A++ Teams
Frank Addante CEO & Founder frank@rubiconproject.com (310) 943-4370
2008 ALWAYSON 250 GLOBAL WINNER & ONMEDIA 100 WINNER TWIISTUP3 BEST IN SHOW PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS – ENTRETECH BEST STARTUP AMERICAN BUSINESS AWARDS - STEVIES ‘08 FINALIST BEST NEW COMPANY AMERICAN BUSINESS AWARDS - STEVIES ‘08 FINALIST MOST INNOVATIVE COMPANY AMERICAN BUSINESS AWARDS - STEVIES ‘08 FINALIST NEW PRODUCT OR SERVICE – SERVICES #24 ON FAST COMPANY FAST 50 READER FAVORITES
A++ TEAMS
5 Startups = 2 Acquisitions 1 IPO 2 Fast-growing market leaders $1 Billion in market value
Very different companies, one common theme:
A++ Teams
oHiring:
The DNA of an A++ Team
oTeam Development: Cultural Values
oHiring:
The DNA of an A++ Team
oTeam Development: Cultural Values
THE DNA OF AN A++ TEAM
o Trust
o o o o o o o o o o Winners Fire in the Belly Good Athletes No Egos Active Communicators Diversity Entrepreneurs Hard Working Pride Purpose Driven
If you can’t trust someone 100%, don’t bring them on to your team. If you do trust them, support them 100%.
THE DNA OF AN A++ TEAM
o Trust
o Winners
o o o o o o o o o Fire in the Belly Good Athletes No Egos Active Communicators Diversity Entrepreneurs Hard Working Pride Purpose Driven
Those who have been part of a winning company have set the bar and anything else than exceeding that bar, in their mind, is failure.
THE DNA OF AN A++ TEAM
o Trust o Winners
o Fire in the Belly
o o o o o o o o Good Athletes No Egos Active Communicators Diversity Entrepreneurs Hard Working Pride Purpose Driven
Hire people with an insatiable appetite for getting things done. You can generally tell who these people are because they can’t sit still in their seats.
THE DNA OF AN A++ TEAM
o Trust o Winners o Fire in the Belly
o Good Athletes
o o o o o o o No Egos Active Communicators Diversity Entrepreneurs Hard Working Pride Purpose Driven
It’s more important to hire quick learners that can adapt versus deep experience.
THE DNA OF AN A++ TEAM
o o o o
Trust Winners Fire in the Belly Good Athletes
o No Egos
o o o o o o Active Communicators Diversity Entrepreneurs Hard Working Pride Purpose Driven
Strong egos will kill the culture of an early stage company…kill it fast.
THE DNA OF AN A++ TEAM
o o o o o
Trust Winners Fire in the Belly Good Athletes No Egos
o Active Communicators
o o o o o Diversity Entrepreneurs Hard Working Pride Purpose Driven
Communication is contagious. The more “in the flow” communication, the better.
THE DNA OF AN A++ TEAM
o o o o o o
Trust Winners Fire in the Belly Good Athletes No Egos Active Communicators
o Diversity
o o o o Entrepreneurs Hard Working Pride Purpose Driven
While it is good to have like minded individuals, it is equally important to balance that with people who have different perspectives and points of view.
THE DNA OF AN A++ TEAM
o o o o o o o
Trust Winners Fire in the Belly Good Athletes No Egos Active Communicators Diversity
o Entrepreneurs
o Hard Working o Pride o Purpose Driven
People who are driven to build something, will. Don’t be afraid to hire people with high ambitions to start their own company.
THE DNA OF AN A++ TEAM
o o o o o o o o
Trust Winners Fire in the Belly Good Athletes No Egos Active Communicators Diversity Entrepreneurs
o Hard Working
o Pride o Purpose Driven
Hard working people that are committed to winning will spend the extra time to learn. It allows them to make more mistakes.
THE DNA OF AN A++ TEAM
o o o o o o o o o
Trust Winners Fire in the Belly Good Athletes No Egos Active Communicators Diversity Entrepreneurs Hard Working
You can’t teach people to take pride in their work, so find people that do. Pride trumps all other motivators to do a superb job.
o Pride
o Purpose Driven
THE DNA OF AN A++ TEAM
o o o o o o o o o o
Trust Winners Fire in the Belly Good Athletes No Egos Active Communicators Diversity Entrepreneurs Hard Working Pride
Find people that are driven by the results and are bored by the methods.
o Purpose Driven
THE DNA OF AN A++ TEAM
These are the minimum requirements; all are required without exception.
oHiring:
The DNA of an A++ Team
oTeam Development: Cultural Values
CULTURAL VALUES
o Innovation
o o o o o o o o o o o Transparency Active Communication Humility Respect Community Competition Pride Speed Do More with Less Mistakes are OK Fun
We invest our thinking and resources into change that will propel the industry and this company forward.
CULTURAL VALUES
o Innovation
o Transparency
o o o o o o o o o o Active Communication Humility Respect Community Competition Pride Speed Do More with Less Mistakes are OK Fun
Knowledge is powerful. Transparency keeps us honest. We believe in the highest level of transparency possible with our team, investors and customers.
CULTURAL VALUES
o Innovation o Transparency
o Active Communication
o o o o o o o o o Humility Respect Community Competition Pride Speed Do More with Less Mistakes are OK Fun
Communication makes or breaks relationships. We will devote time and effort to make communication a priority.
CULTURAL VALUES
o Innovation o Transparency o Active Communication
o Humility
o o o o o o o o Respect Community Competition Pride Speed Do More with Less Mistakes are OK Fun
While we enjoy winning, we will not let our success get to our head.
CULTURAL VALUES
o o o o
Innovation Transparency Active Communication Humility
o Respect
o o o o o o o Community Competition Pride Speed Do More with Less Mistakes are OK Fun
Team development is top priority for us. We hold each other in high regard and have zero tolerance for disrespectful behavior.
CULTURAL VALUES
o o o o o
Innovation Transparency Active Communication Humility Respect
o Community
o o o o o o Competition Pride Speed Do More with Less Mistakes are OK Fun
We consider ourselves to be fortunate and believe in paying it forward to those in need.
CULTURAL VALUES
o o o o o o
Innovation Transparency Active Communication Humility Respect Community
o Competition
o o o o o Pride Speed Do More with Less Mistakes are OK Fun
We are driven to win and are highly competitive; externally not internally.
CULTURAL VALUES
o o o o o o o
Innovation Transparency Active Communication Humility Respect Community Competition
Personal pride in our work is the number one criteria for our team members.
o Pride
o o o o Speed Do More with Less Mistakes are OK Fun
CULTURAL VALUES
o o o o o o o o
Innovation Transparency Active Communication Humility Respect Community Competition Pride
We go fast but don’t hurry.
o Speed
o Do More with Less o Mistake are OK o Fun
CULTURAL VALUES
o o o o o o o o o
Innovation Transparency Active Communication Humility Respect Community Competition Pride Speed
Constantly find ways to do twice as much with half as much time, money and resources.
o Do More with Less
o Mistake are OK o Fun
CULTURAL VALUES
o o o o o o o o o o
Innovation Transparency Active Communication Humility Respect Community Competition Pride Speed Do More with Less
If we aren’t making mistakes, we aren’t moving fast enough. Making mistakes is key to innovating and learning.
o Mistakes are OK
o Fun
CULTURAL VALUES
o o o o o o o o o o o
Innovation Transparency Active Communication Humility Respect Community Competition Pride Speed Do More with Less Mistakes are OK
We will celebrate our wins together, big and small.
o Fun
SUMMARY
Hiring:
oTrust oWinners oFire in the Belly oGood Athletes oNo Egos oActive Communicators oDiversity oEntrepreneurs oHard Working oPride oPurpose Driven
Team Development:
oInnovation oTransparency oActive Communication oHumility oRespect oCommunity oCompetition oPride oSpeed oDo More with Less oMistakes are OK oFun
SUMMARY
A company’s most valuable and most expensive assets are it’s people. These assets walk out the door everyday.
My job is to make sure they come back.