
Amp It Up by Frank Slootman CEO of Snowflake - RustyHN
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/amp-up-frank-slootman/
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RustyHN
A lot of interesting takes here by the CEO on pushing people to perform. I
found the following passage the most at odds with current discussions I have
heard across the tech space lately:

 _Similarly, we ran the companies for attracting and retaining talent,
regardless of gender, race or ethnic origin. We valued people for their
contribution to our goal, not because they had a preferred skin color, gender
or ethnic background. Either you are completely focused on and aligned with
your goals, or you let in all kinds of noise that dilutes your limited
resources. I have nothing against 'diversity and inclusion' as long as it
results from our goal-oriented modes of execution. We are not a university or
a non-profit, this is a business. You lack focus at the top, it will be much
more so at the bottom.

Data Domain and ServiceNow hired you on merit, not because you checked a box.
Good people don't want to be hired because they fit a demographic. We made a
lot of money for our people, and we delivered more social justice this way
than we ever could have, pursuing other people's ideas of that. I also did not
make public statements about anything that did not relate directly to what we
do. Focus is a discipline. I avoided having high-minded societal ambitions as
part of my role. I am not the leader of the free world, just a CEO working to
increase the value of the franchise entrusted to him._

