CEO of Carta, Henry Ward, joins the podcast to discuss leadership, struggles of middle management, and being more efficient at work. They explore the evolution of Carta, memorable moments in business, the disconnect between education and entrepreneurship, challenges and opportunities for middle managers, the importance of having 'family members' in the organization, and various topics including football, Taylor Swift, and the future of labor.
Delivering bad news with empathy and understanding the audience is crucial for effective communication.
Recognizing and rewarding the positive contributions of middle managers creates a supportive environment for growth and impact.
Deep dives
The Importance of Candor and Empathy in Communication
Henry Ward, the CEO of CARTA, discusses the role of candor and empathy in communication. He emphasizes the need to deliver bad news with empathy, compassion, sympathy, and context. He believes that radical candor can sometimes lack these important elements and that understanding the audience is crucial. By leading with curiosity and fostering open communication, organizations can build trust and have more productive discussions.
The Journey of Building a Successful Startup
Henry Ward shares the story of CARTA, a company that manages cap tables for startups. He talks about the early challenges they faced, such as convincing people to buy a product that did not exist before. He highlights the importance of perseverance and the excitement of earning the first revenue. As the company grew, they faced new challenges, such as scaling the organization and managing the increasing number of sales orders. Henry also discusses the significant differences between working for a founder CEO versus a professional CEO.
The Role of Middle Managers in Organizational Growth
Henry Ward recognizes the importance of middle managers in driving organizational growth. He discusses the traditional culture where middle managers are judged by their mistakes, which leads to a defensive mindset. However, he believes that organizations should focus on the best things middle managers have done instead. By rewarding and recognizing their positive contributions, companies can create a supportive environment for middle managers to thrive and make a significant impact on the company's trajectory.
Transitioning to an Ownership Era of Labor
Henry Ward advocates for a shift towards an ownership era of labor. He believes that the future of work should be characterized by employee ownership as a form of compensation. Henry emphasizes that labor should move away from time-based remuneration and towards ownership stakes in the company. He highlights examples in industries like tech, sports, and entertainment where companies are already exploring and implementing employee ownership models. Henry envisions a future where ownership becomes the dominant form of compensation in the labor market.
As many of you may know, candor was my kryptonite and the "half ingredient" of the traits from my last book Twelve and a Half. I'm still a 4 out of 10 on candor but working on it every day. But candor can also be weaponized by some leaders so I needed to rebrand it as "Kind Candor". On today's episode, I'm joined by CEO of Carta, Henry Ward, where we discuss leadership, the struggles of middle management, and how to be more efficient with your time in the workplace. Leaders and especially those in middle management will get value out of this listen. Tweet/X at me on Twitter (@garyvee) with your thoughts from this episode!
Get the Snipd podcast app
Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode
Save any moment
Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways
Share & Export
Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode