The unknown unknowns

There is no shortage of advice givers on leadership, and business success.
Most of the literature is full of platitudes and trite aphorisms.

 In that regard I’m proving 8 tips on how to run a company, and some tips on how to ruin a company.

It’s up to you to decide which list belongs to which category.

  1.  Listen more talk less. (also known as Learn to Shut Up).  Learn to Compromise.
  2.  Treat everyone with the same respect you give to your Grandmother
  3.  Don’t get sick with “I didn’t build it syndrome”, but  If nobody else does it well, build it yourself.
  4.  Get the money up front. (Sales, Investment, Salary all included)
  5.  Don’t build anything that won’t lead to Sales
  6.  Before you fire someone, make sure that you have tried to find the right job for them, everyone is good at something
  7.  Get it in writing (especially contracts).  Hire a lawyer, and listen to them.  They know what they’re doing.
  8.  Never ever Lie, but Don’t tell more truth than is necessary (“Yes you look fat in those jeans” doesn’t improve your situation.)
  9.  There is no such thing as a single management style that works, each person has to be managed individualy according to their own personal incentive structure

 

 

  1. Fight for your ideals, silence in the face of opposition is cowardly.  Always speak directly (even with customers)
  2. Suffering fools only leads to suffering, and foolishness.
  3. Find one core thing and only build that. Focus Focus Focus.
  4. If you truly believe in a project, then you’ll believe in it enough to work for free, money doesn’t matter until its too late.
  5. Create an awesome product and then worry about the business model, sales will follow success.
  6. Sometimes you just need to fire someone to send a message
  7. If you have to rely on a written contract, you’re already in trouble, if it’s going to work, a handshake is all you need.
  8. Providing bad news in advance only demoralizes people, WAIT until you have to (You might turn around the situation before the news is needed).
  9. Be consistent.  Find a style of management and stick with your decisions, even when they are wrong. 

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