You know the phrase, ‘square peg, round hole. It’s used to describe a lack of fit between a person and their role. It’s a good image, both visual and memorable. The thing can’t or won’t fit – if you allow the poetic license that the peg must be of a similar size to or larger than the hole.

Fit is important. Cultural fit is hugely important, and fit to the functional demands of the role is relatively important too.

So should you be looking to fill all the round hole in your business with round pegs? Of course not! Round holes and round pegs are boring, predictable and there’s no room for innovation and thinking outside of the box – or the hole in this case.

When you have some round pegs in square holes, you create space for expansion into the corners. You provide some wiggle room, some room for manoeuvre, development and growth. You’ll get something extra from your people, something unexpected, something unplanned.

Square hole, round peg. Try it sometime.