16 Principles of Leadership
1. Customer Obsession: Start with the customer and work backward to earn and keep their trust.
2. Ownership: Leaders are owners and think long-term, prioritizing long-term value over short-term success.
3. Invent and Simplify: Expect innovation and invention, finding ways to simplify processes.
4. Are Right, A Lot: Leaders are right a lot, using strong judgment and intuition.
5. Learn and Be Curious: Never stop learning, seeking new ways to improve themselves and the business.
6. Hire and Develop the Best: Raise the performance bar with every hire and promotion.
7. Insist on the Highest Standards: Maintain unreasonably high standards to ensure the best quality.
1. Customer Obsession Leaders start with the customer and work backward. They earn and maintain customer trust above all else, focusing relentlessly on customer needs rather than competitors.
2. Ownership Leaders act on behalf of the entire company, not just their team. They take responsibility for results, think long-term, and never say, "That's not my job."
3. Invent and Simplify Leaders seek out new solutions and simplify processes. Innovation and efficiency are continuous pursuits, not one-time projects.
4. Are Right, A Lot Leaders exercise strong judgment and good instincts. They seek diverse perspectives and challenge their own beliefs to make sound decisions.
5. Learn and Be Curious Leaders are lifelong learners. They seek to expand their knowledge and explore new possibilities.
6. Hire and Develop the Best Leaders raise the bar with every hire and promotion. They mentor and coach others to help them grow into stronger leaders.
7. Insist on the Highest Standards Leaders maintain high performance expectations and continuously raise the bar to deliver high-quality products, services, and processes.
8. Think Big Leaders create and communicate a bold direction that inspires results. They think creatively and look for new ways to serve customers.
9. Bias for Action Speed matters in business. Leaders take calculated risks and prefer quick, informed decisions over delayed perfection.
10. Frugality Constraints breed innovation. Leaders accomplish more with less, using resourcefulness and creativity instead of excess spending.
11. Earn Trust Leaders are transparent, respectful, and candid. They actively listen and admit mistakes, building credibility with peers and customers.
12. Dive Deep Leaders operate at all levels, staying connected to the details. They audit frequently and are skeptical when metrics and anecdotes differ.
13. Have Backbone; Disagree and Commit Leaders respectfully challenge decisions when they disagree, even when uncomfortable. Once a decision is made, they commit fully to executing it.
14. Deliver Results Leaders focus on key inputs and deliver them with quality and timeliness. Setbacks don't derail them—they persist until the goal is achieved.
15. Strive to Be Earth's Best Employer Leaders work to create a safe, productive, and empowering environment where people can grow and thrive.
16. Success and Scale Bring Broad Responsibility Leaders recognize their impact on the world. They act responsibly and ensure their growth benefits customers, employees, and society.