Competitive to a fault
As my company grows, I often repeat the mantra from Marshall Goldsmith, “what got you here isn’t what gets you there.” It’s a good reminder that we have much to learn and that change is not only valuable, but necessary.
Some of my stories are inspired by these changes, starting with this one. Competing and winning is a big part of my personality, and I suspect it defines many of you as well. I played sports in high school, competed hard to do well in high school and college, and quickly rose up the ranks in my career. I owed my success to my competitive instincts, pushing myself hard and outdueling others around me.
As a startup CEO and entrepreneur, it’s expected we compete. At Google, I continued being competitive, though I found it surprising at first. But given the terrific number of opportunities in front of Google and my talented co-workers, you had to play to win. It simply wasn’t vital to drive partnership with my peers. We all worked on different projects, and as long as you were getting your part done, we didn’t need to work as a single unit. And as a CEO, you manage upwards and outwards, namely your board, customers and partners. And you manage a team since everyone reports to you. But you don’t have peers.
So I really never learned to partner with peers. In talking with many senior leaders, they too haven’t needed to build great partnerships with their peers. So take a moment and ask yourself if you have this skill. Have you worked in a team where your success was driven by how well you worked together with leaders at the same level? Likely if you are an entrepreneur or a leader in a large team, the answer is no.
Not surprisingly, it eventually does matter. What got you here isn’t what get’s you there.
When I joined Credit Karma, my boss, board and team were vital to me. I skipped my peers. I didn’t value the investment, as long as we were staying out of each other’s way. When they needed my help, I leaned in to assist. But if they had concerns, shields went immediately up. I got defensive or I got aggressive or I resorted to my experience or even power to make my case.
Each job has its struggles, and as I knocked down more and more obstacles, I got more comfortable and more effective. But I was still not in sync. I looked in lots of common places for a solution, assuming time would eventually put me in rhythm.
Then about a year into my role, I got some surprising feedback that I was struggling with my peers. Peers at Credit Karma, and perhaps your company as well, matter a whole lot. It’s hard to go it alone. Startups or companies at scale don’t need the level of trust and partnership that a growth company requires. And an executive role, where your peers run very distinct functions, increase the need to be aligned and safe with each other.
I was shocked, as building relationships is one of my strengths. But I had a clear blindspot because I had never needed to work with peers. And I had completely missed its importance. In essence, I was competing with my peers without realizing it. Perhaps because I was trying to establish myself, perhaps because I wasn’t feeling good enough about my performance.
But once I understood the challenge, I was able to use my competitive instincts to self-improve my relationships. I didn’t need to always have the right answers. My peers looked at the business differently, which was hugely valuable, when I spent the time to listen. And opening the door to them opened the door to me. Which made me learn and enjoy my work far more that I had done in the past.
So watch your blindspots, particularly when it comes to your peers. If you are like me, you might assume you are great at a skill you’ve never needed to build. And like everything else, it takes investment and skill. And it’ll be an essential ingredient to “get you there”.
