High Output Management is a seminal book by Andrew S. Grove that outlines his management and productivity concepts developed during his tenure at Intel. The book introduces the 'management by objectives' approach, also known as the objectives and key results (OKR) framework. It covers techniques for creating highly productive teams, methods of motivation, and the importance of measurable processes, performance reviews, and training. Grove emphasizes the role of managers in leading and motivating teams, and his book is praised for its practical advice and timeless relevance in various professions and industries.
Radical Candor by Kim Scott offers a practical approach to management by emphasizing the importance of caring personally and challenging directly. The book argues that effective managers must find a balance between being empathetic and providing clear, honest feedback. Scott draws from her experiences at Google and Apple to provide actionable lessons on building strong relationships, giving feedback, and creating a collaborative work environment. The book introduces the concept of 'radical candor' as the sweet spot between obnoxious aggression and ruinous empathy, and provides tools and strategies for managers to implement this approach in their daily work[1][2][5].
The Odyssey, attributed to Homer, is an ancient Greek epic poem that tells the story of Odysseus, king of Ithaca, and his ten-year journey home after the Trojan War. The poem explores Odysseus's encounters with various mythical creatures, divine interventions, and natural challenges. Upon his return to Ithaca, he must confront the suitors who have been vying for his wife Penelope's hand in marriage. With the help of his son Telemachus and the goddess Athena, Odysseus devises a plan to defeat the suitors and reclaim his throne. The poem is a reflection on human nature, loyalty, and the consequences of one's actions, and it remains a crucial component of ancient Greek literature and Western cultural heritage.
Dune, written by Frank Herbert, is set in a feudal interstellar society where noble houses control planetary fiefs. The story follows Paul Atreides, whose family is tasked with ruling the inhospitable desert planet Arrakis, the sole source of melange, a substance crucial for extending life and enhancing mental abilities. The novel delves into the intricate politics, religion, ecology, and technology of this futuristic world, as various factions vie for control of Arrakis and its valuable spice. Paul, with his unique abilities and training by the Bene Gesserit, becomes a key figure in this struggle and eventually assumes the role of a messianic leader among the native Fremen people[2][5][4].
Sebastian Barrios was the longtime head of product and engineering at Mercado Libre, the largest company in Latin America—valued at over $100 billion and home to more than 100,000 employees. There, he led a team of more than 18,000 engineers across 18 countries and oversaw an astonishing 30,000 code deployments a day. Before Mercado Libre, he founded multiple startups, including a ridesharing company that competed directly with Uber in Latin America. And at just 17, he got a personal phone call from Steve Jobs asking him to take his app off the App Store. Today, Sebastian is the SVP of Engineering at Roblox.
What you’ll learn:
• Why Mercado Libre operates with 95% fewer PMs than typical tech companies (and how it actually works)
• How to maintain product quality with 30,000 daily deployments and distributed ownership
• The weekly email system Sebastian uses to maintain alignment with leadership
• How to build a culture of radical candor and direct feedback in a traditionally hierarchical region
• The counterintuitive approach to product reviews that keeps 18,000 engineers aligned
• How to evaluate hype cycles (crypto, AI) pragmatically while staying innovative
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Where to find Sebastian Barrios:
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zebas/
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Where to find Lenny:
• Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com
• X: https://twitter.com/lennysan
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/
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In this episode, we cover:
(00:00) Introduction to Sebastian Barrios and Mercado Libre
(05:03) Mercado Libre’s scale and unique ways of operating
(14:48) AI’s impact on operations
(19:19) Empowering teams and reducing fear of failure
(34:20) The importance of radical candor
(38:26) Weekly updates
(41:03) Avoiding hype cycles
(44:24) When Steve Jobs personally called 17-year-old Sebastian
(49:00) Building successful app businesses
(55:33) Unique personal habits
(01:04:00) Raising independent children
(01:07:15) Lightning round and final thoughts
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Referenced:
• Mercado Libre: https://www.mercadolibre.com/
• Claude: https://claude.ai/
• Salesforce: https://www.salesforce.com/
• Nvidia: https://www.nvidia.com/
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/
• Adobe: https://www.adobe.com/
• Uber: https://www.uber.com/
• OpenAI: https://openai.com/
• Marcos Galperin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcosgalperin/
• Cursor: https://www.cursor.com/
• Windsurf: https://windsurf.com/
• Which companies produce the best product managers: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/which-companies-produce-the-best
• Which companies accelerate PM careers most: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/which-companies-accelerate-your-pm
• How Revolut trains world-class product managers: The “local CEO” model, raw intellect over experience, and a cultural obsession with building wow products | Dmitry Zlokazov (Head of Product): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-revolut-trains-world-class-product-managers
• Intercom: https://www.intercom.com/
• Atlassian: https://www.atlassian.com/
• Radical Candor: From theory to practice with author Kim Scott: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/radical-candor-from-theory-to-practice
• Managing up: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/managing-up
• Steve Jobs: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Jobs
• Tobi Lütke’s leadership playbook: Playing infinite games, operating from first principles, and maximizing human potential (founder and CEO of Shopify): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/tobi-lutkes-leadership-playbook
• Everything Everywhere All at Once: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6710474/
• Dune on Max: https://www.max.com/movies/dune/e7dc7b3a-a494-4ef1-8107-f4308aa6bbf7
• Bluey on Disney+: https://www.disneyplus.com/browse/entity-fa6973b9-e7cf-49fb-81a2-d4908e4bf694
• Mentava: https://www.mentava.com/
• Matt Bateman’s website: https://mattbateman.xyz/
• Beast Academy: https://beastacademy.com/
• David protein bars: https://davidprotein.com/
• Marc Andreessen on X: https://x.com/pmarca
• Tatami mats: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tatami
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Recommended books:
• Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity: https://www.amazon.com/Radical-Candor-Kick-Ass-Without-Humanity/dp/1250103509
• High Output Management: https://www.amazon.com/High-Output-Management-Andrew-Grove/dp/0679762884/
• The Odyssey: https://www.amazon.com/Odyssey-Homer/dp/0140268863
• The Dream Machine: https://www.amazon.com/Dream-Machine-M-Mitchell-Waldrop/dp/1732265119/
• Dune: https://www.amazon.com/Dune-Chronicles-Book-1/dp/0441013597/
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Production and marketing by https://penname.co/. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email podcast@lennyrachitsky.com.
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Lenny may be an investor in the companies discussed.
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Lenny's Podcast: Product | Growth | Career 
