What You Do Is Who You Are: How to Create Your Business Culture

by Ben Horowitz

When I was CEO, I had a rule that everyone, including me, was held to: if you don’t complete all your written performance reviews, nobody who works for you will receive their raises, bonuses, or stock-option increases. We always had 100 percent compliance on written feedback, because no manager wanted to be burned at the stake by her people. Cultural consistency on feedback was that important to me. You could also argue that my rule was self-protective: over time, a hypocritical leader becomes vulnerable to being replaced by another, more walk-the-talk leader. Believing in your own principles is necessary, but not sufficient. You must also do as Senghor did and transfer those principles to your team in a way that sticks. Depending upon where the team is to begin with, this transfer may be a relatively minor effort or an immense undertaking. But it is critical, because it not only establishes the culture, but cements you as the leader.