In 'Speed & Scale', John Doerr presents a detailed plan to address the climate crisis using Objectives and Key Results (OKRs). The book features insights from prominent figures like Bill Gates and Al Gore, outlining practical steps for individuals, businesses, and governments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reach net-zero by 2050. It emphasizes the urgency and potential for economic growth through sustainable practices.
John Doerr's "Measure What Matters" explores the power of Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) as a goal-setting system. The book showcases how OKRs have been used by companies like Google and Intel to achieve ambitious goals. Doerr emphasizes the importance of setting clear, measurable objectives and tracking progress regularly. The book also highlights the importance of aligning goals across teams and organizations. It provides a practical framework for setting and achieving ambitious goals in various contexts, including business and personal life.
In 'How to Avoid a Climate Disaster,' Bill Gates presents a detailed plan for eliminating greenhouse gas emissions, drawing from over a decade of his research and investment in climate change solutions. The book is organized into five parts, starting with the necessity of achieving zero emissions rather than just reducing them. Gates discusses the challenges in achieving this goal, provides practical questions to evaluate climate change conversations, and analyzes current and future technologies that can help mitigate climate change. He advocates for increased innovation in clean energy, including nuclear power, and emphasizes the importance of reducing the 'green premium' – the additional cost of green energy. The book also outlines specific steps for governments, market participants, and individuals to take in order to collectively avoid a climate disaster[2][3][4].
John Doerr is an engineer, venture capitalist, the chairman of Kleiner Perkins, and the author of the #1 New York Times best-seller Measure What Matters. For over 40 years, John has helped build some of the most generational defining companies of our generation. He was an original investor and board member at Google and Amazon, helping to create more than a million jobs. A pioneer of Silicon Valley’s cleantech movement, John has invested in zero emissions technologies since 2006. Check out his latest book, Speed & Scale: An Action Plan for Solving Our Climate Crisis Now.
In Today’s Episode with John Doerr You Will Learn:
1.) What was John's entry into climate change investing? Having backed the likes of Amazon and Google, why did John decide then was the right time to do a climate fund, a pandemic fund, an iPhone fund? How does John think about market timing risk today? How does John determine between risks he is vs is not willing to take?
2.) What was one of John's biggest lessons on risk and upside from working alongside Tom Perkins? How did the Google deal come together? Where did John first meet Larry and Serge? What convinced John to write them a $12M check for 12% of the company? Why was it a contested deal within the partnership? How did the discussion go internally?
3.) Why and how is climate innovating and investing different today than it was in 2008? What are the core OKR's laid out in the book, that we need to achieve as a society? Why does John believe that governments are the biggest problem to us achieving these objectives? What does John mean when he says, "I am hopeful but not optimistic"?
4.) What does truly great listening mean to John? How would John describe his style of board membership? What do the truly special board members do? What does John do that makes him often cited as one of the best at recruiting? What is John's biggest investing miss? How did it change his mindset and approach? What investment is John most proud of, that no one knows?
Item’s Mentioned In Today’s Episode with John Doerr
John’s Favourite Book: How to Avoid a Climate Disaster: The Solutions We Have and the Breakthroughs We Need
The Twenty Minute VC (20VC): Venture Capital | Startup Funding | The Pitch 
