BY Travis Kalanick
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Innovation is about making things that have never been made that are valuable to mankind. This means we must find opportunity in the frontiers of the unknown. To find these opportunities, you must have an imagination that is constrained by reality, by what is possible. You must seek truth in the unknown. You must see a path that others cannot see. But you cannot follow a path that is imaginary. Innovation is about seeking the path that is real, that is within the realm of what is possible but still a path that is unknown.
The realm of the possible has been expanded throughout history by truth-seekers. Everything we know today was once in the realm of the unknown. Fire, cooking, plumbing, cars, buildings, medicine, computers, you name it. Every inch of progress humanity has experienced is due to a breakthrough in understanding more of what is possible, that is also valuable to mankind.
The highest level purpose of Atoms is to find the most valuable unknown truths and apply them to the greatest good of humanity. Our goal is to be the best in the world at finding and bringing these opportunities for progress to the masses. In order to accomplish this, we must excel at fast-forwarding to the future.
Being the best at seeing the truth and fast forwarding to the future therefore has its own burden. The further into the future you go, the more different things will be from today. The better we are at fast-forwarding to the future, the more change we will create in the shortest amount of time.
It requires a desire to create change at scale. Unfortunately for us, Nature is constantly resisting change. It avoids instability. It resists new things in order to preserve the status quo where it currently survives and thrives. It seeks to protect itself from change in order to survive. Because of Nature’s resistance to change, the only change that it allows is the change that delivers an overwhelming amount of progress.
"You have power over your mind — not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength"
— Marcus Aurelius
We seek fierce truth-seekers. Those who can bring incredible progress and change in the face of resistance. That fierceness comes from passion – from the sense of purpose in being a part of progress – from the desire to show the world that the impossible is possible – from the fulfillment that comes from working with and serving others. Those who can set aside conventional wisdom – replacing it with the curiosity of understanding why things are the way they are - with the creativity to find the path that bends reality towards those most valuable unknown truths. Passion gives us the energy to face the ups and downs of innovation and changemaking. It helps us become resilient to adversity. It helps us put in all the blood, sweat and tears it takes to be the best at what we do and get to the finish line first. Passion woven around a purpose creates a team of missionaries which will always win over a team of mercenaries. Passion lets us endure for the long run and build an organization and a movement that will stand the test of time. Truth and Passion will take us far, but our mission’s success will be limited if we fail to acknowledge that all of our work is in the service of others. The communities we serve can decide whether and how we serve them. The great minds, the individuals that make up the CSS team can decide whether they work at CSS. Our success is not possible without the permission of those we serve - that permission depends on trust. Building that trust with the communities we serve is imperative to innovation and can be a powerful accelerant to advancing progress. People are more willing to embrace change when there is a sound purpose and mission to believe in. Optimism and an environment that elevates trust empowers the change-makers with the ability to create and build. These three values – Truth, Passion and Trust – are the foundation for CSS, the values we hold above all else as we set off on a journey to find the future. The mindsets that follow represent the best way we know for how to bring each of these values into our work so that we can be the best the world has ever seen at fast forwarding to that future.
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Inside out
All human progress starts with the search for truth and finding the differences between perception and reality. Truth seekers must use ‘first principles’ thinking, always questioning assumptions, avoiding conventional wisdom. Resistance to new discoveries is inevitable but the burden is on us to be good storytellers and fight misperception with truth at every opportunity.
TLDR
First principles thinking starts with undeniable truths as core assumptions, i.e. laws of physics
Look for the mismatches between perception and reality and you will find the ‘innovator’s playground’
Constantly questioning your assumptions is the only way to avoid using solutions from the past on today’s problems
Discarding conventional wisdom and resilience against weapons of misperception is key to the search for truth
Outcome
A culture constantly optimizing for reality instead of perception creates hyper-efficient execution
Uncovering big breakthrough ideas at scale
Our people care more about success than accolades
Durable resilience to the haters and ‘weapons of misperception’
Big bold bets
A big bold bet can be bet-the-company moonshot that disrupts an entire industry or smart entrepreneurial risk taking in the everyday. Moonshots are about planting the seeds 5-10 years out, so we still have a company in 5-10 years. Smart risk taking is about making quick, meaningful progress while minimizing risk. Bringing entrepreneurial decision making to everything we do prevents our own disruption and helps us avoid missing out on big long-term wins.
TLDR
Making moves like an entrepreneur with speed and accurate intuition results in an expedited leap forward, with surprisingly low risk
Waiting until you have all the data is not a big bold bet
Critical thought about where the world is headed and our part in it is required to determine whether a moonshot should be our bet
We must learn to love disrupting ourselves to remain a leader
Outcome
Enduring leadership in innovation and business building
A place that believes in breakthroughs attracts the people who make breakthroughs happen
Best idea wins
In a meritocracy, the best idea always wins and the fiercest truth-seekers rise to the top. The fiercest truth seekers are those most able to see the future and are most capable of fast forwarding to it. Sometimes the best idea faces resistance and we may have to fiercely defend it. In short, know what’s right; fight for it; but don’t be a jerk.
TLDR
Best idea must always win - not the random idea, politically expedient idea, etc
Speak truth to power, and if in power listen
How we determine what is the best idea is as important as the idea itself
The fiercest truth seekers are those who are most capable of seeing the future and fast forwarding to it
A credible meritocracy requires strong accountability of ideas and the truth-seekers making them a reality
Outcome
Getting to the future faster
Best person for every role is in the role
Ultra credible leadership and most just work culture
Great inspired work is defined, identified, acknowledged, and rewarded
Optimal alignment of people and projects
Always be hustlin
Resources are always limited, but when you’re hustlin’ you never let this get in the way. We always get more done with less, taking pride in creative problem solving and working longer, harder, and smarter than the next person. You’re “always on,” never letting an opportunity pass us by, surprising the world by making lemonade not just out of lemons, but out of thin air. You know, when it comes down to it, you just can’t stop someone who’s always hustlin’.
TLDR
Creative problem solving to get more done,with less
Make the impossible possible: Don’t turn lemons into lemonade, make lemonade out of thin air
Take advantage opportunity and look for it in unexpected places
Urgency matters, surprise yourself with the speed at which you get stuff done
Strong work ethic
Outcome
Our dollar goes a long way and we get the best deal for everything
Finding opportunities others aren’t
Creating value where there was none
Previously negative ROI projects become valuable
Be your best self
Being yourself is a blessing. The world is brighter, more colorful, more productive, creative and happier when each of us can be authentic to who we are. A place that provides this kind of freedom must adopt a hyper-tolerance where all people, from all walks of life, are welcome and fiercely supported.
A belief in continuous self-improvement means we turn this self-awareness into being better, each and every day - being our best selves - turning our weaknesses into strengths, and doubling down on our superpowers. With high EQ, and enduring optimism, this kind of culture can truly thrive.
CONSTRAINTS
‘Being yourself’ does not tolerate unlawful behavior; if it doesn’t scale it’s not a thing; and don’t bring negativity or political ideologies to the party.
TLDR
Know who you are as an individual (high EQ/self awareness)
Consistent focus on your T’s and B’s and improvement
Create a culture of hyper tolerance with very few constraints
Outcome
More productive and fun place to work
A diversity of ideas thrive and are celebrated
A corporate culture suitable for everyone
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Just change
The future is different than today so getting there inevitably requires the world and its institutions to change in order for the future to be ushered in. We also know that we must embrace and adapt to change ourselves. Strong, defensible principles are imperative to know when and how to optimistically create this change and for those efforts to be just, manifesting trust with all stakeholders in the communities we serve.
PRINCIPLES FOR CHANGE
Massively and obviously good
Taking responsibility for all action or inaction
No pyrrhic victories
Others are already embracing the change
Quick clarity, expedited action
TLDR
Change is a constant that we must accept and embrace
You must have principles that guide you towards the right change
These principles apply to the change we bring to cities and to ourselves
We are creating a system of justice that guides all actions we take and change we make
Outcome
Engenders trust in the communities we serve
Guardrails for actions we take in the name of change
Establishes a foundation of justice for our company culture and organization
Mission first
Revolutions aren’t won by paid soldiers; they’re won by true believers in the cause, those who put the mission first. Whereas mercenaries are focused on short-term personal gain, owners optimize for long-term outcomes, bridge gaps in organizations, think and act beyond their job description. We seek individuals who think like owners and who put our mission first.
TLDR
Missionaries believe in something bigger than themselves, mercenaries put themselves first
Owners care about: team success vs. politics, career vs. individual achievement; equity vs cash; long term vs. short term; getting stuff done vs. whose job it is
Frugality is the highest form of ownership which allows the mission to go further than previously thought possible
Outcome
A mission driven workforce is far more passionate and will go the extra mile necessary to win
A team of missionaries always wins against a team of equally talented mercenaries
When you put mission first, the company is aligned with the absence of politics and bureaucracy
Let builders build
Great people want to invent and create, but first they must be empowered to build. We do this by having systems of alignment, autonomy and accountability. Politics, approval gates, unnecessary bureaucracy must be minimized. Empowerment means we will always feel small and get work done efficiently—so our people are empowered to do their best work.
TLDR
The foundation for empowerment is alignment on a project’s mission, it’s objective measures, and what success looks like
A culture of empowerment naturally minimizes bureaucracy and politics
Management should find the minimum set of organizing touchpoints for a project, utilizing lightweight accountability wherever possible
Creative reduction of risk allows for more building while increasing expected upside
Analysis paralysis is the opposite of let builders build
Outcome
Empowerment is a booster rocket for productivity
When everyone can be a builder you create an unstoppable hub of innovation
Love for one's work and engagement in the company is maximized
Optimistic leadership
Optimism is inspiring, and inspiration leads to people joining forces to make the sum greater than the parts. Would you rather work with someone optimistic and inspiring or someone negative? Optimism can lead the world into a vision for progress that aims to earn trust with all stakeholders. Optimistic behavior that garners trust and respect is imperative for a company that desires to create meaningful change.
WHAT LEADERS LOOK LIKE
Seeks truth Assumes everyone has good intentions until proven otherwise
Finds the optimistic point of view
Inspires/rallies people around the best path
Always serves a bigger purpose or idea, never about them
Solution oriented, looking to solve problems, improve the situation
Takes responsibility for mistakes, doesn’t look for scapegoats
Finds joy in and loves the everyday things we all do
TLDR
Great work, requires great people, and great people require optimism
Without deep trust from the communities we serve, great progress is not possible
Outcome
The communities we serve become advocates instead of detractors
We are far more capable of overcoming adversity
We attract world class talent
We achieve far more progress with all stakeholders as supporters
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Champion’s heart
A champion is passionate about excellence and always seems to get over the finish line first. They do this by putting every ounce of energy they have into being the best and consistently overcome every adversity they face. Having a champion’s heart is critical because we aim to be the best at a mission that is unprecedented in complexity and scale with an impossible speed of execution. With success will come enormous impact and with a champion’s heart, that impact will be ours.
TLDR
Giving it everything you’ve got
Getting up when you get knocked down
Being the best at what you do
To avoid burnout every individual knows their own redline
Teamwork & supporting others is critical to winning
Outcome
Always leading never following
Innovation at speed and scale
Superpumped
We look at the world through an optimistic lens, one in which even adversity is seen as an opportunity to unlock our creativity and passion for solving problems. We start by picturing an amazing outcome, and we turn that into infectious enthusiasm that everyone can feel and feed off of. Being superpumped gives us super-powers, turning the hardest challenges into amazing and fun opportunities to do something great.
TLDR
Don’t be afraid to infuse a little fun into everything we do
There’s a human attraction to enthusiasm - it takes people up a level, helps elicit people’s best effort and work
We spend most of our time working. Let’s have fun
Outcome
We unlock more creativity and passion
We’re the funnest place in the world to work
Make magic
Magic is hard to define but you know it when you see it. It can come in the form of a breakthrough, a big beautiful idea that stands the test of time. It can also be extreme craftsmanship, a dedication to iterating on the details to perfection. Sometimes magic brings us to the future faster, and other times it inspires us through its timeless beauty. There are four dimensions to magic: time, calm, joy and money.
TLDR
True magic is a relentless pursuit to inspire
It’s hard to define but you know it when you see it
Comes in the form of a big breakthrough idea or a craftman’s obsession to polish to perfection
Outcome
Our products are 10x more inspiring
Customer obsessed
Doing right by by our customer takes a ton of heart and tenacity. It means starting by doing what’s right by them and refusing to settle even when roadblocks threaten to stand in the way. Instead, we innovate our way out of the box. Many companies talk about being customer-focused, we’re customer obsessed. We are relentless in figuring out what matters to our customers and doing everything in our power to deliver.
TLDR
The teams who are most customer obsessed are the ones with the most heart for the customer
Like wind in your sails, you can't see customer obsession but your boat just goes faster.
Doing it right means always increasing customers’ expectations
Company ROI is the only constraint to what is best for customer
Outcome
The one who serves the customers best, gets all the customers
The best marketing money can’t buy