Startups are high performance machines that should focused on quality and efficiency. At @eightsleep we call it “Operational Excellence”. Here are 8 practical tips, some from @rabois, some from Frank Slootman and others from High Output Management👇
1. 🗣 The role of a leader.
Leaders are the energizer bunnies and pacemakers of the organization. They look for and exploit every single opportunity to step up the pace, set a higher bar for quality, and narrow the plane of attack
2. 👩✈️ Lead, don’t manage.
You want to be active versus reactive. Calling yourself a manager implies some level of reactivity. You manage unexpected situations. You lead to ideal outcomes. You want to be driving the vehicle versus a passenger observing
3. ➕ Output formula.
The output of your team + the output of neighboring teams under your influence = your output. Spend time evaluating your team’s inputs and help them increase the quality and quantity of their inputs
4. 🤝 Managerial leverage (efficiency).
# of core initiatives / # of team members = your efficiency as an executive. How much can you do with as few people as possible? What’s the most you can achieve with as few resources as possible?
5. 🏋️♀️ Focus on high leverage activities.
To encourage and excite people to work on 10X projects, you have to assess them based on the inputs and clarity of thinking that they put into the initiative, not whether the initiative is actually successful
6. 💪 Effort vs impact.
Look at everything from the lens of effort > impact. Always ask “how do we get the most impact given our limited resources?” Break math and find ways to achieve 1+1=10
7. ⏱ Time is your most valuable resource.
To be a great executive, you need to reserve time for making and thinking. Optimize your time. Audit your calendar and your team’s. Reserve uninterrupted time for work. And spend 80%+ of your time on your top 3 priorities
8. 🖍 Edit, do not draft.
As you grow as a leader and scale your team, spend most of your time editing instead of drafting. So take out your red pen and cut out what’s not important. The end goal of editing is to simplify and raise questions
We don’t care about where you come from, or if you graduated from the most prestigious college – if you have signs of greatness, grit, and passion we want you on the team. Here’s a peek into the @eightsleep hiring process and the kind of candidates we’re always looking for 👇
First, each candidate goes through 2-3 individual calls with the hiring manager and key stakeholders. If all goes well, they are given a small project that’s relevant for that position. They work on the project for 3-5 days and present back to a panel
After the presentation, Each 8S team member on the panel shares a rating of “pass”, “hire” or “strong hire”. No one gets hired unless there is at least one strong hire rating
I recently read Amp it Up from Frank Slootman. Here are some of the best takeaways
Frank Lootman is all about hardcore and focused execution. Get comfortable with being uncomfortable
There are 5 steps in the Amp It Up model: 1) raise your standars, 2) align your people, 3) sharpen your focus, 4) pick up the pace, and 5) transform your strategy
There are four things that have been a game changer for my performance and health: sleep, fitness, nutrition and stillness. Here are the details👇
1. Sleep. Sleep is the foundational pillar of health. Sleep 7-9h (at least until when @eightsleep technology will help you compress your sleep further). Do this test: sleep 1h longer every day for a week and then DM me how you feel. You will be a super hero by then
2. Fitness. Be active every day. Best workout for your health is HIIT + some weight training. =|>2x/week bring your HR >80% than your max HR for 20m or more. Use Zones app to monitor it