20 January 2026
Organizational Culture
Inside the Mind of Hiring with Dr. Mickey Fineberg: Business Psychologists Enabling the Selection and Preparation of Great Leaders
About
I
recall attending a seminar where the recruiter-presenter was talking about the
importance of cultural fit in hiring the right people. When I asked him to
define culture, I got a lot of mumbo jumbo, not a clear enough definition.
Shortly after this seminar, I saw a culture definition that made sense: Behavior
that is tolerated and Rewarded/Behavior that is Frowned upon and Punished.
Most
of the CEO’s and business owners I’ve met, read about, and heard say that
cultural fit is the most important factor in evaluating potential hires. As a
talent evaluator for over 40 years I have understood why. The vast majority of
reasons people are successful or fail relate to the right or wrong culture fit:
“The manager is really good at resolving problems at the peer level.” “The
manager always needs a boss to solve inter-departmental conflicts.”
recall attending a seminar where the recruiter-presenter was talking about the
importance of cultural fit in hiring the right people. When I asked him to
define culture, I got a lot of mumbo jumbo, not a clear enough definition.
Shortly after this seminar, I saw a culture definition that made sense: Behavior
that is tolerated and Rewarded/Behavior that is Frowned upon and Punished.
Most
of the CEO’s and business owners I’ve met, read about, and heard say that
cultural fit is the most important factor in evaluating potential hires. As a
talent evaluator for over 40 years I have understood why. The vast majority of
reasons people are successful or fail relate to the right or wrong culture fit:
“The manager is really good at resolving problems at the peer level.” “The
manager always needs a boss to solve inter-departmental conflicts.”