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a16z Podcast | Guiding Startup Culture -- The Genius ISMs
23 segments available
It might seem that culture at a startup is something that is just intuitive. And in the first days, with the first handful of people, that might be true. But the co-founders of Genius.com, Tom Lehman and Ilan Zechory (pictured), found that even at 25 people taking the time to describe their company's culture in detail -- their basic principles of life and work -- was critical. What follows is their version of a culture guide, the "Genius ISMs," from the practical -- "take the roast out of the oven," and "run into the spike," to the more tonal -- "we'll figure it out" and "the chaos will not be minimized." You can check out all 17 here: genius.com/Genius-the-genius-isms-annotated And of course here's the interview annotated: genius.com/A16z-genius-podcast-annotated
Segments Timeline
The Genesis of Genius ISMs
Tom Lehman and Ilan Zechory introduce the concept of 'Genius ISMs,' a set of guiding principles for their startup culture. They discuss the importance of articulating company culture as they grow, emphasizing that even at 25 employees, defining these principles is crucial for effective communication and collaboration.
"welcome to the a 16z podcast Brooklyn edition we're here at the world headquarters of genius comm with Tom lemon and Alam Sakura co-founders two days ago the gang of genius released the genius isms an..."
Run Into the Spike
Lehman explains the 'Run Into the Spike' principle, which encourages individuals to tackle the difficult tasks they often avoid. This segment highlights the value of confronting challenges head-on rather than succumbing to procrastination, emphasizing that doing what is hard leads to personal and professional growth.
"we kind of tried to write it all down it stuff kind of doesn't happen so directly but Dan Gilbert when I first met him he was the sort of topic that he was fascinated by was just how do you communicat..."
Take the Roast Out of the Oven
In this segment, the co-founders discuss the principle 'Take the Roast Out of the Oven,' which stresses the importance of completing tasks and not shying away from finishing projects. They illustrate how fear of finalizing work can hinder progress and encourage listeners to push through to completion.
"them is run into the spike yeah so run into the spike is basically the idea that whenever you're trying to decide what to do you should do the thing you don't want to do so there's always when you're ..."
Worse is Better
Lehman introduces the concept of 'Worse is Better,' advocating for the release of imperfect work to foster improvement through public feedback. This segment underscores the necessity of overcoming perfectionism in the startup environment, encouraging entrepreneurs to share their work even if it isn't flawless.
"pleasure of doing something that this is ABS always be suffering you know that was one of the original the original name for this was notes don't always be suffering but running this bike I think is s..."
Embracing Vulnerability in Communication
The discussion shifts to the importance of open communication and vulnerability among co-founders and team members. Lehman emphasizes that addressing discomfort directly with relevant individuals fosters a healthier work environment and encourages constructive feedback, which is essential for growth and collaboration.
"slave to that you've got to just put stuff out there and see whatever there are artists who you know take 10 years 15 years between projects between an album or between their next film or whatever and..."
Emotional Realities in Business
Lehman and Zechory explore the often-overlooked emotional aspects of the workplace. They argue that emotions play a significant role in professional interactions and that acknowledging these feelings is crucial for effective communication. The segment highlights the need for emotional awareness and the impact it has on team dynamics and productivity.
"also just just the whole it's the feel to my face is part of another thing which I think just people under appreciate income business is just how big of a part the emotional side of things play so par..."
Writing Like a Human
This segment focuses on the importance of authentic communication in writing. The co-founders advocate for writing in a natural voice, emphasizing that professionalism should not come at the cost of personal authenticity. They encourage individuals to express themselves genuinely, which can enhance connections and improve workplace interactions.
"make each other feel very bad even by accident you know just by being who we are and having communication patterns and so like you know we'll have some conversation about something and might just feel..."
Crisis as Opportunity
Lehman shares insights on maintaining a positive outlook during crises. He emphasizes the importance of a 'we'll figure it out' mindset, which encourages resilience and problem-solving. The segment discusses how challenges can reveal new opportunities and the necessity of staying calm and solution-oriented in difficult situations.
"say it don't say you know don't hesitate to ask give any questions or whatever we'll figure it out yeah we'll figure it out as this is I got to give a shout out to Tom Tom's really like taught me this..."
Embracing Chaos in Startups
In this segment, the co-founders discuss the inevitability of chaos in startup environments. They reference the idea that building something great is inherently messy and that minimizing chaos is not the goal. The conversation highlights the need for adaptability and a willingness to embrace change as part of the startup journey.
"so it's just a basic like having a base level of optimism even when things feel really bad and not sort of taking out your pessimism on other people and trying to get credit because you're predicting ..."
Comfort vs. Growth
Lehman and Zechory reflect on the relationship between comfort and progress in a startup. They argue that feeling comfortable often indicates a lack of growth and that pushing boundaries is essential for success. The segment encourages listeners to challenge themselves and seek out discomfort as a catalyst for personal and professional development.
"doing bad stuff accidentally the chaos will not be minimized this is a this is a obviously a Gil scott-heron reference that should be in the annotation but you know this is kind of related to the book..."
Focus on Impactful Work
The co-founders conclude by discussing the importance of prioritizing significant projects over trivial tasks. They use food-related metaphors to illustrate the need to avoid distractions and focus on impactful opportunities. This segment reinforces the idea that startups should concentrate their efforts on initiatives that drive meaningful results.
"a place for you and you should be working in a bigger company yeah and it's not it's not a function of 25 people or 50 people or a thousand people even like I think that's just what you're gonna do mm..."
Skepticism Towards Experts
The conversation explores the idea of being skeptical of experts. The co-founders reflect on their experiences with perceived authority figures and the realization that understanding one's unique situation is crucial. They encourage listeners to trust their instincts and not rely solely on external advice when navigating challenges.
"the sort of challenge is when you're thinking about worse is better you're thinking about doing small things you want a reality which is you don't to release some huge you know the software context so..."
Navigating Expert Advice
In this segment, the co-founders share their experiences with seeking advice from experts during challenging times. They highlight the limitations of expert guidance and stress the importance of understanding the nuances of one's own situation. This discussion reinforces the idea that self-reliance and critical thinking are vital in a startup environment.
"the reasons for taking the treat was some anxiety and it was like in the text it was a it was like some anxiety around my like my iTunes playlist and if you click the annotation you see like here was ..."
The Myth of the Expert
The co-founders delve into the myth of the expert who can solve all problems. They discuss how the unique challenges faced by startups often require personalized solutions rather than generic advice. This segment encourages a proactive approach to problem-solving, emphasizing the importance of individual insight and initiative.
"Altman you can talk to everyone on staff and they can hook you up with anyone else to it so you go and you say wow with all this access I'm gonna be able to find people who are gonna help me solve my ..."
The Importance of Accountability
This segment focuses on the significance of accountability within a startup culture. The co-founders discuss how every team member plays a crucial role in the company's success or failure. They advocate for a culture where everyone is encouraged to speak up and take ownership of their contributions, fostering a sense of collective responsibility.
"heart problem so you guys have these you know from top to bottom is there sort of ascending or descending order or they all equally important I just depend on the situation I think it's good there's n..."
Trusting Your Gut
The discussion emphasizes the importance of trusting one's instincts in a startup environment. The co-founders encourage team members to voice their concerns and insights, reinforcing that new perspectives are valuable. This segment highlights the need for open communication and the courage to address issues proactively.
"just the double neck it's a double negative so I think it works out to something good basically and so you know it's just a statement about like you know look like and this is related to like only hir..."
Learning Through Culture Guides
In this segment, the co-founders reflect on the process of creating their culture guide, the 'Genius ISMs.' They discuss how articulating their values helped them understand their company better and the importance of concise communication. This segment underscores the value of defining culture in a startup to align team members with shared principles.
"like you know before I had this in here before we put this in here like one thing and I still am tempted to tell us say this when new people join us just like everything you think that's everything yo..."
Engaging with the Community
The co-founders discuss the role of community engagement in fostering better conversations within the media landscape. They explore how annotations can enhance accountability in journalism and the importance of direct interaction with primary sources. This segment highlights the potential for technology to improve discourse and transparency in information sharing.
"to be very verbose so I got to give props to a LAN it was much better at sort of saying saying the truth about like how many isms you should have started least I was sort of like in his in Fantasyland..."
Enhancing Journalism Through Annotation
The discussion shifts to the role of annotation in journalism, where the co-founders explain how it can bring accountability and foster better conversations around news articles. They illustrate how Genius.com aims to allow experts and subjects to engage directly with journalistic content, enhancing the quality of discourse.
"outside by genius calm but also on the inside within media properties what's that an attempt to do and I just want to sort of get your opinion I like how we can have better conversations within the ne..."
Transforming Comments into Constructive Dialogue
Lehman and Zechory address the limitations of traditional comment sections, proposing a structured approach to facilitate meaningful discussions. They explain how their platform aims to surface relevant commentary and expert insights, creating a more engaging and informative reading experience.
"reporting that's happening and so we think we're building some tools that allow these conversations to happen in interesting ways and surface these conversations to the right people also send signals ..."
Curating Quality Conversations
In this segment, the co-founders discuss the importance of community and editorial structure in fostering quality conversations. They outline how Genius.com plans to implement a system that highlights valuable contributions and ensures that expert opinions are recognized and integrated into the dialogue.
"on our site and what will soon happen on every site when the platform sort of gets what is the fabric of the Internet so you know one big thing that we do on the site right now is we are trying to sor..."
The Future of Interactive Journalism
Lehman and Zechory envision a future where journalism is enriched by interactive elements, allowing readers to engage with content in a dynamic way. They emphasize the need for a platform that not only presents information but also facilitates ongoing discussions and critiques, enhancing the overall journalistic landscape.
"other sites so both literally in the sense that you should be go to a site and see a sort of genius editorial board approved annotation which is we call it the genius annotation which is sort of the a..."
Lightning Round: Personal Favorites
In a light-hearted lightning round, the co-founders share their favorite music and sneaker preferences. This segment showcases their personalities and interests outside of work, providing a glimpse into their lives beyond the startup culture and the serious discussions about journalism.
"have people sort of manually quoting things and then commenting on them but then it's just lost in a wash of a lot of commentary if you have an editorial and sort of community infrastructure that crea..."