In our work as VCs, we observe actions that founders take which seem to work well. I am privileged to work with founders over many years and get to see the moments where they learn a new action and get the resulting benefit in their company.

Last year, Gabrielle Munzer and I decided that it was crazy that we were not being direct about what seems to work from our perspectives so that founders can try them sooner and then take or leave the ideas.

They are not ‘truths’ that anyone should feel pressure to adopt, but they are helpful to be aware of and are often simple to take on board.

So let's go!

• Get out of the way - the role of the CEO is to shovel capital, talent and customers into the company and not be a blocker. Lay down the runway before your team and customers catch up with you.

• Be hyper-responsive - even if just to let people know you’re on it and you’ll get to it on a specific timeframe. 24 hour cycles.

• Play to your strengths - if someone else can do it 70% as well as you then delegate it.

• Just f*****g do it. Find a way.

• “Knower” vs “Learner”. Be the latter.

• Listen first.

• Get to the “so what?” quickly. Don’t be boring. Help us understand the significance of what you just said.

• Does the audience know the big words you are using? You’ve probably lost them.

• Ask for help. For everyone your meet, distill the 1 or 2 ways it would be most impactful for them to help you and tell them.

• Pay it forward. Help them first.

• Do what you say - demonstrably and obsessively. Don’t say yes and then don’t do it. Don’t overcommit and then let the deadline pass. Delivering on your word builds currency.

• Show off your team. Say “we” not “me”.

• Have a bias for velocity. It gold plates ordinary action.

• Think growth. Default to growth over cost optimisation. Revenue solves a lot of problems.

• “Abundance” over “disruption”.

• Play the infinite game. Play to keep playing.

• Practice synthesis. Listen to all the streams. Listen for the signal in the noise. Combine where interesting, even if strange.

• “Cheat” - find the hack.

• Disagree and commit. You are not always right.

• Be a tech company first (i.e. a tech platform that makes dairy, a tech platform for recycling etc.)

• When pitching, make sure you are listening. Don’t put slides in between you and the person you are trying to convince.

• Think about the “reveal” when you present your deck and reserve a moment of awe.

• Have stories that communicate the value in a way that most people understand.

• Know who has “frame control” and make sure it is you.

• Automate everything you do that can be.

• Don’t let people issues fester - tackle them head on.

• Openly recognise when people do something good.

• Always be hiring. Find a way to capture someone when you have found them, even if you can’t afford them yet.

• Hire people who are better than you. The best.

• Every time you go to hire a key role, ask others what ‘great’ looks like (and can they help you meet them).

• It’s okay to disagree and not take everyone’s advice. Sometimes you need to help people understand why your path is better. Then prove it.

• Always be raising money. Who did you meet this week?

• Don’t work to a budget. Figure out the ambitious plan to commercialise the biggest company, then work backwards to solve for the resources you need.

I'll dig into details of some of these in future posts. Let me know on Twitter which ones you want to know more about. Find me @philmorle.