Wartime leadership

Hey, I was recently reading one of venture firm Sequoia's memos on what to do during tough times. They've made bets on some of the most successful companies in the world, including Apple, Airbnb, Snowflake and Stripe. I saw this interesting graph: [Image] We are going to be going through tough times in the next 12-24 months and tough times require wartime leadership. I'd highly encourage you to read the book 'The Hard Thing About Hard Things' to learn more about wartime leadership, but if you don't have the time, I wanted to give you the '7 habits of a highly effective wartime leader': Given the current macro conditions, wartime leaders will be required for the foreseeable future. Here are 7 highly effective habits of a wartime leader: 1. Be decisive In times of crisis, leaders need to be able to make decisions quickly and efficiently. They can't afford to second guess themselves or dither around; they need to be confident in their choices and be able to execute on them immediately. We are seeing layoffs happen worldwide and no one seems to be immune. Stripe, one of the most valuable private companies, had to cut staff. Meta cut 11,000 people. Layoffs are terrible as it affects individuals, but it would be even worse if entire companies went down. 2. Be frugal Wartime leadership requires difficult decisions to be made quickly. In order to make these decisions, leaders need to be frugal with their resources. They can't afford to waste time or money on frivolous things; they need to be focused and use whatever they have at their disposal in the most efficient way possible. Cash is no longer trash; it's oxygen. 3. Be flexible The ability to adapt and change course quickly is essential for wartime leaders. They need to be able to assess a situation and come up with a new plan on the fly if the original one isn't working. This requires being nimble and resourceful, as well as being able to think outside the box. Have strong views, but hold them loosely to be able to adapt on a dime. This is not the time for ego. 4. Overcommunicate In times of war, it's essential for leaders to overcommunicate with their troops. This means making sure that everyone is on the same page and knows what their objectives are. It also means being clear and concise when giving orders, as well as providing frequent updates on the situation. I personally like sending weekly team newsletters to keep the team updated on: What's top of mind Where we're at with goals Shout outs What we could improve on 5. Delegate Wartime leaders need to be able to delegate tasks and responsibilities to their subordinates. It also allows leaders to focus on the most important aspects of the war effort. Focus on leverage and ruthlessly delegate the rest. 6. Lead by example Wartime leaders need to lead by example and set the tone for their troops. This means being disciplined, staying calm under pressure, and moving quickly. Sometimes, this means running into battle first and being the last to eat. 7. Eliminate non-essential projects Wartime leaders need to focus on the essentials and eliminate anything that isn’t absolutely necessary. This means cutting back on unnecessary projects, software, travel, etc., and putting all of their resources into what's working. Finally, remember that tough times don't last, tough people do. And great things can be built during times of intense pressure. Keep your head up! -Eric To make sure you keep getting these emails, please add eric@singlegrain.com to your address book or whitelist us. Want out of the loop? [Unsubscribe](. Our postal address: 2121 Biscayne Blvd #1184 Miami, FL 33137