What to look for in a company:
Eccentricity.
Decentralized organisation, however clearly and ably controlled by a strong and capable CEO.
Offering a product(s) &/ service(s) which makes society and the world better (preferably vastly so).
Not the typical image of a company (the stranger, the better; however, still a clear sense that profitability is highly important; preferably (inevitably, rather), the co./ceo thinks of profitability and customer-centricity as two sides of the same coin -- as a "hen-and-the-egg" dilemma, but one where the answer is obvious: the customer-centricity comes first, and profitability second, as a natural consequence of the first.)
Non-competition; strong enough market leading position as to not be so seriously threatened (however not completely left alone either, so that they still have to try, and better the product), thus enabling them to not obsess over competitors and get lost in petty turf fights and zero-sum games, but instead on society-enhancing new products, or expansions/further-development of old ones.
Incentive alignment. Preferably, all employees have an equity stake in the business.
Good hierarchy. My ideal structure is flat, and a 100 % employee-owned co., but that probably only works on a quite small scale -- or at any rate, in a very decentralized co. environment.
Openness. Acknowledging one's mistake, and quickly too, is applauded. Bringing up difficult topics, such as co-worker relations (especially if they concern one's superiors -- such as a boss not treating their subordinates well), is clearly and strongly encouraged. Etc. etc. Again, incentives and alignment.
Listens intensely to customer feedback, takes it extremely seriously, and makes massive changes according to it, as that is the way that customers quite concretely tells the co. which steps it should take in order for them to be able to keep buying, and buy more of, their product/service.
One main object. (Or two, or maybe three -- no more.)
Simplicity.
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What to look for in a company leader :
Founder of the company.
Real, obvious passion.
Relentlessness, obsessiveness, extreme focus on the business of the business.
Working tirelessly on what matters, and only what matters.
Good at prioritizing things, and organizing their time.
Unique thinker.
Integrity.
Honorable.
Intelligence.
A clear sense of the person being a genuinely nice human being (e.g. Larry Page (who, by the way, ticks of many of above (and below) boxes).
Somewhat cheap.
Understands price/value/cost of stuff/money.
Leads by example.
Gives her/his co-workers a sense of worth and purpose, dignity and meaning.
Inspires a sense of belonging in the company culture.
Truly treats everyone equally (however with a preference for showing special respect for the "lowest" employees -- "the President's taking off his hat to them, and not they to him").
Making a point of remembering names of all co-workers, and trying to know them personally as far as possible.
Sees that each co-worker is a vastly different individual, and that their specific needs need to be carefully and sensitively looked after.
Expects a lot of each co-worker -- in a good way; gives responsibilities with possibilities (not burdens).
Doesn't think of the persons that make up the company as employees, but co-workers.
Thinks of their own leadership as a honor and responsibility to their co-workers and co-shareholders in much the same way as the politicians of ancient Rome or Athens saw politics; as a civic duty, not as a 'right' or anything. They should answer to everyone else in the company, not the other way around.
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...And thousands of other things. |
