An important aspect of structured hiring is to create an environment where higher-quality, informed decisions can be made. That involves several things.

We all have biases; it's part of being human. One of those biases is the tendency to favor people who are like us, or who share certain experiences with us like college, sports, and so on.

Other common biases are to be influenced by what the most senior person thinks, what we think they want to hear, or what the majority of the group thinks. There are many more.

The goal is to minimize them by following a systematic approach when making decisions; it's also to make every interview consistent, fair, and challenging.

A robust hiring process includes kickoff collaboration, the kickoff meeting, an interview plan, and a data-driven roundup.

When asking questions about inclusive cultures or other diversity topics, pay attention to the level of detail you're hearing, versus statements like “Yes, that's important to me.”

Good decision-making is no guarantee, but it helps to create a fair and effective basis for hiring the best people.