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A CEO only does 3 things

A CEO only does 3 things

January 23, 2021
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Hi all –

I was asked recently during Drift’s weekly Show & Tell, “So DC…what are you doing?!”

And it was a great question – because my job continues to change each year.

And each year, I think about what new version of myself I want to bring to the business. If I’m doing the same thing day after day, year after year, it means I – and Drift – aren’t growing.

I think that Fred Wilson, a partner at Union Square Ventures, said it best:

“A CEO does only three things. Sets the overall vision and strategy of the company and communicates it to all stakeholders. Recruits, hires, and retains the very best talent for the company. Makes sure there is always enough cash in the bank.”

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So I spend the majority of my time thinking about how Drift will evolve and thrive and communicating that to our team, our board members, investors, customers, community, and the greater market, finding the best people out there to work at Drift, and making sure we never run out of money.

I would also add three more things to this list – courtesy of Matt Blumberg, founder of ReturnPath: Be the advocate for the customer over the company’s short-term needs, drive the execution and evolve the operating system, and champion the company and our mission to the world.

Lastly, as the company grows, I’m able to “give away my legos” more – and that is a great thing.

When we started Drift I was in every Slack channel, every meeting, and involved in every decision. Now, I’m able to purely focus on the more high-level aspects – like the strategy and vision and championing that to the world.

And that is how you know that the team and business are thriving.

– DC

P.S. Here’s what I’m reading right now

The Paradox of Abundance
More is certainly not always more. In his article, The Paradox of Abundance, author David Perell encourages readers to “skip the news cycle, but double-down on measured consumption. Ignore society’s recommendations for what to consume and refresh your learning habits like you’re shaking an etch-a-sketch.” But this is one article not to skip. You can read it here.

One Year, 400,000 Coronavirus Deaths: How the U.S. Guaranteed Its Own Failure
How did we get here? In this historic week, The New York Times looks back on a year with COVID and what the Biden administration is set to do to get the pandemic under control. You can read the article here.

Eyes on the Prize: America’s Civil Rights Movement
A definitive view of the civil rights era as told by the people who launched one of history’s most consequential movements. Lessons that are more important than ever. You can watch the documentary here.

— 

I’ll leave you with a quote I sent to my team last week.

“In spite of the tensions and uncertainties of this period something profoundly meaningful is taking place. Old systems of exploitation and oppression are passing away, and out of the womb of a frail world new systems of justice and equality are being born.”

– Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

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