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In this podcast episode, the speaker emphasizes the criticality of persevering and staying motivated even when facing rejection and adversity. They share a personal experience of being on the verge of running out of resources and being told 'no' by multiple venture capitalists. It was the founder's unwavering drive and belief in the business that kept them going. The speaker explains that being a true founder means finding a way forward, regardless of the challenges and setbacks faced.
The podcast highlights the importance of transparent and open communication in leadership. The host discusses how the guest, Keith Yandell, created a document that details how to work with him and explains the inner workings of DoorDash. This document, shared with his team, helps new members acclimate to the fast-paced environment and understand the expectations, traits, and commitments of the leader. The document also demonstrates vulnerability by acknowledging areas for improvement, which fosters a culture of continuous growth and feedback.
The episode delves into leading through challenging times, drawing lessons from DoorDash's journey. The speaker reflects on the funding difficulties the company faced and how such hardships can reveal the true team players who are committed to the mission rather than personal gain. They also explore the value of tough times in fostering discipline, focusing on unit economics, and attracting top talent. Additionally, the episode discusses the creation of urgency in a company, the power of staying hungry and avoiding complacency, and the role of crises in creating a singularity of focus, which can drive exceptional performance.
Building trust and transparency in the workplace is key to maintaining strong teams and preventing surprises when employees decide to leave. By being open and transparent about career aspirations and concerns, managers can establish a foundation for open communication. This not only helps in backfilling positions when employees leave but also builds a reputation of putting employees first, which motivates people to stay. Additionally, being transparent and supportive of career development can lead to a positive reputation as a manager, which benefits both the individual and the company in the long run.
Creating an effective decision-making process within a company requires strong leadership and the ability to unify a diverse group of opinions. One approach to achieving this unity is through empathy. Understanding different perspectives and motivations is crucial in making well-informed decisions. By encouraging each side to present their case, generating empathy for opposing viewpoints becomes easier. Additionally, designating a decision maker and setting a specific time horizon for making decisions helps avoid endless debates and ensures that the decision-making process remains efficient. Building empathy and trust within the decision-making framework leads to effective and cohesive team dynamics.
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Keith Yandell started at DoorDash as Chief Legal Officer and during his tenure has also led the HR, Customer Support, Marketing, and now Corporate Development teams. In today’s episode, we talk about leadership, and how to lead with empathy. We dig into DoorDash’s unique culture and touch on the WeDash program, which requires every employee to complete four deliveries a year in order to better understand the customer experience. Keith shares his “How to Work with Keith” document and discusses the importance of openness in the workplace. He also gives some tips for founders on hiring, engaging with legal, and how to make big decisions when teams are competing for resources.
Find the full transcript here: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/leading-with-empathy-keith-yandell-doordash-uber/#transcript
Where to find Keith Yandell:
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/kdyandell
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keith-yandell-2a947432/
Where to find Lenny:
• Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/lennysan
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/
Referenced:
• Gokul Rajaram on Lenny’s Podcast: https://www.lennyspodcast.com/gokul-rajaram-on-designing-your-product-development-process-when-and-how-to-hire-your-first-pm-a-playbook-for-hiring-leaders-getting-ahead-in-you-career-how-to-get-started-angel-investing-more/
• Ryan Sokol on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-sokol-00b2333/
• Tony Xu on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/xutony/
• About WeDash: https://doordash.news/culture/wedash-doordash-employee-program-how-does-it-work/
• Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World: https://www.amazon.com/Range-Generalists-Triumph-Specialized-World/dp/0735214484
• How to be successful working with Keith doc: https://docs.google.com/document/d/12yTpBZFab6SPAruSpSD6CB_qLOu5L8kpQ4CCmX9pDx4/edit?mode=html
• Kofi Amoo-Gottfried on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kofi-amoo-gottfried-3802bb3/
• Tia Sherringham on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiasherringham/
• Amp It Up: Leading for Hypergrowth by Raising Expectations, Increasing Urgency, and Elevating Intensity: https://www.amazon.com/Amp-Unlocking-Hypergrowth-Expectations-Intensity/dp/1119836115
• Ted Lasso’s quote on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TedLasso/status/1426932132417576967
• Rajat Shroff on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajatshroff/
• Micah Moreau on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/micahmoreau/
In this episode, we cover:
(00:00) Keith’s background
(03:41) The time Keith asked a potential hire if he was an a*****e
(06:39) DoorDash culture
(08:40) The WeDash program
(13:16) How Keith was able to lead so many different teams at DoorDash
(16:08) Hiring the best experts and then getting out of their way
(18:21) The “How to Work with Keith” document
(21:52) How and why Keith helps his employees land new jobs
(27:22) How he leverages empathy to unify board members
(29:26) The importance of assigning a decision maker and a time horizon for the decision
(31:15) One-on-ones with Keith, and the T3 B3 framework from Uber
(33:12) How to encourage constructive criticism from employees
(34:49) What it’s like to lead in tough times and why it can actually make your org stronger
(37:42) How creating urgency compounds gains
(39:11) IPO day at DoorDash
(40:20) The characteristics of top founders
(41:33) How the pandemic impacted DoorDash
(44:40) Advice for new parents that is applicable in business
(45:24) The difficulty of gaining funding
(46:58) Advice for founders struggling with fundraising
(48:02) How Keith developed a strong relationship with the VP of Product and Design
(50:27) Building an effective BD team within a product company
(52:36) How to engage with legal teams
Production and marketing by https://penname.co/. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email podcast@lennyrachitsky.com.
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Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode