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Reid Hoffman: 16 Lessons Learned

16 Lessons Learned (Among Many!)

-People are complicated and flawed. Root for their better angels.

-The best way to get a busy person’s attention: Help them.

-Keep it simple and move fast when conceiving strategies and making decisions.

-Every weakness has a corresponding strength.

-The values that actually shape a culture have both upside and downside.

-Understand someone’s “alpha” tendencies and how that drives them.

-Self-deception watch: even those who say they don’t need or want flattery, sometimes still need it.

-Be clear on your specific level of engagement on a project.

-Sketch three possible outcomes for a project: the likely upside, likely ‘regular’, and likely downside scenarios.

-A key to making good partnerships great: Identify and emphasize any misaligned incentives.

-Reason is the steering wheel. Emotion is the gas pedal.

-Trade up on trust even if it means you trade down on competency.

-Tell the truth. Don’t reflexively kiss ass to powerful people.

-Respect the shadow power.

-Make people genuine partners and they’ll work harder.

-Final: The people around you change you in myriad unconscious ways