When “Great Fit” Becomes a Red Flag
“I just have a good feeling about them - they seem like a great fit.” Sound familiar?
It’s something we’ve all heard countless times during hiring discussions. And at first glance, it seems harmless. After all, shouldn’t we hire people who align with our team and culture? People who will settle in easily, connect with others, and start delivering?
Here’s the thing though: More often than not, when someone says “great fit”, what they really mean is “they remind me of me.”
And that’s where the danger begins.
Familiarity isn't always the best fit
As leaders, we often trust what feels familiar. We naturally lean towards people who share our background, style, pace, and way of thinking. It feels comforting, doesn’t it? Safe.
The uncomfortable truth is leadership isn’t about comfort. It’s about growth. And while hiring people who are familiar can make life easier in the short term, it limits the creativity, diversity of thought, and innovation your team needs to thrive.
In hospitality - where things are fast-paced and familiarity can be a shortcut to stability - this kind of bias often flies under the radar. But that doesn’t make it any less harmful.
When bias becomes embedded
The real issue isn’t just one off hiring decisions; it’s what happens next.
When leaders repeatedly hire people just like themselves, the bias doesn’t stay as a one-off - it becomes part of the culture.
It gets embedded into what “fit” actually means.
It even gets coded into competency frameworks and leadership models.
Before you know it, sameness becomes the unwritten rule. What started as unconscious bias slowly turns into something much more systemic. It’s embedded into checklists, models, and leadership frameworks that quietly reward comfort over innovation.
So, what happens?
You don’t get new ideas - you get more of the same.
You don’t get fresh perspectives - you get repetition.
You don’t push forward - you stay stuck.
Great leaders build teams to grow beyond them
The strongest teams aren’t made by matching the boss - they’re made to grow beyond them.
As parents we often say we want our children to outgrow us. Great leaders want the same for their teams - for them to outgrow them. Great leaders don’t settle for sameness; they actively seek out difference.
Because great leadership isn’t about replicating yourself - it’s about building something bigger than you.
Are we up for a little friction around here?
Let’s be honest: this might ruffle a few feathers. But are we up for a little friction around here?
If we want to build stronger teams and truly encourage innovation, we have to get comfortable with discomfort. We have to look at where our biases are quietly shaping the culture - and then decide to challenge them.
Asking the right questions
If you’re hiring or shaping a team, here are a few questions worth asking:
Am I drawn to this candidate because they bring something different, or because they feel familiar to me?
What voices or perspectives might be missing from the team right now?
How might my own leadership style be shaping who I see and hire?
It’s not about beating ourselves up over unconscious biases - it’s about recognising them and then being brave enough to make different choices.
What about you?
How do you make sure you’re not hiring in your own image?
