I think this argument is simple, beautiful, and wrong. The assumption this seems to be built upon is that Google has developed a great hiring system that is doing well for us. I think that's a bit simplistic.
The reality is that (like everything at Google), the hiring process is constantly evolving and changing. Google puts considerable effort into improving its hiring process.
So, my counterargument is this: If Google is tweaking its hiring process and trying to make it better, why shouldn't you? Don't think of it as relaxing your standards, because it isn't. Think of it as changing your standards to better suit the kind of people you want to hire.
The reality is that (like everything at Google), the hiring process is constantly evolving and changing. Google puts considerable effort into improving its hiring process.
So, my counterargument is this: If Google is tweaking its hiring process and trying to make it better, why shouldn't you? Don't think of it as relaxing your standards, because it isn't. Think of it as changing your standards to better suit the kind of people you want to hire.