A state of "peacetime" where there are no major problems is a sign the company isn't pushing hard enough. Leaders should cultivate an internal sense of urgency or "wartime" to maintain momentum, rather than waiting for external crises to strike.
Instead of relying solely on internal timelines, create public-facing product events. This establishes an unmissable, external deadline that serves as a powerful forcing function, ensuring teams are aligned and deliver high-quality work on time.
Don't accept the excuse that moving faster means sacrificing quality. The best performers, particularly in engineering, deliver both high speed and high quality. Leaders should demand both, framing it as an expectation for top talent, not an impossible choice.
For valuable strategic input, convene a large group of the company's highest performers, regardless of their level or title. Including top individual contributors in vision-setting often yields better insights than a meeting of only top executives.
Don't look for a "magic bullet" like a blog post or a single gesture to regain lost trust. It is earned back slowly over years by consistently improving the product and, crucially, avoiding the same mistake twice. The gains are gradual, but they compound.
While public crises like the GameStop frenzy are intense, they are acute. A prolonged market downturn is a "slow burn" that grinds down morale and tests a leader's resilience over hundreds of days, making it the more difficult challenge.
During a crisis, a CEO's job is twofold. First, ensure the best people are activated and fully supported. Second, focus on high-leverage tasks only the CEO can perform, like public communication or raising emergency capital overnight.
A naive 10-year plan just schedules current low-priority items for the distant future. A better approach is to define a massive 10-year ambition and work backward to identify the foundational "arcs" you must invest in today to make it possible.