Here’s what we believe about great organizational leadership. These guide everything we do.
- People want to do great things. They want to build great things. They want to be involved with other great people. Great leaders create the conditions for other people’s greatness to come out.
- People need stories. Who are we? Why are we here? Where are we going? How will we get there? Leaders can’t bury the answers to these questions in strategy documents. They have to tell the stories—often. That’s what makes people care.
- There’s too much noise in business today. There are too many things vying for our attention. Leaders must be diligent about cutting out the noise to get their organizations focused on what really matters.
- Mediocrity is cancerous. Once you begin to accept mediocrity, it sends signals that it’s tolerable. Before long everyone and everything around you is mediocre.
- You need to hold people’s feet to the fire. Do it with compassion. Do it with love. Do it with respect. But don’t let people off the hook, including yourself. This is how mediocrity starts.
- Unless you’re open, honest, and relentless in your communication, things fall apart. 100% of all business problems can be traced back to poor communication at some point.
- Sometimes you just have to say “fuck it,” and do what you think is right. It may not be easy and it may not turn out well. But then again, it may be just what the situation needs.