new that enriches the team.
💡 Ask yourself:
🧠 “What perspective are we missing?”
🧠 “How could this person challenge and expand our way of thinking?”
✅ It’s not about chaos—it’s about constructive friction.
👥 3. How to shift your hiring mindset
📌 Move from “Do they fit?” → “Do they stretch us?”
📌 Add structured interview questions focused on values alignment, not hobbies or backgrounds
📌 Invite diverse voices into hiring decisions
📌 Train interviewers to spot potential, not just familiarity
💡 Example:
Instead of asking “Would I have a beer with them?”, try:
➡️ “Would I learn something from working with them?”
🚀 Conclusion: Hire for challenge, not comfort
📢 If everyone thinks the same, someone’s not thinking.
The best teams are made of people who:
✅ Share core values
✅ Bring different ideas
✅ Help each other grow
So next time you’re hiring…
📌 Forget culture fit.
📌 Look for culture evolution.
🌍 Have you ever been rejected (or hired) for “culture fit”?