This is a takeaway from the podcast “How I build this” interviewing Max Levchin (Paypal, Affirm, ..). He says that after Paypal, he was looking to create a nicer, more loving, culture in the workplace.

One thing he realized is that when a company goes through an inevitable rough time, everyone starts to think about who’s fault is it. It is at that point that niceness and love can be over-taken. It is at that point that respect for your colleagues’ professional skills, will reassure you that they are doing their part. Love is nice to have. Hell, it’s even great to have.

But professional respect is more important.

I liked this nugget a lot because, to me, it was both unintuitive and convincing. Exactly the kind of things I want to be exposed to.

Now, that obviously doesn’t mean you should have a company full of assholes. But it does mean that the “mostly nice” hires are a luxury of the good times. And there will be other times. Inevitably.

-Nivge

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