"And then in my second year, I took on the project again." Great hires do the hard work that stymies others. One of the reasons I love being a search professional is that I get to hear about the exceptional work done in orgs that are already considered quite high-performing. Just today I spoke to a candidate who took on a technically complex project. This project was so complex, that in past years other people had led it once and burned out. But she wasn't going to be stopped by the challenge -- she wanted it to get a forecasting engine a highly impactful state where it could be useful year after year, rather than needing to be rebuilt from scratch. So the first year taught her all she needed to know about how hard it was. And when the second year came up, she volunteered to lead the initiative -- and this time take it from accretive gains to a transformative reworking. As founders aim to hires who can inflect the growth curves at a company, this is the kind of example that stands out as extrordinary. Amidst a team of ambitious high performers, what made someone go the extra mile? Knowing a project could lead to failure, what led someone to take it on? Not having to do something, why would someone excitedly volunteer for the tougher challenge? How a candidate speaks to all of this gets at their core DNA and motivations, and gives a peek at how they might tackle similar situations at their next startup. So in the end, it comes down one simple thing: It's not always about what someone did. It's about what someone did that made them exceptional, especially in the company of impressive peers.
Michael Zhang’s Post
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If I were brave enough to *really* speak my mind to job applicants weighing the risks vs. rewards of moving from a later to an earlier stage company like ours (I'm not), I would tell them, "if you have doubts, you definitely shouldn't do it". Only 1% of venture-backed early-stage startups meaningfully survive, let alone thrive, into the late stages. To have a shot at being in this 1%, the team collectively has to be: * Top X% in grit, and * Top X% in perseverance, and * Top X% in creativity, and * Top X% in speed, and * Top X% in listening, learning and adapting, and * Top X% in managing chaos, and * Top X% in storytelling, and.... These are not "Or"s. These are "And"s. All of them are needed. And this list goes on and on. And it still may not be sufficient in the end. I'm not glorifying or celebrating this at all. It doesn't feel positive or natural or sustainable to be this way, many times to yourself and most of the time to your loved ones. But it is unfortunately necessary. You can't "want to become" this kind of a person- no one in their right minds should ever want this. You're certainly not paid enough to want to try and become this person. You either are this person, or you aren't. If you aren't this person, there is just too much risk for you to worry about and plan for. If you are this person, the biggest guaranteed reward of working at a company at this stage is that you will find yourself surrounded by a high density of (perpetually unhappy) weirdos like you.
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We need a different approach when weighing the options of taking on a new role—an approach to capture the growth potential of roles within scale-ups. https://lnkd.in/en7mB5nA
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A few days ago, we had a sorry situation in office. A critical process broke down, and our entire team jumped into problem-solving mode. As I watched everyone rally together, it hit me – this is exactly why startup life is different. Sure, there's the sexy side of working at startups that everyone talks about: 👉 Taking on ambitious challenges & biting big chunks 👉 Shouldering more responsibility than you imagined 👉 Seeing the direct impact of your work But there’s very much the unsexy that goes along with it: 👉 Slap-in-the-face reality checks that keep you humble 👉 The days when you're completely stumped by a problem 👉 The grit it takes to show up consistently through the highs and lows And you know what? That's exactly what makes this journey worthwhile. The incredible teammates who become friends, the unmatched learning curve (I've learned more in the last 3 months than I thought possible!), and the satisfaction of building something meaningful together. If this rollercoaster of startup life sounds exciting to you, then we at Mesa School of Business want to meet you. Here's what we're looking for: 🔺 0-3 years of experience 🔺 Strong process management skills 🔺 Confident and articulate communication 🔺 Exceptional attention to detail 🔺 A "yes, can do" attitude that thrives on challenges And here's the thing: we care less about where you've been and more about where you want to go. Your experience matters less than your attitude and potential. Link to the JD & application is in the comments 👇
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Have you ever made a wrong move? Made a decision that could’ve gone better? Or perhaps went down a path that your team didn’t agree with, and then later found out you should’ve gone with what they suggested? As a leader, do you admit when you’re wrong? I decided early on that I would be the kind of leader that would admit my shortcomings. Honestly, at the beginning, it was nerve wrecking. When you launch a startup, you’re laying the ground work for a team that is exploring unchartered territory. 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐝𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧. When I made the decision to rely on the collective knowledge of the team for things I didn’t know, or to admit that I should’ve made a different decision, instead of receiving resignations from team members who wondered why they were working with a boss who was still figuring things out, these remarkable things occurred: 𝟏. 𝐌𝐲 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐡𝐲𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞. “Sorry, it was me. I made the mistake. Let me make up for it.” My team developed such a strong sense of accountability and candour, acknowledging that making mistakes and slipping up was part and parcel of the job, but also developing the habit of making things right. My staff have offered to pay for misprints due to typos, reallocated personal time to fix errors and thought two steps ahead in subsequent projects to reduce issues. 𝟐. 𝐖𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐟𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐧𝐞𝐰. We experiment often. As a start up, we die when ideas die, and we are only able to continuously pump our new ideas and suggestions from an environment that doesn’t punish or shame us for our mistakes. Some of our best projects and best ideas are made up from suggestions of fresh grads, early hires and even interns! By acknowledging that I may and do make mistakes too, my team constantly voice out when they have suggestions or improvements to mitigate risk or increase likelihood of success. 𝟑. 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐲, 𝐰𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬. Because mistakes aren’t being swept under the rug to be hidden in shame, over time we collectively make fewer mistakes as we learn from each other. Mistakes are more likely to be nipped early on instead of cascading into something more serious down the line. Also, when we acknowledge that mistakes are about the problem and not about the person, we cultivate a stronger growth mindset, and everyone is empowered to believe they can do better. — I’m on a journey of trying to make booking healthcare jobs faster, easier and safer. Follow WeAssist Sdn. Bhd. to see more of what we’re up to!
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Secret to job/gig success: picking winners Knowing if a company can be grown or rescued is half the battle. I started my career managing a $1.5M business grant assessing businesses and picking winners to award the money. I’ve taken that approach of assessing people, products, and processes before taking on a job or consulting gig ever since. Processes are the easiest part to create or fix. Startups have no processes and you have to work well in chaos while building processes for repeatability. Broken, misaligned, or outdated processes are also easy fixes to get a company back on track. Products are second place and the difficulty greatly depends on how far off they are from market fit, engineering/science expertise, and availability of resources and cycles to do R&D. Both startups and revitalization companies need great products and eventually, a great product mix. The ideas come easily; the execution is the hard part. People on the team are the real keys to success or failure of a venture. There’s 3 levels of difficulty with people: 1) The problem is or is with the CEO. A) Character problem: run!🏃♂️ B) Vision, mission, values, culture, or strategy problems: i) see if you can’t hint at their baby being ugly and if they’re offended, run. 🏃♂️ ii) If they’re open to the idea that there’s problems to fix, there’s a chance. 2) The problem is or is with a trusted core team member. A) Serious character or performance problem: run! 🏃♂️ You’ll get cut before they will. B) Slight problems: can be mitigated or resolved. 3) Staff problems. A) Can be fixed by training, tooling, resourcing, incentives, or environmental changes. B) Can be fixed by firing and/or hiring. Investors pick winners to place their bets on. Be sure you do the same with employers and clients. #jobsearch #jobsearchtips #jobsearchhack
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You are lucky if you are working in a highly toxic company and if it's your first job. A small backstory first: I once worked for a bootstrapped startup. Despite being funded only by the Founder, the company made sure everyone was happy by giving a lot of decision-making power and spending generously on parties every other week. I was amazed by this, having come from a company where I was once told the party fund got over when trying to order a dessert. However, there was one colleague who was always unhappy and found faults with everything. I realized he hadn't seen the real corporate world to appreciate the good things happening there. Now, about the highly toxic company, two guys joined it as juniors but came out under negative circumstances. One guy now works for over 70 hours a week (aligning with Narayana Murthy's expectations I guess) and the other guy is dealing with odd side projects. But, both are pretty happy. The first one appreciates the autonomy and is happy about the impact he makes. He feels it's far better than working 50 hours for toxic people. The second one appreciates his smart and friendly manager, a stark contrast to the scared and cunning one he had previously. He is confident that he will improve his skills here. I am sure if not for the negative experience in such a toxic company, they'd have 100s of complaints and would have wished to move to some other company not knowing the positives of it. I presume the takeaways are clear - you have to experience the worst to appreciate the best! When you hit rock bottom, the only way is up! So, if you are in a toxic company now, thank them for the negativity and start looking for a better role. You'd definitely find a better company and be happy, unlike the person in that startup who had problems with everything. Over time, you will land in a role where you will be perfectly happy (knowing the gaps with it obviously). My other posts on positive thinking: 1. There's always something good in all bad situations - https://lnkd.in/d3uNrWHw 2. Overthinking is good! Procrastination is great! Negative thoughts are awesome! - https://lnkd.in/dwTAGszB #positivethinking #lawofattraction #butterflyeffect #career
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We all take risks in life. Sometimes they work out, other times they don’t go as planned. In either scenario, the hope is that we learn something new from those experiences. After a shorter-than-expected run at a very early stage startup, I’m back on the market and making my skills available to those who need them. As most folks know, early startups can be extremely volatile and that’s a risk I knew when I signed up. I am, however, grateful for the opportunity with this company, and I remain firmly in belief that you only regret the things you didn’t do in life. I learned a ton in the past three months and made many new connections that will be mutually valuable for a long time to come. On top of that, I gained professional experience in a new industry and further expanded my skill set. Now my focus turns to what’s next. I’ll be learning as much as I can, to continue deepening my skill set, becoming more of an expert in what interests me most, and making myself as valuable as possible to those I partner with. I plan to focus on things like AI, digital marketing and advertising, business development, revenue generation, consulting, sales strategy, growth strategy, and helping those I partner with achieve their dreams. I am always available for conversation whether you want to compare notes, trade stories, chat about what we’re seeing in the market, discuss the latest and greatest tech, tips for education, or have business opportunities. I love meeting new people and connecting with old colleagues. Don’t be a stranger - let’s chat! 🕺
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Why my client left a high-paying job at a Fortune 50 company to join a startup—and why it was the BEST decision ever. "Are you out of your mind?" That's what people asked my client when they announced they were leaving a secure, well-paying job at a Fortune 50 company. On paper, everything was perfect: - Six-figure salary - Generous benefits - Prestige But deep down, they felt unfulfilled. They missed the thrill of innovation. They wanted to: - Be agile, not bogged down by bureaucracy - See the direct impact of their work - Be part of something bigger than just profits So, they took a leap of faith. We helped her join a startup with a bold vision and a handful of passionate people. The journey so far: - Steep Learning Curve: Every day brings new challenges. - Wearing Multiple Hats: From strategy to execution. - Direct Impact: Seeing how their decisions shape the company's future. - Reignited Passion: They're more excited about work than ever before. Was it risky? Absolutely. Was it worth it? Without a doubt. Sometimes, stepping out of your comfort zone is the only way to grow. Has anyone else made a bold career move? I'd love to hear your stories.
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In my early forties, I took a leap of faith. I left a senior role at a local IT company to join a promising multinational software startup. Two years in, an unexpected twist: the company was acquired by an investor. Half the team left, panic set in. Would our product plans survive this upheaval? Our CEO gathered the remaining few and said words I'll never forget: "Hope isn't just a feeling—it's a choice. We can choose to see this as the end or as the beginning of new opportunities. Who's with me?" Those words were transformative. We embraced the change, fueled by hope that the investor would respect our mission, vision, and values—and trust us to steer the ship. Nights blurred into days as we focused intensely, launching innovative products on schedule despite the odds. Fast forward to today: that small, uncertain startup is now an industry leader. Those who stayed? We were promoted to senior roles, shaped by that crucible of change. The lesson? When challenges loom large, hope isn't just comfort—it's a strategic advantage. It keeps you in the game when others fold and sparks creativity when conventional paths disappear. To anyone facing career setbacks: 👉🏻 Your story isn't over—it's evolving. 👉🏻 Your next chapter could be your most brilliant. 👉🏻 Choose hope. Its power will surprise you. What career challenge are you facing with hope? Share below—let's inspire each other to persevere and innovate. #CareerResilience #LeadershipLessons #EmbraceChange #InnovationMindset #PowerOfHope
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Seek out positions that offer intense, fast-paced, and diverse experiences that propel your skills and knowledge at an accelerated rate. Such positions are typically found in high-growth industries, startups, or roles that demand rapid learning and high responsibility. However, it's important to note that these roles can also come with high stress and demands, requiring resilience, adaptability, and a strong commitment to personal and professional growth. #Contramindisms #ContramindsPodcast #RapidLearning #HighResponsibility #AdaptabilitySkills #ProfessionalGrowth #DynamicRoles #ResilienceInWork
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