Summary of Ben Horowitz's What You Do Is Who You Are

By IRB Media

Get the Summary of Ben Horowitz's What You Do Is Who You Are in 20 minutes. Please note: This is a summary & not the original book. In What You Do Is Who You Are (2019), famed venture capitalist Ben Horowitz explores how organizations can create and sustain the culture they desire. He examines both historical examples and modern case studies, using cultural models that range from ancient samurai and Genghis Khan to Apple and Uber. Horowitz emphasizes the enduring influence of culture over temporary success and the importance of intentional actions in defining organizational identity...

• Language: English
• Publisher: IRB Media
• Release date: May 8, 2024
• ISBN: 9798330010776

IRB Media

With IRB books, you can get the key takeaways and analysis of a book in 15 minutes. We read every chapter, identify the key takeaways and analyze them for your convenience.

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Summary of Ben Horowitz’s What You Do Is Who You Are

Contents

Overview

Cultivating Cultural Cohesion

The Architect of Freedom

Cultural Impact

The Uber Example

The Samurai Code of Conduct

A Journey of Redemption

The Conqueror of Cultures

Cultivating an Inclusive Culture

Core Virtues

Navigating Challenges

Building a Company Culture

About the Author

Overview

In What You Do Is Who You Are (2019), famed venture capitalist Ben Horowitz explores how organizations can create and sustain the culture they desire. He examines both historical examples and modern case studies, using cultural models that range from ancient samurai and Genghis Khan to Apple and Uber. Horowitz emphasizes the enduring influence of culture over temporary success and the importance of intentional actions in defining organizational identity.

Cultivating Cultural Cohesion

When Ben Horowitz founded LoudCloud, he believed that the culture would naturally evolve to reflect his personal values and behavior. He thought that leading by example would be sufficient. But as the company grew, this simplistic view proved inadequate. The company’s culture became a patchwork of subcultures, each shaped by different managers, rather than a cohesive whole.

Culture, at its core, is about how employees make decisions when there’s no one looking over their shoulders. It’s about the assumptions that are so deeply ingrained, employees don’t even realize they’re making them. Without intentional cultivation, culture can develop in undesirable ways. Identifying the desired culture for a company requires a clear understanding of its direction and how to support that journey. A startup might prioritize frugality, while a company like Google might focus on employee perks to attract and retain top talent. Different companies succeed with