Leaders Are In The Details
Inspired by on Lenny's Podcast
Brian Chesky distinguishes between micromanagement - telling people exactly what to do - and being in the details, which is just knowing what's happening.
Chesky got pushback when he got deeply involved in every project at Airbnb. People called it micromanagement. But he draws a crucial distinction: 'There's a difference between micromanagement, which is telling people exactly what to do, and being in the details. Being in the details is what every responsible company's board does to the CEO. If you don't know the details, how do you know people are doing a good job?'
Parents face this exact tension. We're told to give our kids space, let them figure things out, don't hover. And that's good advice - for the execution. But staying in the details? That's different. That's knowing what book they're reading, what friend they're struggling with, what they're excited about at school.
Being in the details doesn't mean controlling everything. It means being informed enough to know when something needs your attention and when it doesn't. The parent who's surprised by failing grades wasn't 'giving space' - they were just uninformed.
Know the details. Just don't dictate them.
PM Theme: Leadership / involvement vs micromanagement
Parenting Theme: Staying informed without controlling
“There's this negative term called micromanagement. I think there's a difference between micromanagement, which is like telling people exactly what to do, and being in the details. Being in the details is what every responsible company's board does to the CEO.”Brian Chesky · 00:00:00
“If you don't know the details, how do you know people are doing a good job?”Brian Chesky · 00:00:00
