My First Million
The best business ideas come from noticing what's working and doing it better, faster, or for a different audience.
“The people that work for us don't need another friend. They need someone who's willing to step up and lead them”
What It Means
Employees value leaders who help them grow and perform better, not leaders who prioritize being liked over being effective
Why It Matters
Helps leaders overcome reluctance to give difficult feedback and hold people accountable
When It's True
When people are motivated to grow and improve in their roles and careers
When It's Risky
When team members lack basic trust or psychological safety, or when leadership lacks skill in giving feedback
How to Apply
Prioritize team member growth over personal likability
Give feedback consistently rather than avoiding difficult conversations
Focus on what team members need to succeed rather than what feels comfortable
Example Scenario
“Manager consistently addresses punctuality issues because employee's success depends on reliability, even though conversations are uncomfortable”
Related Knowledge
Rules for Productive Criticism
A systematic approach to giving feedback that positions criticism as investment in someone's growth rather than negative judgment.
If praise is affirmation, criticism is investment
Praise confirms what someone is doing right, but criticism invests in their future growth by showing areas for improveme
Three Categories of Unreasonable Hospitality
A systematic approach to customer experience divided into three categories: one size fits all (improving every touchpoint for everyone), one size fits some (pattern recognition for recurring situations), and one size fits one (personalized gestures for individuals).
Enable systematic execution of creative hospitality ideas without bandwidth constraints
Frontline staff consistently execute creative customer experience ideas because someone dedicated removes execution barriers.
Identify and enhance overlooked customer interaction points for maximum impact
Customers notice and remember your business because you care about details others ignore.
Go to the Tapes for Successes
When something works exceptionally well, analyze it as thoroughly as you would analyze failures to understand exactly what made it successful and how to replicate it.