These are the qualities I look for in people I work with and that I strive to embody myself.

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1. Be on a mission.

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Focus on the goal you want to accomplish; don’t chase shiny objects down paths tangential to your destination. Ask “why” every time. And let that raison d’etre anchor every conversation, imbuing your method with qualities aligned with the goal.

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2. Bring out the best in those around you.

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Listen well. Watch for the areas others shine and practice taking delight in lighting the sparks in their eyes. Include people by helping create the conditions for them to bring their A game, not by abdicating responsibility and hoping for the best. Believe people when they trust you enough to tell you directly what they need.

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3. Play about your work.

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Be exuberantly willing to shake loose busyness and performance pressure to get goofy. This process brings out honesty, creativity, and ambition to make big things possible. Instead of escaping to have fun or bond with colleagues, find diversion within the work at hand, keeping your left brain alert when your right brain leads.

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4) Justify your perspective. Then seek & celebrate the demise of your justifications.

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Support decisions with data wherever possible. Do research and monitor metrics not simply for the sake of curiosity – there is enough of that to fill the oceans – but as vital due diligence and precursor to any decision making. Hold your ideas loosely enough that when your findings or a colleague do you the honor of disrupting them with something more intelligent, you celebrate the better path.

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5) Elevate your valuable contributions. But shut up when someone else’s got it.

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Keep a strong lock on value scent. Don’t let fear or reluctance be the reason you refrain from candid insight; don’t let overexcitement or distraction be a reason to interrupt. 

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