Porridge

Beta

An interactive app that walks a principle as Just Right, Over, or Under. You leave knowing how you, or someone you work with, are living it, and which way it missed. Useful when you are studying how to get better at living a principle, or coaching someone else to do the same.

Related essays: Just Right Porridge and Leadership Principles The Tension is Intentional

There is a set of universal leadership principles.

Porridge lets you walk any one of them as Under, Just Right, or Over, to see how you or someone you coach lives it.

Or, you can use Porridge focused on how any of these companies define their principles.

The set

Leadership Principles, in teaching order.

Everyone is a leader. These principles apply to every person, not just people managers. They guide judgment rather than replace it. They remain open to revision: unless you know better.
  1. 1

    Customer Obsession

    Leaders start with customer needs and work backwards. Customers are anyone we serve, inside or outside the company. Leaders build relationships that help them understand and anticipate customer pain, then innovate to solve it. They earn and keep customer trust while protecting the long-term health of the business.

    Learn how to live it »

  2. 2

    Earn Trust

    Leaders listen attentively, speak candidly, and treat others respectfully. They demonstrate that others' ideas can change their minds. They are openly self-critical, share bad news promptly, and ask for help before problems become surprises. Exceptional results do not excuse behavior that damages trust.

    Learn how to live it »

  3. 3

    Ownership

    Leaders act as owners of the whole company, not just their work or team. They think long-term, seek context before making assumptions, and take responsibility for the systems and conditions that shape outcomes. They help struggling colleagues, drive work forward, and never say, "That's not my job." They put company success ahead of empire building.

    Learn how to live it »

  4. 4

    Are Right, A Lot

    Leaders build strong judgment by learning from experience, especially their mistakes. They seek diverse perspectives, challenge their assumptions, and actively work to disconfirm their beliefs. Being right is not about defending an opinion; it is about reaching better decisions and applying what they learn.

    Learn how to live it »

  5. 5

    Learn and Be Curious

    Leaders are never done learning. They ask questions, explore unfamiliar possibilities, and take action to deepen their understanding. They remain curious about other people's perspectives and carry learning into how they work.

    Learn how to live it »

  6. 6

    Invent and Simplify

    Leaders expect innovation and continually seek simpler solutions. They look for ideas everywhere and use proven approaches without being limited by "not invented here." They accept that new approaches may be misunderstood for a time. They reduce unnecessary complexity and consistently communicate with simple clarity.

    Learn how to live it »

  7. 7

    Insist on High Standards

    Leaders set high standards and intentionally work to improve them. They deliver high-quality products, services, and mechanisms without confusing excellence with unreasonable demands. They build quality upstream, prevent defects from moving downstream, and ensure fixes stay fixed. They automate repetitive work so people have more capacity to improve what comes next.

    Learn how to live it »

  8. 8

    Hire and Develop the Best

    Leaders take coaching seriously, help others grow, and willingly move talent across the company when that serves the person and the business. They raise the culture and performance bar with every hire and promotion. Urgency does not justify lowering the bar. They address gaps directly and support people in growth.

    Learn how to live it »

  9. 9

    Think Big

    Leaders create and communicate audacious direction that inspires results. They look around corners for better ways to serve customers. They connect ambition with practical execution and recognize the value of colleagues whose strengths are in focused delivery, detail, and disciplined operation.

    Learn how to live it »

  10. 10

    Bias for Action

    Leaders move quickly when decisions are reversible and take greater care when consequences are difficult to undo. They assess what could go wrong, what is at stake, and what they can recover from. They take calculated risks, use judgment when information is incomplete, and keep others informed as they act.

    Learn how to live it »

  11. 11

    Frugality

    Leaders accomplish more with less. They use constraints to drive resourcefulness, invention, and automation. They invest where it matters and distinguish productive constraints from unreasonable demands. Growing headcount, budget, or fixed expense is not an achievement in itself.

    Learn how to live it »

  12. 12

    Dive Deep

    Leaders stay connected to the details and operate at every level. They build mechanisms to observe performance, identify problems, and recognize what is working well. They investigate when metrics and anecdotes differ. No task is beneath them.

    Learn how to live it »

  13. 13

    Have Backbone; Disagree and Commit

    Leaders respectfully challenge decisions when they disagree, even when doing so is uncomfortable or exhausting. They do not suppress concerns for social cohesion. Once a decision is made, they commit fully to making it succeed. They approach outcomes with curiosity and shared learning, not "I told you so."

    Learn how to live it »

  14. 14

    Deliver Results

    Leaders focus on the right inputs and deliver the right results, at the right quality, in a timely fashion. They meet commitments, respond to setbacks, and communicate risks early. Results matter, and so does how they are achieved. Hours worked, effort, and tenure are not substitutes for meaningful delivery.

    Learn how to live it »

  15. 15

    Intentional About Culture

    Leaders actively work to create a safe, respectful, and supportive work environment. They lead with empathy, make room for enjoyment, and respect excellent work at every level, regardless of title. They view culture as part of their job.

    Learn how to live it »

Further reading

Sources and essays on the whole set.

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