The Leaning Tower of Pisa Syndrome in HR

Maurizio Ridolfi
Jan 13
3 min read

Why Solving HR Problems Without Understanding Context Leads Straight to Failure

📋 SUMMARY

The Leaning Tower of Pisa syndrome illustrates a common mistake in HR management: applying solutions without analysing the surrounding context. Like the Italian architects who overlooked the nature of the soil, many business leaders and HR managers deploy measures that are unsuited to their ground reality.

This approach inevitably leads to costly failures and a loss of team confidence. Understanding your environment before taking action is the key to a solid and sustainable HR strategy.

Once upon a time, there was a magnificent tower. Built by brilliant architects, equipped with the finest techniques of its era, funded by considerable means. And yet, it leans. For over eight centuries, the Leaning Tower of Pisa has defied the laws of gravity – not thanks to its design, but despite it.

What happened? The builders overlooked a fundamental detail: the soil. Too soft on one side, it caused the entire structure to tilt. The problem wasn't the tower. The problem was the interaction between the tower and its environment.

In human resources, this scenario repeats itself every day in dozens of companies.

When HR solutions ignore the ground reality

Picture a fast-growing SME. The director notices high turnover and decides to increase salaries by 15%. Logical, isn't it? Except the real problem lies elsewhere: a toxic manager whom no one dares confront. Six months later, resignations continue. The money is gone, the problem remains.

Another example: a tech startup hires an experienced HR Director from a large industrial group. He rolls out sophisticated processes, complex annual appraisals, detailed competency frameworks.

The result? Teams feel stifled, the agile culture disappears, top talent leaves for more flexible structures.

These situations share one thing in common: perfectly valid solutions were applied in the wrong context.

Why do we fall into this trap?

Three main reasons explain this recurring mistake.

The first is time pressure. Facing an HR crisis, urgency pushes us to act fast. We look for an immediate solution, often inspired by what worked elsewhere. But what succeeds in a multinational can prove catastrophic in a family-owned SME.

The second reason is confirmation bias. We see what we want to see. If we think the problem stems from recruitment, we analyse recruitment data. Meanwhile, the real cause – perhaps an onboarding or management issue – remains invisible.

The third reason is lack of understanding of the organisational context. Every company has a unique history, culture, and internal dynamics. Ignoring these elements is like building on soil you've never studied.

The three pillars of a contextual approach

To avoid the Leaning Tower of Pisa syndrome, three principles must guide any HR intervention.

The first pillar is environmental analysis. Before proposing a solution, you must understand the macro-environment (economy, legislation, labour market) and the micro-environment (company culture, history, internal relationships). Tools such as PESTEL analysis or SWOT diagnosis help structure this reflection.

The second pillar is listening to the ground. Employees, frontline managers, and staff representatives hold valuable information. Too often, HR decisions are made behind closed doors, far from daily realities.

The third pillar is continuous adjustment. Even the best strategy must be corrected along the way. The Leaning Tower of Pisa stands today because it has been reinforced, stabilised, and adapted over centuries. An HR policy must follow the same logic of ongoing improvement.

Turning failure into opportunity

Remarkably, what was initially an architectural failure has become one of the most visited monuments in the world. This ambiguity holds a precious lesson for HR professionals.

A policy that doesn't produce the expected results can reveal unexpected opportunities. A flawed recruitment process can highlight a need for internal training. A team conflict can become the starting point for positive cultural transformation.

The key is knowing how to observe, analyse, and bounce back with discernment.

Building on solid foundations

SMEs, startups, and scale-ups are particularly vulnerable to the Leaning Tower of Pisa syndrome. Their limited resources don't allow them to multiply mistakes. Every HR decision counts.

That's why support from an external perspective, experienced and grounded in real-world practice, often makes the difference between a successful intervention and a costly failure.