Ideas are free, execution is priceless.

I’ve always felt that teamwork was overrated. Not unimportant, just overrated. Most companies agree that it sounds meaningful from a cultural standpoint, and no organization is naive enough to build their employer brand around not working together. But too much needless collaboration can have an adverse effect. If all people do is attend meetings and send instant messages to each other all day, it leaves them little time for…

As startups scale, connectivity suffers. When a growth stage company expands in headcount, say, from single to double digits, the complexion of the culture can’t help but change. The more people there are, the less connected employees will feel to each other. You simply won’t be able to know who everybody is anymore. It’s harder to keep track of each other and the sense of community diminish. Even if…

Seinfeld did a number of episodes about illogical social obligations and the unwritten rules of human interaction. The one that stands out is when the gang spends their entire evening preparing to attend a dinner party of a couple they don’t even really like. They schlep their way around the city through the freezing cold night, searching for a coveted, overpriced cake, annoying store owners by accidentally breaking wine…

Religion has been telling us for thousands of years that sin begins in the heart long before it manifests in the body. Coveting, or the mere wanting or thinking about doing something, is already wrong. And our intent to commit that wrong is as sinful as the deed itself. Seek the holy spirit to keep our hearts pure. Amen. It’s a nice idea in theory. But from a practical…

Skepticism can be a slippery slope. It’s a popular and powerful mindset in the startup world, specifically when it comes to tech companies. Founders pride themselves on never putting up with any bullshit. That gives team members, customers, investors and other partners the impression that they’re worldly and savvy and challenging the status quo on the way to greatness. Now, when it comes to keeping people accountable and getting…