The Rooney Rule. It’s trending. Again. And the discussion around it, predictably, is a loop. We talk about diversity, about opportunity, about leveling the playing field. What we don't talk about, not directly enough, is the performance aspect. The rule exists because, left unchecked, bias dictates choices. That's not an opinion, it's a statistical reality proven time and again.
The question isn't *if* the rule is needed, but why, after all these years, the conversation still skirts around the fundamental issue: many in power are still not actively seeking the best candidates, but the most comfortable ones. Comfort is a bias. And comfort in hiring leads to underperformance. You want a better team? Stop prioritizing your comfort over actual merit. The truth is, many people don't want to fix the problem; they want to be seen as trying to fix it.