Culture as Code - a16z Podcast  ## Metadata - Author: **a16z Podcast** - Full Title: Culture as Code - Category: #podcasts - URL: https://share.snipd.com/episode/4e97df5d-bb9b-4df4-91da-9a33e486021d ## Highlights - Samurai Code Summary: The Hagukari were an honor culture. If somebody dissed you or insulted you, they had to go. And politeness means the best way to show someone love and respect. "You don't want to say they're an animal with a flea" Transcript: Speaker 1 So for example, you know, they were an honor culture. If somebody dissed you or insulted you, they had to go. That was it, because that insult was really, could have been a diagnostic to say, is this guy weak, can I be smurches honor and get away with it? Because if I can do that, I can probably stab him in the head or rob him or whatever. And there's a really great story in the Hagukari about a samurai who has a flea on his shoulder, and another person says, excuse me, you have a flea on your shoulder, and the samurai cuts His head off. You go, wow, that was like a pretty harsh response. And as a samurai, why'd you cut his head off? He's like, look, I'm not an animal, I don't have fleas. You know, call me that. And so when you have a kind of a virtue like that, you need something to balance it. And you know, one of the things that they did is really establish a very elaborate system of how they treated each other in this virtue known as politeness. And politeness means the best way to show someone love and respect. And respect is very, very important because you know, you don't want to say they're an animal with a flea. And it's everything to how you bow, to how you set up the tea ceremony, to every aspect ([Time 0:07:14](https://share.snipd.com/snip/e148ba9d-3204-4dc0-bf47-e3f9164a5e90)) - The Power of the Why Summary: "The why matters more than the what," says Andries and Hearts founder. "Andries, I really want you to share with us why the why is so important." The pair's new book focuses on creating a shocking rule that does this kind of reset. Transcript: Speaker 2 You described it as creating a shocking rule that does that kind of a reset. One recurring theme I noticed in the book, and for those who haven't read it, this is just something people in marketing and brand talk about too, which is the power of the why. And I noticed almost every other chapter, every other sentence, every other paragraph, you kept emphasizing this message, the why matters more than the what, the why matters, the Why matters. And it seems obvious on the surface, but I really want you to share with us why the why is so important. Speaker 1 So I'll give you two very different examples. One is, well, Andries and Hearts. One of the things that we wanted in the culture from the outset was we wanted to respect the entrepreneur and the entrepreneurial process. Now, there's not a venture capitalist in the world who won't say that. ([Time 0:24:20](https://share.snipd.com/snip/cfed00ed-6d6b-40c8-977d-21b9c9f51cad)) - How Would You Evaluate Candidates for Culture Fit? Summary: Culture fit is very tricky, because people can change their culture. One thing that you can get with exact culture fit is a lot of homogeneity. So what I find to be powerful is to really define your culture. We have a very comprehensive culture document at the firm. Transcript: Speaker 2 I'm going to skip some of the other ones, so we have time for everyone's questions. I'm going to ask some of the questions that came from the audience. So the first question is, Ben, given the importance of culture in any organization, how would you evaluate candidates for culture fit? Speaker 1 Yes, I think that's very tricky, because people can change their culture. So one thing that you can get with exact culture fit is a lot of homogeneity, right? We went to the same school, we read the same books, we believe the same things, you know, and there's a power in that, but it's a slippery thing, so you have to be careful. So what I find to be powerful is to really define your culture. And, you know, like we have a very comprehensive culture document at the firm. And one of the things that we do, which actually learned while writing the book, is we don't let anybody sign their offer letter without agreeing to the culture, saying, I'm going to Live in this culture, I'm going to adhere it to these standards. So like, if somebody says, oh, they're not a culture fit, it's like why? Like, what exactly about them doesn't fit into our culture, and it's that element we want in our culture or not want, and like you have to be able to have it the conversation at that level. ([Time 0:40:56](https://share.snipd.com/snip/aeb656c8-8219-4494-94df-c247ee1c6e7f))