Porridge

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 blog posts: Just Right Porridge and Leadership Principles The Tension is Intentional

Get the balance right.

A great way to be thoughtful about this is to apply a Just Right, Over, Under taxonomy. Pick the row that matches what happened.

Leadership Principles, in teaching order.

  1. 1

    Customer Obsession

    Leaders start with the customer and work backwards. They work hard to earn and keep customer trust. They watch competitors. They obsess over customers.

  2. 2

    Ownership

    Leaders are owners. They think long term and do not sacrifice long-term value for short-term results. They act on behalf of the whole company, not just their own team. They never say "that's not my job."

  3. 3

    Invent and Simplify

    Leaders expect invention from their teams and always find ways to simplify. They look for new ideas from everywhere and are not limited by "not invented here." When they do new things, they accept that they may be misunderstood for a long time.

  4. 4

    Are Right, A Lot

    Leaders are right a lot. They have strong judgment and good instincts. They seek diverse perspectives and work to disconfirm their beliefs.

  5. 5

    Learn and Be Curious

    Leaders are never done learning and always seek to improve themselves. They are curious about new possibilities and act to explore them.

  6. 6

    Hire and Develop the Best

    Leaders raise the performance bar with every hire and every promotion. They recognize exceptional talent and move those people across the organization. They develop leaders and take coaching seriously.

  7. 7

    Insist on the Highest Standards

    Leaders have relentlessly high standards. Many people will think those standards are unreasonably high. Leaders keep raising the bar and drive their teams to deliver high-quality products, services, and processes. They do not send defects down the line. They fix problems so they stay fixed.

  8. 8

    Think Big

    Thinking small is a self-fulfilling prophecy. Leaders create and communicate a bold direction that inspires results. They think differently, and they look around corners for ways to serve customers.

  9. 9

    Bias for Action

    Speed matters in business. Many decisions and actions are reversible and do not need extensive study. Leaders value calculated risk taking.

  10. 10

    Frugality

    Accomplish more with less. Constraints breed resourcefulness, self-sufficiency, and invention. There are no extra points for growing headcount, budget size, or fixed expense.

  11. 11

    Earn Trust

    Leaders listen attentively, speak candidly, and treat others respectfully. They are vocally self-critical, even when doing so is awkward or embarrassing. They do not believe they, or their team, smell like roses. They benchmark themselves and their teams against the best.

  12. 12

    Dive Deep

    Leaders operate at all levels, stay connected to the details, audit frequently, and are skeptical when metrics and anecdote differ. No task is beneath them.

  13. 13

    Have Backbone; Disagree and Commit

    Leaders are obligated to respectfully challenge decisions when they disagree, even when doing so is uncomfortable or exhausting. Leaders have conviction and are tenacious. They do not compromise for the sake of social cohesion. Once a decision is determined, they commit wholly.

  14. 14

    Deliver Results

    Leaders focus on the key inputs for their business and deliver them with the right quality and in a timely fashion. Despite setbacks, they rise to the occasion and never settle.

Writing that goes with the set.

To add another company's set, open an issue on kindel/principles.