I’ve been reminded a few times this past month of how much power we have. Too often we give that power to others or feel like we lack the power to make meaningful change in our lives. There are always things outside of our control, but more and more I find myself realizing I have greater power to change my circumstances than I once thought.
Let’s jump into this month’s favorites.
Books, articles, etc.
No Rules Rules: Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention by Reed Hastings and Erin Meyer (Book)
Two years after the now-famous Netflix culture deck was published, I interviewed (but wasn’t hired) for a role at Netflix. Since then, and more so after moving to HR, I’ve studied their culture, fascinated by the unique approach they’ve taken to build the company.
I don’t love everything about their culture, but I love that Netflix put a stake in the ground. They’ve taken a hard stance. By being clear about who they are—and who they aren’t—Netflix can attract employees who want to be a part of what they’re building.
No Rules Rules is written by Reed Hastings, the CEO. While it feels like a corporate infomercial at times, we get the story straight from the horse’s mouth. Netflix has built a culture focused on creating people talent density, an environment of candor, and empowering employees through decentralized decision making versus restrictive controls. Whether you’re a fan of the company or not, there’s a lot to learn about building culture from this book.
Intelligent Minds Like Tim Cook and Jeff Bezos Embrace the Rule of Awkward Silence (Article)
The rule of awkward silence is simple: When faced with a challenging question, instead of answering, you pause and think deeply about how you want to answer. This is no short pause; rather, it involves taking several seconds (10, 20, or longer) to think things through before responding. It’s a lot harder than it seems. I’m not great at it but trying to get better. Here are a few benefits of embracing awkward silences:
Put the outside world on mute
Give deeper, more thoughtful answers
Bring your emotions into balance
Say what you mean, and mean what you say
Turning Pro: Tap Your Inner Power and Create Your Life's Work by Steven Pressfield (Book)
Steven Pressfield’s most popular book might be The Legend of Bagger Vance but he’s written several on the topic of creativity and overcoming what he calls the resistance, a force that keeps us from creating our best work. This book dives deep into the mindset required to go from being an amateur to a pro. Here’s my favorite passage:
Turning pro is free, but it's not without cost. When we turn pro, we give up a life with which we may have become extremely comfortable. We give up a self that we have come to identify with and to call our own. Turning pro is free but it's not easy. You don't need to take a course or buy a product. All you have to do is change your mind.
I really enjoyed this one, but if you’re going to read one book from him, I still recommend The War of Art.
Observations
4 Lessons From 4 Years at DoorDash (Podcast)
Back in December I hit my four-year mark at DoorDash and shared the key lessons I’ve learned during that stretch:
Optimize for learning and impact
Your limits are far beyond what you think they are
Set boundaries
Pause before placing judgment
In this podcast episode, I dive deeper into those lessons, including a story of when I felt like Emmet from the Lego Movie (seriously).
The Power of Stillness
I first stumbled on this quote a year ago and it’s been on my mind a lot this past month. What problems could you overcome through increased stillness?
Gratitudes
I’ve found power in regularly expressing gratitude so I’ll continue the habit. I’m grateful for pickleball. I joined a pickleball league last month and have loved learning a new sport. It’s fun being in the early stages of a new skill where you see significant progress week to week. Pickleball has allowed me to make new friends and spend more time outside.
If you've read anything worth sharing I'd love to hear about it. And do let me know if there's anything I can do to help you.
Nathan
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