"They're not a culture fit."
I hear this phrase constantly in hiring conversations, and every time, I push back. Not because culture doesn't matter (it absolutely does) but because "culture fit" has become a lazy proxy for something else entirely.
More often than not, "not a culture fit" means:
And that's a problem. Because if you're only hiring people who fit seamlessly into your existing culture, you're not building a stronger organization. You're building an echo chamber.
Here's what typically happens: A company develops a culture, usually shaped by the founder and early team. That culture becomes the filter through which every future hire is evaluated. People who "feel right" get hired. People who seem "different" get passed over, even if they're highly qualified.
Over time, the team becomes increasingly homogeneous. Everyone thinks the same way. Everyone communicates the same way. Everyone approaches problems with the same lens.
This feels comfortable. It feels cohesive. It feels like "strong culture."
But it's actually fragile.
When everyone thinks alike, you miss blind spots. You reinforce biases. You lose the ability to see problems coming or adapt when the market shifts. Innovation stalls because nobody's challenging the status quo.
Worse, "culture fit" often becomes a cover for unconscious bias. It's a way to reject candidates who don't look, sound, or act like the existing team without having to examine why that matters.
Instead of asking "Do they fit our culture?" ask "What do they add to our culture?"
Culture add means hiring people who share your core values but bring different perspectives, experiences, and ways of thinking. They strengthen the culture by expanding it, not by reinforcing what's already there.
This is a subtle but critical shift.
Culture fit asks: "Are they like us?"
Culture add asks: "Do they make us better?"
Culture fit leads to homogeneity.
Culture add leads to resilience.
Hiring for culture add requires a more intentional process. You can't just rely on gut feel or whether someone "clicks" in the interview. You have to get specific about what you're looking for.
Step 1: Define Your Core Values (Actually Define Them)
Most companies have values on their website. Very few have values that actually guide decisions.
If you're going to hire for culture add, you need to know what's non-negotiable. What are the values that define how you operate? Not the aspirational ones. The real ones.
For example:
Get clear on what matters, and be honest about it. Your values should help you make trade-offs, not just sound good on a careers page.
Step 2: Assess Values Alignment, Not Surface Compatibility
Once you know your core values, you can assess whether a candidate aligns with them. This is different from assessing whether they "fit."
Someone can align with your values and still bring a completely different perspective. They can share your commitment to transparency and still communicate differently than your existing team. They can value speed and still approach problem-solving in ways you haven't considered.
The goal isn't comfort. The goal is alignment on the things that matter, with diversity in everything else.
Step 3: Ask What They'll Add, Not Just What They've Done
Most interviews focus on past experience: "Tell me about a time when..." This is important, but it's not enough.
If you want to hire for culture add, ask questions that reveal how they think differently:
You're looking for people who can challenge assumptions, bring new ideas, and push the organization forward, not just replicate what's already working.
Step 4: Involve Diverse Voices in the Hiring Process
If the same three people interview every candidate, you'll keep hiring people those three people like. And those three people probably like people who are like them.
Involve different perspectives in your hiring process. Bring in people from different functions, different backgrounds, different levels. They'll see things your core team won't.
And when there's disagreement about a candidate, don't default to the most senior person's opinion. Ask why there's disagreement. Often, the friction is a signal that the candidate would bring something new, which is exactly what you need.
Here's the hard truth: hiring for culture add will sometimes feel uncomfortable.
The candidate who challenges your assumptions in the interview might feel "off." The person who approaches problems differently than your team might seem like they'll slow things down. The hire who doesn't immediately blend in might create friction.
That discomfort is often a good sign. It means you're stretching beyond what's familiar.
Obviously, there's a line. If someone is combative, disrespectful, or fundamentally misaligned with your values, that's not culture add. That's a bad fit.
But if your only objection is "they're different," that's worth examining. Different how? And is that difference actually a problem, or is it just unfamiliar?
Organizations that hire for culture add instead of culture fit are more adaptable, more innovative, and more resilient. They don't get blindsided by market shifts because they have people who see things from different angles. They don't reinforce the same mistakes because they have voices willing to challenge the status quo.
They also build cultures that are more inclusive, not as a checkbox exercise, but because they've made diversity of thought a strategic priority.
This doesn't happen by accident. It requires intentionality in hiring, onboarding, and leadership. It requires being willing to have harder conversations and navigate more complexity.
But the payoff is a team that's stronger, more capable, and better positioned to win in an uncertain market.
If you want to build an organization that can adapt, innovate, and scale, stop hiring people who fit. Start hiring people who add.
Because the companies that win aren't the ones with the most comfortable cultures. They're the ones with the strongest cultures, built by people who bring different strengths, perspectives, and ideas to the table.
And that starts with changing one simple question in your hiring process.
Let's talk about how to hire for culture add and build a more resilient organization. Visit or connect with me on LinkedIn to continue this conversation.