1) Coach. Don't play. On top of my to-do list every morning, the first entry is bolded: "Coach. Don't play." For the vast majority of high achievers or entrepreneurs, letting go of what their great at is the biggest hurdle - especially when times get tough. When the code isn't done, the pipeline isn't full, or the CS metrics are dropping, we do what hall of fame boxing trainer Freddie Roach says everyone does "Once they get hit in the ring, they’re going to revert back to what they are." You, and your team, will do this often. If we can't level up and coach, we'll never grow to where we want to go.

2) Never lower your bar. Let others. Talent is hard to come by these days. It's not the first time we've seen it. Numbers are staring us in the face and the talent pool has more leverage than ever. We have to give in to the pleas and lower our bar right? Or we'll left behind? Do NOT. We did once, it went as Steve Jobs said it would (from a past three things) "The B's hire C's and then the bozo parade takes over." Letting others make bad decisions is a win. It's hard to see in the moment - but trust us.

3) "Who's (expletive) your wife? If you're not, who is?"- Frank "Ponch" Poncherello in CHiPs. Went through a recruiting process over the weekend for a family member. Incumbents lost some talent they didn't expect to lose. Why? It was simple: they didn't give enough love to the returnees vs what others were telling them while focusing too much on the new recruits. (*didn't apply to us). If you're not telling your great ones they're great and rewarding them….someone else is.