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Words. Wisdom. Winners.

Power of seeking 

Data, massive amounts, hits us everyday as we live our lives. Most of which we ignore. Some of which we process. And some of which we never expected. 

Over the years, this data makes us smarter. We know how to respond to data that we have seen before. And “unexpected” data occurs much lesser,  though still does. 

The world calls this data gathering process as experience. 

I call it passive learning! 

No one starts their day telling themselves “today I am going to learn how to fire someone” or “today I am going to know how to react to predatory pricing by my competition” or “today I am going to learn how to handle losing your cofounder”. 

It seems that our experience is not a process rather a matter of chance. 

What if it wasn’t? 

What if we sought out experiences, either by listening to others, or by forcing ourselves in situation where we experienced them ourselves. 

What if we became active learners, even if the experience is secondary. 

“For sure” Secondary experiences > “Maybe” Primary experiences 

Hiring and firing

Something I read several years ago has always stated with me
I have never regretted firing someone. I have only regretted how late I did it.

And so the question stems – how long before you fire someone.

I would start at the selection itself.

Groupon has this test we give every candidate before the interview. It’s a simple test comprising questions on general awareness,  quantitative ability, verbal reasons and psychometric profiling.

Here is the deal. We have made every existing grouponer take that test. And now have average scores for each function.

So every new hire needs to be above the average score of the function they are being interviewed for.

There have been 5 instances where we made a hire despite the scores being lower. Each of those exited the system within 3-6 months. I regret making the call to hire them.

And then I would take a call after their first month.

It’s the most important month. At the end of 30 days I send a note to everyone, checking how the month went. Are they having fun. Are they enjoying their work. Are their managers and team members treating them well.

91% of those that didn’t reply to these emails left us or were asked to leave, within 3 months of their joining.

Sometimes, all you need to take a decision is just a signal.

4 actions of time management

Archive (doesn’t warrant reaction or decision)

  • it’s not worth my time to reply to this
  • Happens 10% of the time, for me

Reply (take a decision)

  • I need to clear the passage and take a decision
  • The decision, if reversible or with low “capital at risk” will be taken almost instantaneously
  • Else I will reply to buy time or seek more data
  • Happens 30% of the time, for me

Forward (delegate)

  • Send it to someone and empower them to take the decision
  • Lay out the rules of the game. And what your expectation is.
  • Don’t share the solution. Then you might as well do it yourself.
  • Once taken, their decision is final. No review.
  • Happens 30% of the time, for me

Compose (create a new task or seek help)

  • Take the lead and create a new task or identify a new problem to solve
  • Create the framework to approach it
  • Assign an owner to the problem
  • Set a time to discuss the possible solutions
  • Track the progress and bring it to closure

 

And here is what most people do wrong

  • Archive when they should be replying instead
  • Reply when they should be forwarding instead
  • Forwarding when they should be composing instead

Timestamp

I wrote to Indra Nooyi yesterday.
One of her interviews inspired me to write a personal letter to the families of our top performers. Acknowledging them for the invisible support they extend in the growth of the organization.

image

She hasn’t replied.
She perhaps never will.

But it feels comforting that I have left a timestamp of acknowledgment. Just as she so did through her interview.

So many people to learn from
So many things to learn
So many timestamps to read
And to leave

Productive or Busy

The two are not equal. 

A productive day is when you glance into the future and take decisions to reach there from where you are today. Let’s call this a workshop. 

A busy day is when you glance into the past to see how you landed in the present. Let’s call this a review. 

Here is the thing about review. They rarely move you forward. Because they end up being just that – a review. Shifting a review into a workshop is an art. 

And a necessity! 

What’s your story?

The markets are bad

The product isn’t there as yet 

The systems failed 

The team size was small

The long weekend impacted sales 

The traffic was bad 

The hours are long and I don’t have time 

The money isn’t enough 

The excuses I have for not delivering on my promise are unlimited 

The helpless story equates excuses to output 

Unfortunately, it isn’t 

Instead, try the ownership story

I will make time

I will find a workaround 

I will solve this

I will get it done

And if I don’t, I will not shield behind an excuse. 

The hiring pitch

Pitch 1:
We have an awesome culture
We have the smartest people
We have free lunch
We have low attrition
We have great compensation figures
We have an open door policy
We are awesome!

Pitch 2:
Here is what we have done
Here is what we want to do
Here is why it’s not a trivial problem to solve
Here is why we need the smartest people to work on this
Here is why we think you are perfect for the role
Here is what you will get to do
Here is the team you will get to work with
Here is why you will make us awesome!

Pitch 2: 1
Pitch 1: 0

Output vs Outcome

Output: Here is what I was supposed to do and I have done it
Outcome: Here is what my output was supposed to achieve. And I have achieved it.

Own the outcome. Not the output.
Don’t convert yourself into a checklist.

Wild card entry

I have been extremely lucky in life to be part of tribes that I wasn’t deserving of, in the first place.

ISB – got through with less than 2 years of experience.
Kearney – got through despite not being a top ranker.
Entrepreneur – became one completely by accident
Rocket – got through after a 15 min meeting
Groupon – was asked to lead with no such prior experience or exposure
Fortune – can count 100 more people who could be part of the list instead of me

I am the wild card entry in all these. The guy on the fence. The not so obvious choice.

Here is the deal with wild card entries
No one expects you to win.
No one knows about you  either.
No one expects you to contribute.
And the only direction you can go is up!
The only thing you can do is to observe the obvious entrants and learn

And perhaps someday you won’t be wild card anymore

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