I’ve worked at small, fast-growing companies, large, slowly dying companies, and monolithic ones so big that no one person knows anything.
At dying companies, you spend a lot of time trying to figure out why something ISN’T working.
Why is the revenue going down
Why are customers complaining
Why are employees leaving for other jobs
Why aren’t we growing
You run experiment after experiment, and nothing moves the needle. Then you spend the next four weeks optimizing the same failed experiment. Small, insignificant wins are celebrated and then, two weeks later, forgotten. Instead of working on new things, most of the time is spent protecting the status quo. All this busy work is like rearranging the deck chairs on the titanic.
At fast growing companies, the bulk of your “data analysis” is spent trying to figure out why new features worked SO WELL.
Why did customer numbers double again
Why is revenue up again
Why are all the metrics up this month when it was flat this time last year
Why did we beat the budget again
At fast growing companies customers are your secret sales team as they refer your product to their friends. Happy customers also offer up great product ideas and they use your product in ways you never intended. It’s fun, exciting and fluid.
Take a breath, and ask yourself. Where are you spending your time at work? Is it busy work or are you holding on for dear life as the product grows.
Trust me; it doesn’t have to be that hard. I’ve seen a lot of brilliant people grind themselves down in slow-growth companies , while mediocre folks have found a winning growth company, buckled up, and been successful.
I went surfing with a buddy on Saturday afternoon. Weekend sessions are always packed with all sorts, from weekend warriors to seasoned surf dogs, so I had low expectations when it came to catching many waves on a crowded beach break. I intended to surf with a friend, get wet, and maybe catch a few waves.
I noticed another surfer picking up a lot of waves. He was relaxed and chatting with his friends in between sets. He was chill and always in the right place for a quick little wave, which meant his wave count was much higher. I ended up paddling next to him as a bigger set wave took shape in front of us. We both looked at each other, and then he smiled at me and told me to go for it. Based on where I was sitting in the lineup, it was my wave, but it was still a cool and casual gesture from someone confident enough to know that more waves were on the way. His bucket was full.
Make a point of hanging out with people who have a full bucket. They are the people who know when enough is enough and aren’t desperately trying to hold onto things and constantly taking.
Companies can be a bit like this as well. In a tight job market, watch out for companies that will do anything to make you stay. Work with people who are quietly confident and happy to help, whether it’s working together or getting you set up for your next move. The top performers at the most exciting companies know there are more waves on the way.
Teddy Roosevelt said, “The first requisite of a good citizen in this Republic of ours is that he shall be able and willing to pull his weight.” A Good Citizen properly fulfills his or her role as a citizen.
A mercenary takes part in a battle, but is not a national or a party to the conflict and is motivated to take part in the hostilities by the desire for private gain.
People, not product, will determine the success or failure of a company. You can have an excellent product and fail because you’ve assembled the wrong team. Building a business at scale is hard. It’s fraught with uncertainty, highs, lows, wins and losses. It’s an emotional roller coaster. Good citizens roll up their sleeves when there’s work to be done. They pitch up every day and are in service to each other. Mercenaries leave if it’s about anything but themselves.
The list of GC attributes I look for when building a team:
Compassionate
Collaborative
Curious
Comfortable with uncertainty and mystery. They feed off it and enjoy it
Cocky in a kind way
Gritty
Impatient
Kind
Loyal
Persistent
Pragmatic
Polite
Persuasive
Zen
Pointers for spotting a GC:
They use ‘we’ and “our” a lot when talking about solving problems
They laugh at themselves
Pedigree & degrees don’t matter. It’s about what you can offer now and in the future
They have a history of execution and getting things done
They listen more than they speak
They are self-aware
They are black belts in verbal judo. The best answer always wins the tussle
They ask for feedback, welcome it, and act on it
They have detractors. Probably a couple of bullies they’ve stood up to in the past
They respect the people they work with and are friends with them
They are rewarded and recognized by their peers
They offer up reference checks from peers and previous investors/partners
They treat interviews like a two-way street and ask questions about the team, motivations and product
They seek you out, vs. running away from their current role or company
They have hobbies outside of work
Ad hominem is not an option
They are comfortable making decisions with incomplete data
The understand the importance of luck, timing and preparedness
They are always learning, experimenting, tinkering & tweaking
Titles don’t matter
So what’s the opposite of a GC?
In my experience it’s the Mercenary. The are seductive, because they get things done, but don’t be fooled – when the going gets tough and it’s time to contribute to the greater good and sacrifice something…they leave.
They use “I” and “they” when describing their current role and company
They describe past and present colleagues as ninkanpoops/clueless/tone deaf/opaque/idiots/blind/wrong/lazy
They hold grudges
They “get things done” through coercion and intimidation
They stereotype people and roles
They don’t believe in luck and good timing. It’s all about talent & A players
They are “Remember whens” – “remember when” is the lowest form of conversation. They dwell on the past, live in the world of what was instead of understanding that things change and you need to move forward. (The Sopranos Season 6, Ep 15)
Listen for phrases like:
They don’t listen to me
It’s them not me
I don’t have the resources
It’s not my responsibility
You need me
I inherited that problem
My team wasn’t big enough
They wouldn’t promote me
I told them, but nobody listened
Give me people a chance to change
Everyone can change, and I’ve seen it happen many times. Sometimes Mercenaries become GCs and even inspiring presidents, but if it looks like a goat and sounds like a goat it normally is a goat.
markbartels.org 