Paolo, you often say that HR should approach interviews as if they are meeting with their own child rather than just a candidate, and that you wouldn’t "give up" on your child just because they failed an exam. Could you elaborate on that?

Exactly! You've hit the core of what I'm talking about. When I provocatively say that HR should sit in front of their "child" during an interview, not just a candidate, it’s because I believe companies need to radically rethink how they approach hiring and talent development. The current system treats candidates like they’re auditioning for a role in a play—if they nail the performance, they get the job; if not, they’re out. It’s transactional, superficial, and, frankly, outdated.

But if HR approached that person as if they were sitting in front of a future family member, or in my metaphor, their "child," everything changes. Suddenly, it’s not just about what that person can bring today, but about their potential—what they could grow into, what they could contribute long-term if given the right environment and support. It’s about nurturing a relationship, not just filling a vacancy.

And yes, when I say I wouldn’t give my child up for adoption just because they failed an exam, it’s to shake people out of the narrow mindset that one failure defines a person’s worth. Think about it: in life, parents don’t abandon their kids because of one mistake, because they didn’t ace a test, or because they stumbled at some point. Parents understand that growth is a process, that failure is part of learning, and that support and guidance are essential for a child to reach their full potential.

Now apply that to the workplace. Imagine if companies treated employees with the same mentality—that failure isn’t a reason to cast someone aside but an opportunity to invest deeper in their growth. A person might not be the "perfect fit" at first glance, they might stumble during an interview or fail in their first role—but that doesn’t mean they don’t have the potential to thrive with the right mentorship, training, and support. Too many companies miss out on incredible talent because they’re focused on short-term results, instead of seeing the long-term possibility.

When I push this idea, it’s to challenge the way companies think about human capital. If we see employees as temporary assets, we miss the bigger picture. But if we view them as "family," as individuals who can grow within the organization, contribute in different ways, evolve, and help carry the company’s legacy forward, then we start thinking like parents. And parents don’t discard their kids because they hit a bump in the road.

That’s the future of HR I’m advocating for. One where the interview isn’t about weeding people out, but about finding those who, like family, will grow, learn, fail, succeed, and eventually, pass on that heritage to the next generation. Companies need to stop thinking about candidates like temporary workers and start seeing them as part of something bigger, something worth investing in for the long haul.

It’s about changing the narrative. It’s about seeing people not as a risk to be managed but as potential to be nurtured. And yes, it’s provocative, but that’s the point—if we don’t start thinking this way, we’re just perpetuating a broken system that values immediate results over lasting impact.