Steal These Values
Planted 02021-07-25
Core values worth stealing.
We are going for it and we will set aggressive goals.
We are all on the adventure together.
We build products we believe in.
We are here to make a positive difference in society, as well as make a profit.
Each person is important; each has the opportunity and the obligation to make a difference.
We are all in it together, win or lose.
We are creative; we set the pace.
We want everyone to enjoy the adventure we are on together.
We care about what we do.
We want to create an environment in which our values flourish.
We believe in making great products.
We believe in the simple, not the complex.
We believe we need to own and control the primary technologies behind the products we make.
We participate only in markets where we can make a significant contribution.
We believe in saying no to thousands of projects so that we can really focus on the few that are truly important and meaningful to us.
We believe in deep collaboration and cross-pollination of our groups, which allow us to innovate in a way that others cannot.
We don’t settle for anything less than excellence in every group in the company, and we have the self-honesty to admit when we’re wrong and the courage to change.
First-time mistakes are common and expected. Second-time mistakes means there‘s a problem with a process. Third-time mistakes means there needs to be an intervention.
Customer Obsession. Leaders start with the customer and work backwards. They work vigorously to earn and keep customer trust. Although leaders pay attention to competitors, they obsess over customers.
Ownership. Leaders are owners. They think long term and don’t sacrifice long-term value for short-term results. They act on behalf of the entire company, beyond just their own team. They never say, “that’s not my job.”
Invent and Simplify. Leaders expect and require innovation and invention from their teams and always find ways to simplify. They are externally aware, look for new ideas from everywhere, and are not limited by “not invented here.” As we do new things, we accept that we may be misunderstood for long periods of time.
Are Right, A Lot. Leaders are right a lot. They have strong judgment and good instincts. They seek diverse perspectives and work to disconfirm their beliefs.
Learn and Be Curious. Leaders are never done learning and always seek to improve themselves. They are curious about new possibilities and act to explore them.
Hire and Develop the Best. Leaders raise the performance bar with every hire and promotion. They recognize exceptional talent, and willingly move them throughout the organization. Leaders develop leaders and take seriously their role in coaching others. We work on behalf of our people to invent mechanisms for development like Career Choice.
Insist on the Highest Standards. Leaders have relentlessly high standards—many people may think these standards are unreasonably high. Leaders are continually raising the bar and drive their teams to deliver high-quality products, services, and processes. Leaders ensure that defects do not get sent down the line and that problems are fixed so they stay fixed.
Think Big. Thinking small is a self-fulfilling prophecy. Leaders create and communicate a bold direction that inspires results. They think differently and look around corners for ways to serve customers.
Bias for Action. Speed matters in business. Many decisions and actions are reversible and do not need extensive study. We value calculated risk-taking.
Frugality. Accomplish more with less. Constraints breed resourcefulness, self-sufficiency, and invention. There are no extra points for growing headcount, budget size, or fixed expense.
Earn Trust. Leaders listen attentively, speak candidly, and treat others respectfully. They are vocally self-critical, even when doing so is awkward or embarrassing. Leaders do not believe their or their team’s body odor smells of perfume. They benchmark themselves and their teams against the best.
Dive Deep. Leaders operate at all levels, stay connected to the details, audit frequently, and are skeptical when metrics and anecdotes differ. No task is beneath them.
Have Backbone; Disagree and Commit. Leaders are obligated to respectfully challenge decisions when they disagree, even when doing so is uncomfortable or exhausting. Leaders have conviction and are tenacious. They do not compromise for the sake of social cohesion. Once a decision is determined, they commit wholly.
Deliver Results. Leaders focus on the key inputs for their business and deliver them with the right quality and in a timely fashion. Despite setbacks, they rise to the occasion and never settle.
All doers, no talkers: We ship. We publish and put things out into the world. Shipping is fraught with fear. Everyone is afraid. Why bother indulging your fear? The point is to ship.
Interruption is assault: Interruption is a sword that cuts into the guts of an unfinished idea. Interruption is arrogance masquerading as efficiency; it is efficiency massacred.
Trust by default: When we can’t trust each other, nothing works. Mistrust costs each of us time, money, and a little bit of our humanity.
Underpromise, overdeliver: We make promises we can keep. We use humble and truthful language to optimize for our long-term reputation.
Self Responsibility: Each of us is responsible for managing. It’s on you to turn off notifications when you’re away from work, organize your knowledge, and design your schedule.
Show up: The more we show up and are willing to have faith in others, the more we’ll get back in return.
Write it up, don’t chat it down: Writing solidifies, chat dissolves. Substantial decisions start and end with an exchange of complete thoughts, not one-line-at-a-time jousts.
Build bridges when you cross: This chasm that has been as naught to me to that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be; He, too, must cross in the twilight dim; Good friend, I am building this bridge for him! (The Bridge Builder)
Genshai: Never treat another person in a manner that would make them feel small – including yourself.
Eliminate, Automate, Delegate: Hunt for tasks that can be eliminated. If they can’t be eliminated, can we automate them? If not, how can we delegate them?
Ship fast, learn fast: A.K.A Yeet. Delete. Repeat.
Ship work that matters: We make products we are proud to sell and would recommend to the people we seek to serve. We can’t ship junk.
Give it five minutes: we want you to disagree, we want you to push back, we want you to have strong opinions and beliefs, but give ideas some time to set in before you’re sure you want to argue against them.
We need you: We need you to show up. We need you to connect. We need you to lead.