Why I Hire Diverse Thinkers (And You Should Too)

When people look at me, they don’t see a traditional Asian business leader. Why? Because I don’t look like one. I keep my hair long, have visible tattoos and I’m usually in a casual shirt and jeans. When I bring my kids to school and bump into other parents, some are surprised that I even have a “real” job. Why? Because unconsciously, we discriminate against people who look different than us.

In terms of traditional Asian culture, I‘m considered different. I don’t fit the stereotypical “look” of someone working in the Central Business District (CBD), let alone leading a team of Customer Success professionals in the region. But, diversity in Asia isn’t as clear cut as it is in other parts of the world. For example, in the US it’s quite visible because of the vast number of cultures, countries, and continents that are represented by the people. In Asia, we’re a melting pot of cultures, and tend to draw from a collective pool of shared experiences and Asian beliefs. It’s less obvious because our cultures intersected at some point in history and the common saying “Same Same, But Different” is a good reflection of this. But dig deeper and you’ll find that in the majority, there’s still a lot of diversity and we need to celebrate that.

Diversity isn’t just about physical appearances or how someone looks. It’s how they think, how they act, how they were brought up. It’s the ability to challenge the status quo and think outside the box, to have a different perspective and opinion than the person next to you.

I’ve been lucky to travel a lot in my life. Living and working in places all over the world has taught me to embrace different thoughts, cultures, and ideas. It’s also taught me to appreciate the value of differing points of view.

That’s why I like people who are different. I like taking risks on individuals who may not check all the boxes, but bring a unique perspective to the table. The world around us is constantly changing, no matter what industry you work in. And having people who can think differently and adapt quickly to that change allows you to solve problems faster and constantly stay one step ahead of the competition.

But, how can leaders hire for diversity of thought? It’s not something that can be measured or tested.  Instead, I look for people with an opinion -- someone who does not "blame others" for shortcomings but instead talks through challenges and lessons they’ve learned.

There are a two questions I ask during interviews that helps bring this up:

1. I always ask candidates how they think they're doing during the interview process so far and why? I'm never looking for a specific answer, rather, I'm looking to see how comfortable a candidate is in sharing their perspective me with, and if their point of view is objective.
2. I like to ask candidates about their biggest setback or failure, and what lessons they learned from it. I look for a willingness to share and honesty in how they bounced back, how they define roadblocks and how they overcome those challenges.

Beyond these two questions, I’ve also learned that diverse opinions can only come from people who have diverse backgrounds. Everyone has a different story -- a different place they came from, culture they grew up in, and traditions that made them who they are today. It’s time we celebrate that diversity, beyond how we physically look, but also the things that make us uniquely human. And that individuality is how leaders can assess a candidate for diversity of thought.

Diversity is not about forcing us to hire a different person based on how they look or who they love, rather it allows us to think beyond these pre-determined boundaries humans have created in deciding who would be the ideal candidate. And the only way to encourage this diversity is to have a very open mind. If we force ourselves to interview a certain people from certain groups, how do we know it’s effective? We need to have a mindset without guardrails and look at every candidate with an individual lens. That’s how you’ll get a diverse group of thinkers.

I’m honoured to work with a team of diverse thinkers at HubSpot. My team challenges me every day to think outside of my comfort zone and try new ways of solving problems. HubSpot is a company who values diverse opinions and perspectives across their global offices, and it makes me proud every day to work for a company where I’m encouraged to be who I am without fault. I don’t have to conform to a certain look and know that I won’t be judged for my appearance. Because we celebrate individuality, and are inspired by others who aren’t afraid to be their authentic selves.

Want to learn more about my story and how HubSpot is growing teams of diverse thinkers? Check out our new Diversity and Inclusion webpage. You’ll also meet HubSpotters around the world who think differently, celebrate inclusivity, and bring unique personalities and perspectives to this amazing company as we continue to grow better.