...A lot of a CEO’s job comes down to emotional intelligence and understanding what other people need and want. Some days I feel like the company’s chief psychologist, and I have to be emotionally prepared for that. My natural impulse when I hear about a problem is to go to a whiteboard and start to diagram how to fix it, the way an engineer would. But for a CEO that’s often not the right response. A lot of the people who bring problems to the CEO aren’t looking for a solution—they just want to feel that they’ve been heard. That isn’t always the easiest part of my job, but it is a part, so I’m learning to listen first and not see every situation as a problem that needs a solution.
...I’ve also learned a lot about time management and what kind of direction I should be giving employees about day-to-day tasks. I’m now out of the office more, because speaking with customers and investors and attending conferences is really important to our business. So when I’m in the office, I need to be there for team members, to provide guidance and hear details about what they’re doing. But I haven’t taken this need as an invitation to micromanage; I still let employees do what they do best.
...My role is to help people feel excited about their work, empower them, and give them the resources they require to do their jobs well.
...I’ve also learned a lot about time management and what kind of direction I should be giving employees about day-to-day tasks. I’m now out of the office more, because speaking with customers and investors and attending conferences is really important to our business. So when I’m in the office, I need to be there for team members, to provide guidance and hear details about what they’re doing. But I haven’t taken this need as an invitation to micromanage; I still let employees do what they do best.
...My role is to help people feel excited about their work, empower them, and give them the resources they require to do their jobs well.
