Understanding Culture and Playbook Application at Different Companies

My first week at Instacart and Slack was filled with challenges and doubts. Adapting to the culture and boundaries of each company was a learning process. I realized that every company has its own unique needs and cultures. The way an organization is structured depends on the type of product or service it offers. For example, consumer social products like Discord require a different approach compared to high transaction businesses like Postmates. The success of a company lies in the alignment between its business model and culture. Amazon prioritizes cheaper, faster, and more selection, which is ingrained in its culture. Instacart values every minute, both internally and in transactions, while craftsmanship is the core value at Slack. Each company has its own uniqueness, but the best ones reinforce the customer and business model. Apple, for instance, focuses on selling expensive, integrated products and excels as a last mover in the industry.