MBA890 Must Read: The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz

Aug 28, 2017

Entrepreneurship is a challenging journey, filled with obstacles that require resilience and strong leadership. Ben Horowitz's insights emphasize facing these challenges head-on rather than avoiding them. Key discussions cover the importance of honest communication during crises, fostering a supportive company culture, and adapting leadership styles based on situational needs. The contrast between peacetime and wartime CEOs highlights the necessity of evolving strategies. Ultimately, gaining perspective through reading and shared experiences is crucial for entrepreneurial growth.

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ANECDOTE

Tough Decision to Delay Release

Omar Zinhome shared an experience delaying a major software release to ensure quality.
He communicated openly with customers, who appreciated the honesty and patience.

ADVICE

Share Burden With Your Team

Share business burdens and realities openly with your team.
Transparency motivates and aligns everyone to work harder together.

ADVICE

Avoid False Positivity as CEO

Stop being overly positive and sugarcoating problems as a CEO.
Tell it like it is to motivate people who can help solve issues.

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Independent business is never easy. If it was, everyone would do it! Because we choose the path less traveled, we entrepreneurs need to reckon with challenges and obstacles that the conventionally employed never face. At first, that might seem like a negative. But challenge is what entrepreneurs thrive on. Independence is what we work for. No matter how tough the going gets, we don’t just persevere— we enjoy taking it on.

That’s the theme of this week’s in-depth podcast, and the lesson of our latest Must-Read book review for independent business people. It’s been a while, but we’ve finally had time to digest another great entry into our ever-growing library of essential books. Like our other Must-Reads, Ben Horowitz’s The Hard Thing About Hard Things is invaluable for anyone who wants to understand what it takes to succeed in business. It’s so good, reading it once wasn’t enough!

Horowitz is a legend in modern entrepreneurship, leading the way into the tech-scape we inhabit today from way ahead of the curve. He was an early pioneer in web-browsing and cloud computing, building companies that were eventually acquired by the behemoths of the tech industry. And while he met with undeniable success, it was never, ever easy.

That’s the beauty of Horowitz’s approach, and his book. Rather than offering strategies for avoiding the scariest pitfalls of business, he offers advice for dealing with them. His is not a guide to finding the path of least resistance. It’s about facing the most daunting aspects of entrepreneurship, and plowing through the challenges that business inevitably poses. It’s about facing the worst case scenario, fearing nothing, and making the right move when it seems like there are no moves to make.

Take responsibility. Take charge. Focus on results, not shortcuts. Your darkest moments will be your greatest victories, if you have the right attitude. Check out our podcast, read the book, and see how Horowitz’s approach can work for you. Click Play!

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The Hard Thing About Hard Things
by Ben Horowitz
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