This is a post that I shared internally just after assuming the CEO role for WordPress.com (note: I am no longer CEO).

I guess I’m not your typical CEO.

I probably don’t talk like a CEO. 

You won’t often find me dressing like a CEO. 

Frankly, I don’t particularly care what title I have at work. I’m less concerned with titles and more interested in impact.

The things that motivate me most are working alongside smart people, solving challenging problems, constantly learning new things, and having the greatest impact possible.

I have simple tastes. If given the choice between a meal at an expensive three star restaurant and a kids meal at McDonalds, I’ll take the kids meal (6 piece nuggets with sweet and sour sauce FTW). 

I don’t want/need credit for anything.

I’m not here to power trip or micromanage. 

I believe in the inverted org. When I’m in a leadership position, I’m at the bottom of the pyramid. Individual team members are at the top. I’m here to serve you. 

I believe in establishing agreements around clear responsibilities and then holding people accountable for the things they’ve committed to.

I value principles, people, product, and profits (always in that order). I believe that profit maximization in any company only occurs after you get the first 3 priorities right. 

I have a strong internal north star. I am grounded in my beliefs and my self worth. 

I believe that the original Pete’s Dragon is hands down the best movie ever made.

I believe that having fun is important and that we shouldn’t take ourselves too seriously.

I have very little patience for internal politics. 

I will tend to challenge statements like “we’ve tried that before”, or “that won’t work here” when they are based on untested assumptions or older data.

I’m a big fan of rapid iteration. Let’s try a bunch of stuff, keep the stuff that works, and then iterate on or ditch the stuff that doesn’t. 

I refuse to work with toxic people (No matter how long you’ve been at the company, or what role you have, or how impactful you’ve historically been).

I value diversity. Diversity in people, roles and experiences all leads to better decisions, better products, better work environments, and better companies.

I value ownership. When you make a mistake, own it.

I value clarity. If something is unclear, ask questions until you have all of the context you need to do your best work.

I value alignment. Let’s be united in our cause. We will rise and fall collectively together and find valuable learning opportunities in both our successes and our failures.

I will no doubt make mistakes. When I do, call me out on them. I will gladly apologize and own my shortcomings.

For those of you on my team:

If you ever feel unheard, frustrated or hurt, I am here to listen. 

If you’ve hit a roadblock, I will help you get unblocked. 

If you have questions or concerns, my door is always open. 

Most of all, know that I genuinely care. I care about you. I care about our customers. I care about the product we are building. I care about the company that we work for.

Oh, and I love musicals. 💖