Don't recruit for culture fit. Recruit for mindset

Great minds think differently.

It’s a phrase we nod along to, yet when it comes to hiring, many organisations continue to recruiting for culture fit. We look for people who feel familiar, who align quickly, who seem like they’ll blend in seamlessly.

The problem? Too much fit can quietly become conformity.

Innovation over similarity

When teams prioritise similarity, innovation often stalls. New thinking gets filtered out before it has a chance to challenge assumptions. Comfort rises, but curiosity declines.

What if we shifted the lens from culture fit to mindset contribution?

Instead of asking, ‘will this person fit in?, ask: ‘will this person help us grow?’

The mindset that matters

Skills can be learned and processes can be taught. Mindset is different.

The people who elevate teams tend to share a few traits:

• Adaptability/agility: They adjust when context changes rather than clinging to what worked before. They see it as an opportunity, rather than a challenge

• Curiosity:  They ask ‘why?’ and ‘what if?’ without fear of sounding naïve. They love to experiment

• Open to learning:  They see feedback as data, not judgement. They love to learn, explore new things and learn from mistakes

• Constructive challenge:  They are willing to respectfully question the status quo. They ask ‘why do we do it this way’ and ‘how might we do this differently?’
  

These qualities create resilience and momentum, especially in today’s business environment which is fraught with relentless change and complexity.

The role of positive deviance

One of the most overlooked drivers of innovation is positive deviance. This term describes individuals who depart from the norm in ways that produce better outcomes.

Positive deviants don’t necessarily arrive with louder voices or higher titles. Often, they’re the people who:

• approach problems differently

• challenge assumptions others no longer see

• test small alternatives that eventually become better practices

  
  

When organisations place too much emphasis on culture fit, the brave positive deviants are unintentionally filtered out. Yet they are often the catalysts for valuable improvement.

Culture isn’t sameness

A strong culture isn’t built by hiring people who all think alike. It’s built on shared values and diverse thinking.

Recruiting for mindset means embracing people who may challenge the way things are done. They are not being disruptive for its own sake, but often they are committed to learning and improving.

In other words - culture should provide the foundation, not the mould.

The real question for leaders

If innovation, adaptability and continuous improvement are important to you, you may need to rethink what ‘fit’ really means.

What if we shifted the focus from finding people who seamlessly mirror the existing culture, to those who can stretch it in healthy ways?

In interviews, are you asking questions that look for these mindsets?

Because great teams don’t grow by thinking the same.

They grow by thinking differently…together.