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The Hard Thing About Hard Things - Leading in Wartime vs. Peacetime

Published 2 months ago • 1 min read

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How to Lead When Your Company's Survival Is at Stake

Hi Reader,

💡 Today's Niblit: In "The Hard Thing About Hard Things," Ben Horowitz distinguishes between peacetime and wartime CEOs. Understanding which mode you're in — and adapting accordingly — can be the difference between triumph and disaster.

🔑 Key Insight: Peacetime CEOs lead when the company has a large advantage in its market and can focus on expansion. Wartime CEOs lead when the company faces existential threats and must fight for survival. These scenarios demand completely different leadership approaches.

Think of this as the difference between a mayor running a prosperous city versus a general commanding troops in battle. The mayor focuses on long-term infrastructure, quality of life, and strategic development. The general, however, must make rapid tactical decisions, demand absolute discipline, and focus entirely on immediate survival. Both are leaders, but they operate under fundamentally different conditions and priorities.

Why does this matter? Because applying peacetime tactics during wartime (or vice versa) can be disastrous. Knowing which environment you're in allows you to adopt the appropriate leadership style for your company's current reality.

🦉 Nibble of Wisdom: Peacetime CEOs can delegate; wartime CEOs must take command.

🛠️ Practical Tip: Assess your company's current state honestly. Identify whether you're in peacetime or wartime, and adjust your leadership approach accordingly.

🚀 Quick Action: Make a list of the three biggest threats to your company's survival right now. If they're truly existential, you're in wartime and should shift your leadership style accordingly. If not, you may have the luxury of peacetime thinking.

🔍 Further Exploration:

  • Reflect on how your communication style might need to change between peacetime and wartime.
  • Explore the concept of situational leadership and how it applies to the peacetime/wartime distinction.
  • Consider how company culture might be affected during transitions between peacetime and wartime modes.

🎬 Wrapup: Neither peacetime nor wartime is permanent. Great CEOs recognize which environment they're in and adapt their leadership style accordingly. And sometimes one part of a company may be in peacetime, while another part is in wartime. By mastering both approaches, you'll be prepared to lead your company through any circumstance.

🔗 Links:

Standing ready for battle,

Tom "adapting to the terrain" Bernthal

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Niblits - little bites of big ideas

by Tom Bernthal

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