Reed Hastings
Co-founder, Netflix
Adults, the keeper test, and paying so fear is not the vest.
From Netflix culture memo. Not Reed Hastings. Not affiliated.
01
The keeper test
“If a person on your team were to quit tomorrow, would you try to change their mind? Or would you accept their resignation, perhaps with a little relief?”
Ask yourself the same about the company. If they quit you, would you be relieved.
02
Adequate gets a generous exit
“Adequate performance gets a generous severance package.”
A place that never fires is a place that never pays the top. Both are information.
03
Context, not control
“We want our people to be able to make great decisions. That requires context.”
If they will not share the numbers, they want control. Price the seat as a task job.
04
Pay at the top of personal market
“We pay at the top of the personal market so that compensation is not a distraction.”
That is the TrustBand test. If they will not name a number, they want the distraction.
05
No brilliant jerks
“On rare occasion we will let go of a brilliant employee if they are a jerk.”
A team famous for jerks is a team that will waste your year. The TC is not enough.
06
Sunshining
“We share internal documents broadly, including the board deck.”
Ask to see last quarter's real numbers in the loop. The flinch is the answer.