>you need to hire well This! It is odd to write but the more time I spend in the industry the more I find myself thinking back to that statement, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks."

The five dysfunctions of a team have been the hardest things to change in my opinion once habits form that prevent them.

I ponder at times if this is truly why "hyper growth" startups tend to hire on average much younger candidates and our industry says that ageism is rampant.

I just passed on a recent candidate who was a perfect technical fit for an open position on my team (far better than the candidates I’m now considering). He did, however, come across as extremely arrogant and abrasive.

I can work with a junior team member growing into a role but I can’t jeopardize the entire team dynamic based on one person’s inability to work well with others, regardless of how proficient they might be.

And this is 50% not hiring insufferable assholes, and 50% not hiring fragile snowflakes.

90% of office conflicts I've encountered is between two individuals of these types.