Houston expert: Why employing 'personality hires' is good for your business

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Talking about "personality hires"" is trending — but are they right for your company? Photo via Getty Images

The concept of a “personality hire,” those who are hired more for their soft skills rather than their technical skills, has gained traction, sparking discussions and even memes on platforms like TikTok.

However, these online narratives often cast personality hires in a negative light, overlooking the unique value they can bring to an organization. In reality, personality hires can be instrumental in strengthening corporate culture. They often possess a unique blend of soft and hard skills, contributing to the company's success by boosting morale and fostering team unity.

Business leaders' big question is whether personality hires are worth adding to their organization given that their strongest contributions are creating a positive work environment. Yet, those working with a purported “personality hire” know they contribute more than good energy. Building a team of employees with differing strengths, expertise and personalities strengthens the overall success of an organization.

Personality hires can manage relationships and create team unity, and the following ways are how they can benefit the business and improve corporate culture.

Bring People Together

Personality hires possess a unique set of skills that are often undervalued. They excel at building and maintaining relationships, a crucial aspect of business. Their ability to connect with others, foster trust and understand different working styles is a valuable asset that can take years for others to develop.

One of the key roles of a personality hire is in conflict resolution. Their understanding of communication and working styles allows them to navigate disputes and find common ground in tense situations. This ability to bring balance and harmony can have a positive impact on the overall work environment and contribute to employee retention.

Bridge the Gap

A successful organization strives to establish a solid workplace culture, but it takes continuous work. Personality hires put culture into action and encourage others to follow suit. They do this by embracing their strong communication skills, boosting team morale and supporting their peers.

Personality hires naturally bring unity to the organization. Their skills help bridge the gap between the work and a positive employee experience. When employees are engaged throughout the workday, productivity levels can increase.

Provide Balance

Not everyone is on the same page regarding personality hires and their impact on an organization. Some may view them as a breath of fresh air, and others do not feel they add substantial value. To ensure a personality hire brings value beyond just team cheerleader, work to develop their skills and competencies early. This allows them to contribute to the team quickly and fully demonstrate their value, which builds trust within the team.

The success of a team is dependent on hiring the right culture fit, which includes personality and competency. It is possible to have both, but it is important to remember many hard skills can be taught, whereas soft skills are harder to teach. You want to look for people who will fit culturally within the organization and possess the skills needed to do well within the role.

There are warnings when making personality hires. Hiring people based on who you “like” or who exhibits “charm” can lead to biased hiring. Your hiring practices should not be based on personal likes or dislikes. If an organization adopts this hiring practice, it runs the risk of creating a homogenous workforce. Additionally, there are risks associated with personality assessments because they can be deemed a discriminatory practice.

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Julia Lyons-Ryle is a performance specialist with Insperity, a Houston-based provider of human resources and business performance solutions.

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Not everyone's brains work in the same way. Rather than ignoring that, here are an expert's tips for tapping into your workforce's cognitive diversity to the benefit of your business. Photo via Getty Images

Houston expert: How to embrace cognitive diversity in the workplace

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Everyone thinks and processes information in their own unique way. Cognitive diversity refers to these differing styles, perspectives, and problem-solving approaches among individuals in a group. Cognitive diversity, in today’s evolving workplace, is recognized as a valuable asset. Teams that are cognitively diverse can enhance their innovation, creativity and overall performance. The challenge comes with group dynamics when there may be communication barriers, conflicts and biases.

Effective strategies to consider for managing cognitive diversity in the workplace are as follows.

Communicate and take action

Business leaders who recognize and embrace the value of diverse perspectives and cognitive styles are better able to manage any challenges that may arise within the organization. Leaders and managers should communicate the importance of cognitive diversity to their team and encourage employees to share their unique viewpoints and approaches. This also means managers should be aware of their own biases and avoid making assumptions about people in order to create a more inclusive environment.

When a company uses hiring practices that embrace cognitive diversity, brings forth varying perspectives and ways of problem solving. Identifying those who may think differently than others or who may challenge the status quo is many times identifying those who will become the company’s best innovators. Embracing a diverse group of thinkers will help foster a culture of inclusivity, open-mindedness, and innovation.

Encourage collaboration

Collaboration is key to the success of any team. When working together, different cognitive styles can complement each other’s strengths and compensate for any weaknesses. Studies show cognitive diversity within groups can accelerate learning and performance when faced with challenges. In order to get through some of businesses’ most complex situations, there needs to be different perspectives and viewpoints.

For the most innovative thoughts to be heard, people must have the space to raise their hand and speak up, but also, people must actively listen to what the person has to say. Managers should work to create opportunities for collaboration, whether it is building cross-functional teams or other group projects and encourage employees to openly communicate and give feedback to improve the outcome.

Provide training and development

Training and development opportunities focused on cognitive diversity can help employees understand their own communication styles and the communication styles of others. By educating and applying, taking action steps after training will help reduce biases and misunderstandings. Additionally, these trainings can increase empathy, which does not come natural for some, and respect among team members.

Businesses should also evaluate their current company training programs to make certain they are inclusive of different learning styles, such as using infographics for visual learners or having hands-on demonstrations. Another consideration is to incorporate self-paced learning into training and development plans. No matter the type of training, solicit feedback, and take it under consideration to continuously improve how teams can develop their skills. Feedback that is thoughtfully considered and implemented leads to more engaged employees overall.

Manage conflicts

Conflicts are inevitable; however, organizations should set clear expectations and policies for performance and behavior. Unfortunately, conflict can be exacerbated in a diverse environment. Managers should be primed with knowledge on how to resolve conflicts and help facilitate constructive conversations among both parties. Also, managers should know when to reach out for help from their supervisor or human resources.

For business leaders to successfully manage cognitive diversity in the workplace, they must intentionally work to develop a culture that embraces the differences in others. Savvy business leaders will enlist the help of their HR team or outside council, such as a professional employer organization, to ensure their strategies and policies for managing a cognitively diverse workplace are inclusive.

Most importantly, when the company culture embodies a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace, the employees tend to have the same values, especially when the expectations are clearly set. As a result, the business will become a more innovative and engaging environment where employees know how to leverage their own strengths and the strengths of others, no matter their cognitive style.

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Fernanda Anzek is managing director of HR services with Insperity, a Houston-based provider of human resources and business performance solutions.
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Texas female-founded companies raised more than $1 billion in 2024, VC data shows

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Female-founded companies in Dallas-Fort Worth may rack up more funding deals and more money than those in Houston. However, Bayou City beats DFW in one key category — but just barely.

Data from PitchBook shows that in the past 16 years, female-founded companies in DFW collected $2.7 billion across 488 deals. By comparison, female-founded companies in the Houston area picked up $1.9 billion in VC through 343 deals.

Yet if you do a little math, you find that Houston ekes out an edge over DFW in per-deal values. During the period covered by the PitchBook data, the value of each of the DFW deals averaged $5.53 million. But at $5,54 million, Houston was just $6,572 ahead of DFW for average deal value.

Not surprisingly, the Austin area clobbered Houston and DFW.

During the period covered by the PitchBook data, female-founded companies in the Austin area hauled in $7.5 billion across 1,114 deals. The average value of an Austin deal: more than $6.7 million.

Historically, funding for female-established companies has lagged behind funding for male-established companies. In 2024, female-founded companies accounted for about one-fourth of all VC deals in the U.S., according to PitchBook.

PitchBook noted that in 2024, female-founded companies raised $38.8 billion, up 27 percent from the previous year, but deal count dropped 13.1 percent, meaning more VC for fewer startups. In Texas, female-founded companies brought in $1.3 billion last year via 151 deals. The total raised is the same as 2023, when Texas female founders got $1.3 billion in capital across 190 deals.

“The VC industry is still trying to find solid footing after its peak in 2021. While some progress was made for female founders in 2024, particularly in exit activity, female founders and investors still face an uphill climb,” says Annemarie Donegan, senior research analyst at PitchBook.

Here are 3 Houston innovators to know right now

Innovators to Know

Editor's note: These Houston innovators are making big strides in the fields of neurotechnology, neurodevelopmental diagnosis, and even improving the way we rest and recharge.

For our latest roundup of Innovators to Know, we meet a researcher who is working with teams in Houston and abroad to develop an innovative brain implant; a professor who has created an AI approach to diagnosis; and a local entrepreneur whose brand is poised for major expansion in the coming years.

Jacob Robinson, CEO of Motif Neurotech

Houston startup Motif Neurotech has been selected by the United Kingdom's Advanced Research + Invention Agency (ARIA) to participate in its inaugural Precision Neurotechnologies program. The program aims to develop advanced brain-interfacing technologies for cognitive and psychiatric conditions. Three Rice labs will collaborate with Motif Neurotech to develop Brain Mesh, which is a distributed network of minimally invasive implants that can stimulate neural circuits and stream neural data in real time. The project has been awarded approximately $5.9 million.

Motif Neurotech was spun out of the Rice lab of Jacob Robinson, a professor of electrical and computer engineering and bioengineering and CEO of Motif Neurotech.

Robinson will lead the system and network integration and encapsulation efforts for Mesh Points implants. According to Rice, these implants, about the size of a grain of rice, will track and modulate brain states and be embedded in the skull through relatively low-risk surgery. Learn more.

Dr. Ryan S. Dhindsa, Dhindsa Lab

Dr. Ryan S. Dhindsa, assistant professor of pathology and immunology at Baylor and principal investigator at the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s Hospital, and his team have developed an artificial intelligence-based approach that will help doctors to identify genes tied to neurodevelopmental disorders. Their research was recently published the American Journal of Human Genetics.

Dhindsa Lab uses “human genomics, human stem cell models, and computational biology to advance precision medicine.” The diagnoses that stem from the new computational tool could include specific types of autism spectrum disorder, epilepsy and developmental delay, disorders that often don’t come with a genetic diagnosis.

“Although researchers have made major strides identifying different genes associated with neurodevelopmental disorders, many patients with these conditions still do not receive a genetic diagnosis, indicating that there are many more genes waiting to be discovered,” Dhindsa says. Learn more.

Khaliah Guillory, Founder of Nap Bar

From nap research to diversity and inclusion, this entrepreneur is making Houston workers more productiveFrom opening Nap Bar and consulting corporations on diversity and inclusion to serving the city as an LGBT adviser, Khaliah Guillory is focused on productivity. Courtesy of Khaliah Guillory

Khalia Guillory launched her white-glove, eco-friendly rest sanctuary business, Nap Bar, in Houston in 2019 to offer a unique rest experience with artificial intelligence integration for working professionals, entrepreneurs and travelers who needed a place to rest, recharge and rejuvenate.

Now she is ready to take it to the next level, with a pivot to VR and plans to expand to 30 locations in three years.

Guillory says she’s now looking to scale the business by partnering with like-minded investors with experience in the wellness space. She envisions locations at national and international airports, which she says offer ripe scenarios for patrons needing to recharge. Additionally, Guillory wants to build on her initial partnership with UT Health by going onsite to curate rest experiences for patients, caregivers, faculty, staff, nurses and doctors. Colleges also offer an opportunity for growth. Learn more.

United breaks ground on $177 million facility and opens tech center at IAH

off the ground

United Airlines announced new infrastructure investments at George Bush Intercontinental Airport as part of the company’s ongoing $3.5 billion investment into IAH.

United broke ground on a new $177 million Ground Service Equipment (GSE) Maintenance Facility this week that will open in 2027.

The 140,000-square-foot GSE facility will support over 1,800 ground service vehicles and with expansive repair space, shop space and storage capacity. The GSE facility will also be targeted for LEED Silver certification. United believes this will provide more resources to assist with charging batteries, fabricating metal and monitoring electronic controls with improved infrastructure and modern workspaces.

Additionally, the company opened its new $16 million Technical Operations Training Center.

The center will include specialized areas for United's growing fleet, and advanced simulation technology that includes scenario-based engine maintenance and inspection training. By 2032, the Training Center will accept delivery of new planes. This 91,000-square-foot facility will include sheet metal and composite training shops as well.

The Training Center will also house a $6.3 million Move Team Facility, which is designed to centralize United's Super Tug operations. United’s IAH Move Team manages over 15 Super Tugs across the airfield, which assist with moving hundreds of aircraft to support flight departures, remote parking areas, and Technical Operations Hangars.

The company says it plans to introduce more than 500 new aircraft into its fleet, and increase the total number of available seats per domestic departure by nearly 30%. United also hopes to reduce carbon emissions per seat and create more unionized jobs by 2026.

"With these new facilities, Ground Service Equipment Maintenance Facility and the Technical Operations Training Center, we are enhancing our ability to maintain a world-class fleet while empowering our employees with cutting-edge tools and training,” Phil Griffith, United's Vice President of Airport Operations, said in a news release. “This investment reflects our long-term vision for Houston as a critical hub for United's operations and our commitment to sustainability, efficiency, and growth."

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