I read Founder Mode, by Paul Graham, with great interest. I’m lucky in that I’ve seen both Steve Jobs and Brian Chesky work up close.
A few caveats. I wish that my experiences with them had lasted longer, been closer, and involved more projects. Also, I saw more of Steve than of Brian.
Even with these qualifications, I think it worthwhile to offer a distillation of ten things I did see. There are some overlaps, but this is a subtle topic, not a simple one.
Here is what Founder Mode looked like from my perspective as an observer of these two great founders.
Steve and Brian were deeply intuitive. In any particular situation, they knew what they wanted. They could also change their minds as the situation changed. They were decisive, but open.
Steve and Brian worked very hard all the time. I’m not sure either of them ever really turned off. Look elsewhere for notions of work/life balance. Their work is their life, which they pursued with boundless energy.
Steve and Brian never cared what you thought if it conflicted with what they thought was the right thing to do. They were on a personal quest to ask the most pertinent questions about their company and then find the best possible answers. Not a thing they could delegate.
Steve and Brian were great editors of other people’s work. They gave out the ideas, jobs, projects, the things to do, and then they commented on, guided, and shaped the results that came back with clear and cogent feedback about what should happen next.
Steve and Brian did not micro-manage. They right-sized their involvement. They trusted their best people to do great work without smothering them, but then were always there to give feedback and support.
Steve and Brian demanded progress. Nobody had a comfortable job working with them. They expected people to produce tangible work product on a regular basis. They demanded tight iteration cycles.
Steve and Brian were always visible. Sometimes it seemed like they were everywhere working on everything.
Steve and Brian were focused. They banished distractions. Their concentration didn’t waver. They were able to work on a specific task for as long as necessary.
Steve and Brian exuded extreme confidence. They possessed an intense personal charisma. It made the people around them strive to do their best.
Steve and Brian never got confused about what their companies were supposed to be doing. They always kept their eyes on creating meaning and value for customers.
A note on verb tenses. I expressed my list in the past tense, as a description of first hand observations I made in the past. It seemed odd to talk about Brian in this way, but there it is. I hope Brian continues his work far into the future.
