TL;DR) A bad hire costs more than money; it costs morale and momentum. To fix this, stop hiring for experience (“toolbox”) and start hiring for who they are (“heart”). Ask three simple questions: 1. Can they do the job? 2. Do they fit our culture? 3. Do we fit their life?
It Starts With a Small Feeling of Dread
You know the one. The person you just hired isn’t working out. The work is late, the team feels tense, and you’re spending more time managing them than doing your own job.
The common stat is that a single bad hire can cost you up to 15 times their salary. But the real cost isn’t on a spreadsheet. It’s a drain on your energy, your team’s morale, and your company’s momentum. It’s the feeling of pushing a rock uphill.
The problem isn’t you, and it isn’t always them. The problem is the process. We are taught to hire for resumes, for past accomplishments, for the right keywords. We hire based on gut feelings that are really just biases in disguise.
It’s time for a simpler, more human way.
We Hire for the Wrong Things
Most hiring focuses on a person’s “toolbox.”
- The Toolbox: This is their resume. The skills they’ve learned, the software they know, the companies they’ve worked for. It’s important, but it’s also the easiest thing to change. You can always teach a willing person a new skill.
What you can’t teach are the things that truly matter:
- The Brain: This is how they think. Are they curious? Can they solve problems? Do they learn quickly?
- The Heart: This is who they are. What are their values? What drives them? How do they treat people?
A great team isn’t built from the best toolboxes. It’s built from aligned hearts and sharp brains. When you hire for the heart first, you build something that lasts.
The 3 Questions That Change Everything
Instead of a 20-point checklist, you only need to answer three simple questions.
Question 1: Can they do the job?
This sounds obvious, but it’s not about their resume. A resume tells you what they have done. You need to know what they can do.
Don’t just ask them about their experience. Give them a small piece of real work to do. A 30-minute task shows you more than a 60-minute interview ever could. Watch how they approach the problem, how they communicate, and how they think. You’re testing for ability, not history.
Question 2: Do they fit our culture? (This is a Yes/No question)
This is the most important question, and it’s not negotiable. A cultural mismatch will sink a team, no matter how brilliant the person is.
Culture isn’t about liking the same music or getting drinks after work. It’s about shared values. It’s how you handle disagreements, how you give feedback, and how you show up for each other when things are tough.
This question is binary. There’s no “maybe.” If the answer is no, the interview is over. It’s not personal; it’s about protecting the team and being honest with the candidate. A great person in the wrong environment won’t be happy or successful.
Question 3: Do we fit their life?
This is the question most companies forget to ask. Great hiring is a two-way street.
Your company is not just a place to work; it’s a part of someone’s life. Does this role help them grow toward their own goals? Does the work align with what matters to them? Will this job make their life better, not just their bank account bigger?
When you can honestly say that you fit their life, you’re not just hiring an employee. You are starting a partnership. And partnerships are built to last.
Build a Team, Not Just a Roster
Shifting your focus from a person’s toolbox to their heart and brain changes everything. It allows you to find the “whispering talents”—the amazing people who get overlooked by traditional hiring processes because their resume isn’t perfect.
These are the people who will build your company.
Hiring isn’t an HR task to be delegated. It’s the most important thing you do as a leader. It’s the act of building a team of good people who can do great things together.
Is your team built on a foundation of shared values? If you’re ready to grow a team that’s as unique and resilient as your brand, let’s talk. We believe great companies are built by great people, and we can help you find them.