Make sure people don’t confuse the right to complain, give advice, and openly debate with the right to make decisions.
When challenging a decision and/or a decision maker, consider the broader context.
Don’t leave important conflicts unresolved.
Don’t let the little things divide you when your agreement on the big things should bind you.
Don’t get stuck in disagreement, escalate or vote!
Once a decision is made, everyone should get behind it even though individuals may still disagree.
See things from the higher level.
Never allow the idea-meritocracy to slip into anarchy.
Don’t allow lynch mobs or mob rule.
Remember that if the idea-meritocracy comes into conflict with the well-being of the organization, it will inevitably suffer.
Declare “martial law” only in rare or extreme circumstances when the principles need to be suspended.
Be wary of people who argue for the suspension of the idea-meritocracy for the “good of the organization.”
Recognize that if the people who have the power don’t want to operate by principles, the principled way of operating will fail.
Remember that the who is more important than the what
Recognize that the most important decision for you to make is who you choose as your Responsible Parties.
Understand that the most important responsible-parties are those responsible for the goals, outcomes, and machines at the highest levels.
Know that the ultimate Responsible Party will be the person who bears the consequences of what is done.
Make sure that everyone has someone they report to.
Remember the force behind the thing.
Hire Right, Because the Penalties for Hiring Wrong Are Huge
Match the person to the design.
Think through which values, abilities, and skills you are looking for (in that order).
Make finding the right people systematic and scientific.
Hear the click: Find the right fit between the role and the person.
Look for people who sparkle, not just “any ol’ one of those.”
Don’t use your pull to get someone a job.
Remember that people are built very differently and that different ways of seeing and thinking make people suitable for different jobs.
Understand how to use and interpret personality assessments.
Remember that people tend to pick people like themselves, so choose interviewers who can identify what you are looking for.
Look for people who are willing to look at themselves objectively.
Remember that people typically don’t change all that much.
Think of your teams the way that sports managers do: No one person possesses everything required to produce success, yet everyone must excel.
Pay attention to people’s track records.
Check references.
Recognize that performance in school doesn’t tell you much about whether a person has the values and abilities you are looking for.
While it’s best to have great conceptual thinkers, understand that great experience and a great track record also count for a lot.
Beware of the impractical idealist.
Don’t assume that a person who has been successful elsewhere will be successful in the job you’re giving them.
Make sure your people have character and are capable.
Don’t hire people just to fit the first job they will do; hire people you want to share your life with.
Look for people who have lots of great questions.
Show candidates your warts.
Play jazz with people with whom you are compatible but who will also challenge you.
When considering compensation, provide both stability and opportunity.
Pay for the person, not the job.
Have performance metrics tied at least loosely to compensation.
Pay north of fair.
Focus more on making the pie bigger than on exactly how to slice it so that you or anyone else gets the biggest piece.
Remember that in great partnerships, consideration and generosity are more important than money.
Be generous and expect generosity from others.
Great people are hard to find so make sure you think about how to keep them.
Constantly train, test, evaluate, and sort people.
Understand that you and the people you manage will go through a process of personal evolution.
Recognize that personal evolution should be relatively rapid and a natural consequence of discovering one’s strengths and weaknesses; as a result, career paths are not planned at the outset.
Understand that training guides the process of personal evolution.
Teach your people to fish rather than give them fish, even if that means letting them make some mistakes.
Recognize that experience creates internalized learning that book learning can’t replace.
Provide constant feedback.
Evaluate accurately, not kindly.