We persist in hiring and training as if we're running a bowling squad, as if easily measured skills are all that matter. What causes successful organizations to fail? What makes stocks fade, innovations slow, customers jump ship? We can agree that certain skills are essential. That hiring coders who can't code, salespeople who can't sell, or architects who can't design is a waste. But these skills - let's call them vocational skills - have become the backbone of the recruitment process.