Meeting/Event Information

Topic: Thinking in Terms of ‘Culture Add’ Versus ‘Culture Fit.’

“Culture fit” describes how well a candidate can conform or adapt to the organization, which leads to biases and homogenous culture. These biases come by way of heuristics. Heuristics allow complicated processes to be oversimplified, leading to repeatable common mistakes. Conversely, “culture add” is a philosophy that deliberately embraces individuals from different backgrounds, communities, and demographics to foster a culture of inclusiveness. It is this intentional act that leads to more innovative and creative teams.

Presented by: Joseph L Conway

Joseph “Joe” Conway is the Chief Equity & Inclusion Officer for the City of Wilmington and the Founder & Chief DEI Investor for A.B.I.D.E., LLC, a business consulting firm dedicated to and focused on bias mitigation in professionals and organizations. Before joining the city, he was employed with Novant Health/New Hanover Regional Medical Center for 14 years and served four years as their inaugural Director of Health Equity & Human Experience for the Coastal Region. Joe has over 25 years of leadership experience and is actively involved in the Wilmington community. His purpose statement is “to cultivate an environment for your success.” Optimism is a big part of Joe. Through his work, Joe has come to realize that most are out of synch between purpose and the behaviors that actualize or drive that purpose. Often, he can be heard saying, The toughest thing anyone has to do in their lifetime is to develop balance and asking, Is it better to be right or in ‘right’ relationship? Joe holds a BA in Church Ministries and has served as a former Pastor, Music Minister, & Church Planter. He has an MBA in Healthcare Management and holds certifications in Diversity Management, Implicit Bias Training, HR Diversity & Inclusion, and is a Lean-Six Sigma Black Belt Coach and Facilitator. Joe has been married to his high school sweetheart, Tiffany, since 1991. Together they have four adult sons. In addition to his family, Joe's passions include reading, research, history, music, cooking, and traveling as much as possible.