"Move Fast and Break Things" is Overrated
#18: On Building and Culture
I think a lot about the adrenaline rush in founders. The rush that motivates, inspires and pulls them to build things, for some founders I think it’s performative. The idea of “Move Fast and Break Things” is one of the legendary mantras that built Silicon Valley, and a number of new age founders have gotten their thrill from this mantra. Honestly, it works – it is a necessary strategy for progress, move fast, break things, ship quick, fail early and learn. Other times, it probably doesn’t tell the whole story.
Please bear in mind that this article does not aim to criticize the idea of “Move Fast and Break Things”, instead I aim to bring a larger perspective to it.
In the process of observing this, founders have moved themselves fast to insane levels of burnouts without hitting significant milestones. The best ideas doesn’t guarantee the perfect execution, neither is the traditional or conventional strategies that have worked in scaling startup overly applicable in all industries, space and time. More than moving fast, I do think that the most important thing for startups to imitate is culture – a defined work culture and a method of alignment that keeps everyone happy, in check and on deck.
It is an irony that the idea around scaling fast overrides some of the most important things to execute in a startup. Some founders are crazily obsessed with getting investors onboard without putting things internally in order, and defining the startup’s projection. Asides capital and profits, some startups fail due to the absence of teamwork, proper communication system, misalignment and unnecessary politics. A startup may scale fast and hit reasonable traction but won’t sustain itself if some of its compartment are weak. A few of the things that makes a great startup culture and sustainable models are regular updates, transparency, cohesion, intentionality, defined systems, business processes and timelines, and most importantly, the ability to look after one another in separate teams. This is a conversation that is hardly emphasized.
A major way to get the best out of people is by understanding their systems and knowing how it matches with the culture in place. A lack of structured processes keeps the business running around endless circles.
Personally, more than moving fast and breaking things, I love the idea of intentionality around processes. In building the team – be intentional, in defining work culture and structure – be intentional, handling tasks/deadlines – be intentional, curating processes and business structure – be intentional.
Knowing the team individually is as important as knowing the nitty-gritty of the business.
And while this doesn’t automatically posit that a startup would scale, it does power growth and sustainability, these are necessary to push a business venture further.
Books I have been reading
Quotes I have been pondering
"No live organism can continue for long to exist sanely under conditions of absolute reality; even larks and katydids are supposed, by some, to dream."
- Shirley Jackson
Music I have been listening to
Bando Stone and The New World – Childish Gambino
Podcast I’ve been listening to
How We Fix This with Alexander Skarsgard (Cement That Cleans the Air)
Tetragrammaton by Rick Rubin (Chris Dixon)
TV Shows I’m Watching
Presumed Innocent (Season One)
The Bear (Season Three: Completed)
Side Note: Let me say that this is a classic
My Adventures with Superman (Season One of Two)
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Till I write to you again, stay obsessed.