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# Lessons from Nadia Singer
- URL: https://www.antoinebuteau.com/lessons-from-nadia-singer/
- Published: 2026-07-01T20:58:32.000Z
- Updated: 2026-07-18T21:35:29.000Z
- Description: Nadia Singer, Figma’s Chief People Officer and a former talent leader at Quora, Facebook, and Google, replaces gut-feel hiring with structured evidence across interviews, reference checks, and the challenge of scaling culture through rapid growth.
- Author: Antoine Buteau
- Tags: Profile, Leadership & Management Thinkers Profiles

![Visual summary of operating lessons from Nadia Singer.](https://www.antoinebuteau.com/content/images/2026/07/lessons-from-nadia-singer-profile-infographic.webp)

## Lessons from Nadia Singer

Nadia Singer is Figma’s Chief People Officer, having previously led talent at Quora, Facebook, and Google. She specializes in replacing gut-feel hiring with structured evidence. This profile breaks down her exact methods for interviewing, checking references, and scaling culture during rapid growth.

### Part 1: Evaluating Candidate Potential

1. **On the How:** "You must study how a candidate reaches an answer rather than focusing solely on the final response they deliver." — [*Source: First Round Review*](https://review.firstround.com/what-makes-someone-a-truly-remarkable-talent-evaluator/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
2. **On Identifying Spikes:** "Look for the specific areas where a candidate significantly outperforms their peers, rather than seeking baseline competency across the board." — [*Source: In Depth Podcast*](https://review.firstround.com/podcast/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
3. **On Assessing Depth:** "Ask candidates to explain a past project down to the smallest detail to test if they actually did the work or just managed the periphery." — [*Source: First Round Review*](https://review.firstround.com/what-makes-someone-a-truly-remarkable-talent-evaluator/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
4. **On Problem Solving:** "Give candidates messy, ambiguous scenarios to see if they impose structure or get lost in the noise." — [*Source: In Depth Podcast*](https://review.firstround.com/podcast/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
5. **On Career Trajectory:** "Evaluate the slope of a candidate's career progression, not just the current title they hold." — [*Source: Scaling Through Chaos*](https://www.indexventures.com/scaling-through-chaos/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
6. **On Evaluating Impact:** "Ask candidates what metric moved specifically because of their intervention." — [*Source: First Round Review*](https://review.firstround.com/what-makes-someone-a-truly-remarkable-talent-evaluator/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
7. **On Identifying Drive:** "Look for candidates who actively seek out feedback and demonstrate a history of self-correction." — [*Source: Figma Blog*](https://www.figma.com/blog/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
8. **On Adaptability:** "Ask how they handled a situation where the initial requirements were entirely wrong." — [*Source: In Depth Podcast*](https://review.firstround.com/podcast/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
9. **On Technical vs Behavioral:** "Technical skills get candidates in the door, but behavioral adaptability determines if they will survive high growth." — [*Source: HR Brew*](https://www.hr-brew.com/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)

### Part 2: The Interview Process

1. **On Preparation:** "Interviewers who show up without a specific questioning plan end up measuring likability instead of ability." — [*Source: First Round Review*](https://review.firstround.com/what-makes-someone-a-truly-remarkable-talent-evaluator/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
2. **On Standardizing Questions:** "Every candidate for a role must answer the same core questions so you can properly calibrate their responses." — [*Source: In Depth Podcast*](https://review.firstround.com/podcast/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
3. **On Interviewer Calibration:** "Hold sessions where interviewers review each other's scorecards to align on what a strong answer actually looks like." — [*Source: Scaling Through Chaos*](https://www.indexventures.com/scaling-through-chaos/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
4. **On Candidate Experience:** "Treat the interview as a two-way evaluation where the candidate is also judging your internal organization." — [*Source: Figma Blog*](https://www.figma.com/blog/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
5. **On Project-Based Assessments:** "Move beyond test-based interviews toward project-based assignments that reflect the actual daily work." — [*Source: First Round Review*](https://review.firstround.com/what-makes-someone-a-truly-remarkable-talent-evaluator/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
6. **On the Performative Trap:** "Be wary of candidates who are professional interviewers; their polish can mask a lack of operational depth." — [*Source: HR Brew*](https://www.hr-brew.com/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
7. **On Listening:** "The interviewer should speak for less than twenty percent of the allotted time." — [*Source: In Depth Podcast*](https://review.firstround.com/podcast/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
8. **On Follow-up Questions:** "The third consecutive 'why' is usually where the true limits of a candidate's knowledge are revealed." — [*Source: First Round Review*](https://review.firstround.com/what-makes-someone-a-truly-remarkable-talent-evaluator/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
9. **On the Debrief:** "Require written feedback before the debrief meeting begins to prevent the most senior voice from swaying the room." — [*Source: Scaling Through Chaos*](https://www.indexventures.com/scaling-through-chaos/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)

### Part 3: Rethinking Reference Checks

1. **On Moving Beyond Check-the-Box:** "A reference check should be an investigative conversation, not a final administrative hurdle." — [*Source: First Round Review*](https://review.firstround.com/what-makes-someone-a-truly-remarkable-talent-evaluator/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
2. **On Superlative Questions:** "Ask references: What is something this candidate is better at than anyone else you have worked with in this role?" — [*Source: First Round Review*](https://review.firstround.com/what-makes-someone-a-truly-remarkable-talent-evaluator/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
3. **On Uncovering Weaknesses:** "Instead of asking for weaknesses, ask: Under what specific conditions does this person struggle to perform?" — [*Source: In Depth Podcast*](https://review.firstround.com/podcast/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
4. **On Peer References:** "Peers often provide a more accurate assessment of a candidate's daily work habits than their direct managers." — [*Source: Figma Blog*](https://www.figma.com/blog/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
5. **On Manager Alignment:** "Ask references what management style brings out the best in the candidate to see if it matches your environment." — [*Source: Scaling Through Chaos*](https://www.indexventures.com/scaling-through-chaos/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
6. **On the Backchannel:** "Use backchannels carefully and ethically to verify information that formal references might polish over." — [*Source: First Round Review*](https://review.firstround.com/what-makes-someone-a-truly-remarkable-talent-evaluator/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
7. **On Validating Spikes:** "Use the reference call to confirm the specific strengths you identified during the interview process." — [*Source: HR Brew*](https://www.hr-brew.com/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
8. **On Timing of References:** "Conduct references before extending the offer, using the information to shape the closing conversation." — [*Source: In Depth Podcast*](https://review.firstround.com/podcast/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
9. **On Reference Skepticism:** "If a reference cannot provide a single area for improvement, discount their positive feedback as overly guarded." — [*Source: First Round Review*](https://review.firstround.com/what-makes-someone-a-truly-remarkable-talent-evaluator/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
10. **On Calibration:** "Ask the reference where this candidate ranks among the top people they have managed." — [*Source: Scaling Through Chaos*](https://www.indexventures.com/scaling-through-chaos/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)

### Part 4: Scaling the Organization

1. **On Early Stage Hiring:** "The first fifty hires set the cultural DNA that the next five hundred will inherit." — [*Source: Scaling Through Chaos*](https://www.indexventures.com/scaling-through-chaos/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
2. **On the Tension of Scale:** "There is no magic solution to managing the balance between chaos and order; it is an inevitable consequence of high growth." — [*Source: Index Ventures*](https://www.indexventures.com/scaling-through-chaos/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
3. **On Apparent Disorder:** "Do not interpret the apparent disorder around you as a sign of failure; it means the organization is stretching." — [*Source: Index Ventures*](https://www.indexventures.com/scaling-through-chaos/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
4. **On Transitioning Processes:** "Processes that work for a team of fifty will break entirely when the team reaches two hundred." — [*Source: First Round Review*](https://review.firstround.com/what-makes-someone-a-truly-remarkable-talent-evaluator/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
5. **On Bootstrapped HR:** "You have to evolve from DIY operations to structured frameworks without losing the speed of the early days." — [*Source: HR Brew*](https://www.hr-brew.com/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
6. **On Specialization:** "As you scale, generalists must either specialize or move into management, which requires active coaching." — [*Source: Scaling Through Chaos*](https://www.indexventures.com/scaling-through-chaos/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
7. **On Maintaining Quality:** "The greatest risk in hyper-growth is lowering the hiring bar just to fill open headcount." — [*Source: In Depth Podcast*](https://review.firstround.com/podcast/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
8. **On Onboarding at Scale:** "A structured onboarding program becomes the primary vehicle for transmitting culture as you grow." — [*Source: Figma Blog*](https://www.figma.com/blog/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
9. **On Institutional Memory:** "Document decision-making frameworks early so new hires understand how choices are made." — [*Source: Scaling Through Chaos*](https://www.indexventures.com/scaling-through-chaos/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)

### Part 5: Preserving Company Culture

1. **On Cultural Fragility:** "Company culture is fragile and requires deliberate reinforcement every time you add new people." — [*Source: HR Brew*](https://www.hr-brew.com/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
2. **On Evolving Values:** "For a set of values to create lasting cultural influence, they must be continuously revised and tested against reality." — [*Source: HR Brew*](https://www.hr-brew.com/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
3. **On Leadership Example:** "Values mean nothing if leadership and employees do not carry them forward in their daily interactions." — [*Source: HR Brew*](https://www.hr-brew.com/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
4. **On Employee Advocacy:** "You want employees to feel they are building the culture, not just existing within it." — [*Source: In Depth Podcast*](https://review.firstround.com/podcast/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
5. **On Rituals:** "Establish recurring rituals that force cross-functional teams to interact outside of transactional requests." — [*Source: Figma Blog*](https://www.figma.com/blog/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
6. **On Transparency:** "Share the reasons behind difficult decisions to build trust, even when the news is unpopular." — [*Source: First Round Review*](https://review.firstround.com/what-makes-someone-a-truly-remarkable-talent-evaluator/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
7. **On Addressing Toxicity:** "Culture is defined by the worst behavior that leadership is willing to tolerate." — [*Source: Scaling Through Chaos*](https://www.indexventures.com/scaling-through-chaos/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
8. **On Cultural Add vs Fit:** "Hire for cultural add—people who bring perspectives you lack—rather than cultural fit, which breeds uniformity." — [*Source: In Depth Podcast*](https://review.firstround.com/podcast/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
9. **On Remote Culture:** "Distributed teams require more explicit documentation of norms that collocated teams learn through osmosis." — [*Source: Figma Blog*](https://www.figma.com/blog/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
10. **On Communication Norms:** "Define exactly how and where communication happens to prevent information silos from forming." — [*Source: Scaling Through Chaos*](https://www.indexventures.com/scaling-through-chaos/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)

### Part 6: Mitigating Bias in Hiring

1. **On Pattern Matching:** "Interviewers naturally gravitate toward candidates who remind them of themselves; you must actively train against this." — [*Source: First Round Review*](https://review.firstround.com/what-makes-someone-a-truly-remarkable-talent-evaluator/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
2. **On Structured Rubrics:** "Use detailed scoring rubrics to force interviewers to justify their gut feelings with specific evidence." — [*Source: In Depth Podcast*](https://review.firstround.com/podcast/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
3. **On Affinity Bias:** "Beware of feedback that focuses on how well a candidate 'clicked' with the team." — [*Source: First Round Review*](https://review.firstround.com/what-makes-someone-a-truly-remarkable-talent-evaluator/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
4. **On Diverse Panels:** "Ensure the interview panel reflects the diversity you want to see in the company." — [*Source: HR Brew*](https://www.hr-brew.com/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
5. **On Challenging Assumptions:** "During debriefs, explicitly ask interviewers to state the assumptions driving their negative feedback." — [*Source: Scaling Through Chaos*](https://www.indexventures.com/scaling-through-chaos/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
6. **On Pedigree:** "Over-indexing on recognizable company names on a resume blinds you to raw, unconventional talent." — [*Source: First Round Review*](https://review.firstround.com/what-makes-someone-a-truly-remarkable-talent-evaluator/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
7. **On Inclusive Language:** "Audit your job descriptions to remove language that unintentionally deters qualified candidates from applying." — [*Source: Figma Blog*](https://www.figma.com/blog/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
8. **On Objective Scoring:** "Force interviewers to rate candidates on a four-point scale to eliminate the non-committal middle option." — [*Source: In Depth Podcast*](https://review.firstround.com/podcast/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
9. **On Tracking Metrics:** "Monitor your hiring funnel to identify exactly where underrepresented candidates are dropping out." — [*Source: HR Brew*](https://www.hr-brew.com/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)

### Part 7: Managing Performance

1. **On Setting Expectations:** "A new hire cannot succeed if the definition of success is kept a secret in their manager's head." — [*Source: Scaling Through Chaos*](https://www.indexventures.com/scaling-through-chaos/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
2. **On Continuous Feedback:** "Performance reviews should never contain surprises; feedback must happen in real time." — [*Source: In Depth Podcast*](https://review.firstround.com/podcast/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
3. **On Managing Low Performers:** "Delaying action on a low performer damages the morale of the high performers picking up the slack." — [*Source: First Round Review*](https://review.firstround.com/what-makes-someone-a-truly-remarkable-talent-evaluator/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
4. **On Recognizing Excellence:** "Make sure your compensation and recognition structures disproportionately reward your absolute best people." — [*Source: Scaling Through Chaos*](https://www.indexventures.com/scaling-through-chaos/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
5. **On Goal Alignment:** "Tie individual performance goals directly to company-wide objectives so everyone understands their impact." — [*Source: Figma Blog*](https://www.figma.com/blog/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
6. **On Upward Feedback:** "Managers must be evaluated by their direct reports to ensure they are actually developing their teams." — [*Source: HR Brew*](https://www.hr-brew.com/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
7. **On Role Ambiguity:** "In fast-growing companies, roles blur; you must frequently redefine responsibilities to prevent dropped balls." — [*Source: Index Ventures*](https://www.indexventures.com/scaling-through-chaos/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
8. **On Calibration Sessions:** "Use performance calibration meetings to ensure managers are grading on the same curve." — [*Source: In Depth Podcast*](https://review.firstround.com/podcast/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
9. **On PIPs:** "A performance improvement plan should be a genuine tool for course correction, not just legal cover for termination." — [*Source: HR Brew*](https://www.hr-brew.com/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)

### Part 8: Leadership and Human Connection

1. **On Earnest Conversations:** "Managers must have earnest, human conversations with their reports to understand what drives them outside of work." — [*Source: HR Brew*](https://www.hr-brew.com/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
2. **On Manager Training:** "Promoting an individual contributor to management without training is a disservice to both them and their team." — [*Source: Scaling Through Chaos*](https://www.indexventures.com/scaling-through-chaos/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
3. **On Psychological Safety:** "Create an environment where people can admit they made a mistake without fear of immediate retaliation." — [*Source: Figma Blog*](https://www.figma.com/blog/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
4. **On Delivering Feedback:** "Deliver critical feedback with the clear intent of helping the person improve, not just pointing out flaws." — [*Source: In Depth Podcast*](https://review.firstround.com/podcast/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
5. **On Career Development:** "Ask your team members what job they want next, even if that job is at a different company." — [*Source: First Round Review*](https://review.firstround.com/what-makes-someone-a-truly-remarkable-talent-evaluator/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
6. **On Vulnerability:** "Leaders who admit what they do not know build more credibility than those who pretend to have all the answers." — [*Source: HR Brew*](https://www.hr-brew.com/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
7. **On Retention:** "People leave managers, not companies; retention strategies must focus on management quality." — [*Source: Scaling Through Chaos*](https://www.indexventures.com/scaling-through-chaos/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
8. **On Exit Interviews:** "Treat exit interviews as a goldmine of data regarding where your culture is failing." — [*Source: Figma Blog*](https://www.figma.com/blog/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
9. **On Trust:** "Trust is built in small moments of follow-through, not grand declarations during all-hands meetings." — [*Source: First Round Review*](https://review.firstround.com/what-makes-someone-a-truly-remarkable-talent-evaluator/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)
10. **On the Role of People Operations:** "HR should function as a strategic partner to the business, not just an administrative compliance arm." — [*Source: Index Ventures*](https://www.indexventures.com/scaling-through-chaos/?ref=antoinebuteau.com)