Leadership

“It’s only when the tide goes out do you discover who's been swimming naked.” Warren Buffett

During my time at Airbnb, CEO Brian Chesky often called me Secretary of State. As evidenced in the short video below of Airbnb co-founder and Brian and me (and moderator Julie Hanna), Brian came to realize that he needed an “elder statesman” to be the bridge to many of the industries Airbnb was disrupting: hotels, landlords, convention meeting planners, destination marketing organizations.

Our lives are buckling with the stress of undue complexity. So are our organizations. For that matter, so is society. Truth be told, we face all kinds of gnarly problems that don’t seem simple to solve. It’s during these complex times when we need to get back to “first principles,” otherwise known as a basic proposition or assumption that cannot be deduced from any other proposition or assumption.

“When you are younger, you get blamed for crimes you never committed, and, when you’re older you begin to get credit for virtues you never possessed. It evens itself out.” I.F. Stone

In a post from a few months ago, I outlined why reading John W. Gardner’s ruminations on public policy, leadership and life have been so valuable for me. He was a strong advocate for citizen participation and founded the Common Cause organization. His book “On Leadership” was particularly valuable in my early process of becoming an adult leader.

Let’s keep the Japanese theme going from yesterday. When I joined Airbnb, CEO Brian Chesky told me he was obsessed with the Japanese documentary “Jiro Dreams of Sushi.” Then, three months later, we moved into our enormous new headquarters and there was a “Jiro” meeting room designed after the subway sushi bar depicted in the film.

“This has not been a happy year. This is not a happy country.” I wrote those words in 2008. Of course, they’re even more relevant today. A dozen years ago, I decided to venture to Bhutan to study their Gross National Happiness index.

What would be your ideal title when you’re 50+? I was connecting with a friend who I’ve had the pleasure of working with both at Joie de Vivre and Airbnb and she was telling me about a recent conversation she had with the “Resident Wise Woman” Deb Ryan of the Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation (scroll down to the second row of leaders to find Deb).

Diane Flynn and Patty White are co-conspirators of mine and they’re popular MEA guest faculty. Their book, “The Upside,” showcases the business case for gender diversity and specific actions each stakeholder can take to build more inclusive cultures.

Meaning is fuel. I learned that from Viktor Frankl the first time I read “Man’s Search for Meaning.” And, I cracked open that book twelve years ago in a St. Louis hospital after having gone flatline that day. I penned an Emotional Equation that night: Despair = Suffering - Meaning.