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What You Do Is Who You Are: How to Create Your Business Culture

by Ben Horowitz · 2019

In a nutshell

Ben Horowitz's guide to building and maintaining strong company culture, drawing lessons from history's most effective leaders.

Overview

Ben Horowitz explores how to build and maintain company culture by studying historical figures from Genghis Khan to Toussaint Louverture.

Key Principles

Culture is not what you say, it's what you do

Actions, not values statements, create culture.

Building Culture

  1. Create shocking rules
  2. Incorporate outside leadership
  3. Make decisions that demonstrate priorities
  4. Walk the talk
  5. Make ethics explicit

Historical Lessons

  • Genghis Khan: Meritocracy and loyalty
  • Samurai: Bushido code
  • Haiti's revolution: Fighting for principles
  • Shaka Senghor: Prison transformation

Available for approximately $18-30.

Reference

What You Do Is Who You Are: How to Create Your Business Culture — publisher / official page. Summary adapted from the Awesome Startup Books collection.

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