Every company defines (or should absolutely define) a set of core values. In a previous post I shared some thoughts on one way startups might approach the important exercise of setting mission, vision, and values. Recently, I’ve been feeling a pang that one value is universal — and while some may argue this value is one the those “pay to play” values that should be inherent in team member, it’s important to call out this value as company value “N+1”. No matter how many values your company adheres to, this one value should always be added as a “+1”.
Let me share this value with a brief, recent story from Remind. At a recent all hands, one of our engineering managers took the stage at the end the hour. His message was simple. Paraphrasing a bit, he implored to everyone at our company to “rest and recharge this weekend — these next several weeks are going to be intense.” As soon as he completed his statement, one of our teammates blurted out, “are you going to do it?” The question’s meaning was clear — this team member knew that this engineering manager typically works weekends and late into weeknights to ensure what we are creating for customers exceeds their expectations, and she wanted to know he would too be taking some time to recharge and renew over the weekend.
Her question also confirmed for all of us the importance of what this engineering manager — as well as the rest of Remind embodies — in terms of the “+1” value of work ethic and effort (“WEE”). For certain, work ethic and effort most definitely define the “+1” that your company must add to any other “N” company values it defines. What’s great about WEE is how simple and powerful it is for your company. Here are three simple reasons why:
Everyone can work hard and commit to your company’s cause. You don’t need an Ivy League degree nor do you need to know Python to do what it takes to delight your customers and fully support your users. All you need is a “work hard” mindset — a mindset that understands how special your opportunity is and that staying up late on a weeknight to get a project completed or getting up early to do a few hours of work on a Saturday or Sunday morning is how you help your company succeed. Work ethic and effort exists in each of us, and therefore it truly does come down the adage “how bad do you want it?”
Another truism about work ethic and effort is how contagious it can become. For those working together towards a common mission and vision, working hard floats throughout your ranks like a “healthy” virus that inoculates everyone in every department. Everyone gets the bug to do more and achieve as much together as the company possibly can. At the same time, those teammates who, for whatever reason, don’t naturally amp their work ethic and effort may actually be less connected to the broader mission and vision your company is striving to achieve. As a manager, you want to quickly determine who brings work ethic and effort to your team and who doesn’t. Both groups are good people, and even friends, but it’s the former who will most help you reach your long-term goals, and it’s the latter who need to find another mission and vision to which they can apply their innate work ethic and effort.
The last element that makes work ethic and effort so special is the fact that, all else equal, WEE truly becomes the difference maker for a startup. Of course “all else equal” is that term economists throw around to give them an out when their theories don’t turn out exactly as predicted. In this setting, a startup team can exhibit an unbelievable work ethic and effort, and still “fail” in the eyes of the market because another competitor is better funded, started earlier, or just got a bigger dose of serendipity. However, when we assume “all else is equal” between companies, more often than not it is the company that works harder that wins. Do I have empirical proof of this? Of course not. Does anyone want to argue the point to the contrary? I highly doubt it.
When your startup revisits its mission, vision, and values — and when your company crafts an update to its strategic plan and roadmap — be sure to take stock of your team’s collective work ethic and effort. This is the “+1” difference maker value for your company. Thanks to the heartfelt question from the audience at a recent all hands meeting, it became clear that the manager up in front of the company serves as a shining example of the work ethic and effort at our company that, when multiplied by the same effort across every team member at Remind, will become the difference maker over the coming years for what we are able to create for educators, students, and parents.
Originally published on Medium on July 30, 2018. This Substack version is maintained as the canonical archive.