11 Jul Hiring for Inclusion : Why Critical Behaviour Interviews Are the Game-Changer We’re Overlooking
Inclusion isn’t just built through values on a poster or a statement on your careers page. It’s built—or broken—in the everyday decisions people make. And few decisions shape culture more than who we hire.
That’s why it’s time to talk about Critical Behaviour Interviewing (CBI)—a powerful yet underutilized method that moves us from talking DEI to hiring for it.
What is Critical Behaviour Interviewing?
CBI, often grouped under the broader umbrella of Competency-Based Interviewing, focuses on one simple principle:
Past behaviour is the best predictor of future behaviour.
Instead of asking hypothetical or generic questions, CBI invites candidates to describe how they’ve navigated real-world situations, especially those that required action aligned with core values—like fairness, empathy, courage, and inclusion.
Why It Matters for DEI?
We’ve all sat in interviews where candidates say, “I’m a team player” or “I really believe in inclusion.” But what does that look like in practice?
CBI pushes past performative answers and uncovers evidence of inclusive behaviours in the moments that matter.
At a global tech firm, two final-round candidates had identical resumes. Both were qualified.
But one had a powerful story:
She shared how a teammate’s ideas were constantly dismissed in meetings—because of an accent. Instead of staying silent, she raised it with the facilitator, suggested a round-robin format, and ensured everyone’s voice had space.
That story said more about her values—and how she’d shape culture—than any bullet point on her resume.
The Critical Behaviours That Signal Inclusion:
Here are just a few areas where you can apply this technique:
✅ Allyship & Advocacy
- Tell me about a time you spoke up for someone who was being treated unfairly.
✅ Cultural Awareness
- Share a situation where you had to work with someone very different from you. What adjustments did you make?
✅ Inclusive Collaboration
- Have you ever changed how you lead or communicate to make space for others to thrive?
✅ Integrity in Action
- Describe a moment when doing the right thing wasn’t the easy thing.
These aren’t trick questions. They’re windows into someone’s lived behaviours—and whether those behaviours contribute to a culture of equity and belonging.
Why Your Interviewers Need to Be Trained on This?
You can design the best DEI strategy in the world. But if your hiring managers aren’t trained to spot inclusive behaviours—or even worse, if they mistake “cultural fit” for “similar to me”—you’ll keep hiring the same types of people.
Here’s what CBI training gives your interviewers:
- Structured questions that reduce bias
- Rubrics for assessing inclusive behaviours fairly
- Confidence to challenge surface-level answers
- Language to dig deeper without overstepping
CBI makes your interviews not just more inclusive—but more effective. You hire for what people have actually done, not just what they say they believe.
Closing Thought
Inclusion doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when leaders are intentional—about what they value, what they reward, and who they bring in.
So, here’s the question for every HR leader and hiring manager:
Are your interviewers trained to assess inclusive behaviour—not just credentials?
It’s time we start hiring for the culture we want, not just the roles we need.
I’d love to hear from you—what inclusive behaviours do you believe every hire should demonstrate? Are you using CBI in your hiring process?