By Adrian Latortue - AVV Senior Portfolio Manager
In the latest episode of the AVV Founders and Friends Podcast, Kartick Narayan, founder, and CEO of Kilo shares his take on leadership principles as a seasoned executive, yet first-time founder.
The subtext and meaning behind Kilo’s leadership principles are precise, thoughtful and summarize well the mindset and behaviors behind Kilo’s success.
For example, one of the memorable distinctions and lessons Kartick shared was the difference between speed and velocity and how his approach to “moving fast” changed over time.
Early companies, with good reason, want to “move fast” and speed is a critical factor in achieving success. Until recently, “Speed” was even a part of Kilo’s company values.
Kartick reflects, “Speed is just moving a direction very quickly, and velocity is to move in the right direction very quickly. We want to operate with the right velocity, not just the right speed.”
The realization is worth noting and remembering. Even at an early stage, growing in the right direction is more important than just growing, and sometimes prioritizing speed can lead to mistakes or misalignments in the organization, especially with hiring. As Kartick recounted, earlier on he should have spent more time assessing candidates and that in the spirit of moving fast, he may have moved too fast.
Learnings such as these come from hard-won battles and experience. Kartick emphasizes how important it has been for him to hold steadfast to these principles in order to build and continue building a great team with similar mindsets and complementary skills. Not surprisingly, similar mindsets enable velocity.
The ultimate lesson is blunt and direct, complementary skills are fine, but not complementary mindsets, and any company’s leadership principles must ensure that everyone is and stays on the same page.
Check out the episode here:
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3Ew8VmX
Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3lYApeH
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