What quote or saying has stuck with you?
"Most People Won't" by Bryce Roberts. It's such a simple yet powerful idea. Most people will talk about their ideas, but not bring them to life. Most people want to reach out, but most people won't. Most people will never overcome their blockers - so the ones that do have all the power.
What book do you recommend the most?
"The Second Mountain" by David Brooks. The core idea here has transformed my life and many people who I've gifted this to - that what we really seek is not fame, status, or money.
What’s your favorite ritual or meeting in your team?
I always try and start a meeting, especially team meetings, with some brightspotting. We are way too easily drawn to what's not working or broken. But if we start off with some team or client wins, that can change the mood.
What's a perspective that we should pay more attention to in the workplace?
I believe we should be paying more attention to the "jobs" that people have outside of the office - e.g. a parent or caregiver. I've always had a "family first" attitude, and was always generous whenever someone had an illness or family issue to attend to. But I now realize that for many, it's more of a long term part of their work/life balance, with many different seasons.
What personal habit or behavior has shaped you as a leader?
I've been a very strong proponent of post-mortems. All too often we're on to the next task, assuming we've learned. But the more intentional we are in looking back and, without assigning blame, understanding what could have been better, we can lock in those learnings.
What's a question you like asking — yourself or your colleagues?
If they were to bring in a new CEO today, what would they do? And why aren't we doing it now? As much as we think we're not, we get mired in the status quo, sunk costs, sacred cows, etc. That question immediately wipes the slate clean, and opens up fresh perspective.
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Here’s More, From Other Founders Around the World
What’s an important guiding principle that informs the way you build and run your business?
One of our core values is experimentation. Rather than get stuck in arguing about what solution may best solve a problem or play to our ego, we focus on the smallest step we could possibly take to learn whether that’s true. It moves our minds away from thinking too big without sweating the small stuff and from getting stuck in discussions rather than actually doing something to understand the possible solutions better.
What should leaders understand about their own role and responsibility?
Your own time and energy is the most precious resource you have. Use it wisely, and learn what gives you energy, and what saps you. In the early years of building something, you need to throw a huge amount of time at it - and do many things you perhaps don’t like doing. But as you scale, it’s vital to take a step back and build a business that can grow rapidly beyond the time you put into it.
What shift in perspective has allowed you to see things differently?
It may sound simple, but realizing and truly understanding that we are all different and driven by different things has made a significant impact on me. This insight has changed the way I approach relationships and leadership.
What’s a guiding principle that informs the way you build and run your business?
One of our core values at Cozero is radical candor. It is the idea that the willingness to repeatedly enter uncomfortable situations to speak the truth benefits everyone in the long run. We believe that in order to grow and improve as an organization, we need to create an environment where our team is not afraid to challenge processes and decisions. Making this a core value guides us in difficult situations when it’s not clear which road to take.