Hire for Cultural Fitness, Not Just Cultural Fit

Organizational culture needs tension, not repetition.

Organizational culture needs tension, not repetition.

By trying to protect your culture, you can actually damage it.

Culture is the glue that brings a team or organization together. But if the glue is too sticky it can make them stuck instead of making them stay together. Cultural Fit can become a limitation rather than a strength.

Which takes me to the topic of hiring the right talent for your organization:

Do you hire people that are cultural fit?

Or do you hire to improve your culture fitness?

Culture is something dynamic rather than static. The notion that people can or can’t fit into a specific culture goes against the mandate of fluid organizations. The operating principle not only forces new employees to adapt but, also, hinders your culture’s ability to be influenced by outsiders. It limits its ability to grow.

When interviewing people, I do care for cultural fit but I also look for culture disruption. As I like to tell candidates: “I want you to be influenced by our culture but, mos…