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Rob Forman

Coaching CEOs | Operator | Former Co-founder and President at Salesloft

Rob Forman is a seasoned entrepreneur who experienced both failure and success in the startup world. After failing at his first startup, he learned the critical importance of organizational health, which became a cornerstone of his second successful venture. As the Co-Founder, President, and Chief Strategy Officer at SalesLoft, Rob prioritized values and organizational well-being, leading the company to significant achievements and numerous accolades as one of the best places to work. His dedication to nurturing a healthy work environment was widely recognized by prestigious institutions like ABC, Glassdoor, Fortune, and Forbes.

Highlights

Aug 27 · linkedin

Ways for CEOs to handle feedback, ordered from best to worst:

  1. Ask for feedback and take action on it 💪
  2. Don't ask for feedback 😂
  3. Ask for feedback and do nothing with it 🤯

#3 is the worst. Don't do that.

Jul 25 · linkedin

I was talking with a non-technical CEO about the unique challenges of leading a tech team.

Over the course of the conversation, I was reminded of one of the most important lessons I've learned while building software at high-tech companies over the last 20 years.

It is the PRINCIPLE OF TRADE-OFFS. ⚖️

Here's how I define it: the concept that achieving an advantage in one area often requires sacrificing or compromising another, necessitating a balanced and informed decision-making process, leading to ultimately a better outcome.

If we are talking about right or wrong, we are having the wrong discussion.

If we are talking about this stack being the best, or this development methodology being be-all-end-all, or any of the other holy wars in tech, we are having the wrong discussion.

The right discussion is about trade-offs. There is usually more than one way to accomplish a goal. The best teams explore various options, weighing what they gain or lose with option 1 versus option 2, and which is right for their situation or goal.

This includes almost every dimension of building software, from architecture to design to how and when we ship. We are trading off speed for quality, or simplicity for feature richness, or innovation for stability.

These discussions are engaging and fun, and can 100% be had with CEOs and senior managers who aren’t technical. This enables the entire team to generate more creative ideas, identify risks, and work towards the best shared and informed outcome.

There is rarely a right or wrong in tech. There are no magic bullets or free lunches. There are only trade-offs. So dig in, ask questions, and find out which trade-offs are right for you and your team and your product at your stage.

Thanks to Scott Mitchell, an amazing CTO, for teaching me this, but most importantly for modeling it over our years working together.

Repost ♻️ if you dig this or stuff like this.

Rob Forman
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Location

Auburn, Alabama, United States