There are hundreds of ways by which we can classify what is a great company. Especially nowadays with the vigor with which job seekers are looking not only at a company from the standpoint of the type of work they’ll be doing but also from the perspective of the type of environment they’ll be in. This environment is driven by a company’s culture, values, principles, and mission. At Anant, we use Amazon’s Leadership Principles as our guideposts.
Clearly, we look up to Amazon and the values that guide them, but along with them are some other company principles that we admire. Here, we will cover 4 principles from various companies that we believe make an impactful mark on employees.
1. Buffer – Be a no-ego doer
With how complex tasks have become the likelihood that you make mistakes along the way is pretty high. Yet, simultaneously it’s important to take on the daunting tasks ahead of us if we want to get big projects done. A lot of people get tangled up in that two-fold mess because they can’t separate their work from their own self-worth and view of their own abilities.
One of the main points Buffer uses to explain this principle of theirs is “You don’t attach your personal self to ideas”. We admire this kind of thinking as it’s what’s necessary to foster a culture of growth-minded people.
2. Google – You can make money without doing evil.
Even though Google has been in many controversies over the last couples of years around this particular principle, it’s important to note that amongst the sea of behemoth corporations that have a major influence in the world, Google has always strived to do good. The mantra “don’t be evil” was one of the first standout principles people noticed about Google when they became a mainstream technology firm.
Check out the slide below to find out more about how Google works.
There are few companies out there that have a sense of culture as popular as Google’s, as many Googlers can attest to.
3. GitHub – EQ > IQ
GitHub is a “remote-first” team, and thus the ability to communicate with each other is of paramount importance as the majority of the staff doesn’t have the chance to pick up from important in-person cues that an otherwise traditional non-remote team would have. GitHub looks for hires that have both high IQ and EQ but gives higher preference to EQ. Having the ability to deliver work independently is important but with remote work cultures becoming more and more prominent, having good emotional intelligence amongst employees is an irreplaceable quality.
Working with people that hold such a principle as highly as GitHub does can make your work experience night-and-day better compared to a place that does not view this principle as valuable.
4. Sequoia – Ethos
Sequoia outlines their guiding principles in their ethos and there are few things not to like it about it. Our favorite part is “Our team mirrors the founders with whom we partner: hungry overachievers with a deep-rooted need to win.” If you’re going to spend 40+ hours a week with a group of people, having individuals that are driven to succeed will make you an entirely different person.
Working at a place where monotony and boredom reign supreme is most likely going to be a slow painful drain on your energy both at work and beyond it.
Concluding Thoughts
Companies are built by people, and people are guided by principles. At these organizations, it’s important that these principles are well thought-out and deliberate, while at the same time somewhat organically inspired. It’s hard to get them right but when standing on the shoulders of giants such as the aforementioned companies it’s certainly easier to find the right path.
Did we miss any inspirational values that you admire or misinterpret one of the principles above? Let us know!
PS: If you’re looking to deep dive into the various principles that guide some of the most renowned companies out there check out Key Values.
