We believe that playing it safe is often the riskiest choice. Innovation requires experimentation, and this guide lays out how we handle risk, seize opportunities, and learn from failures.

Calculated risks and opportunity cost

Every choice comes with trade-offs. Understanding the risks and rewards helps us make smarter decisions and stay focused on what truly matters.

Understand the opportunity cost behind meaningful decisions

• Consider trade-offs before making a decision. Be mindful of what you might be giving up in pursuing a particular path, and weigh these factors before moving forward.
• Consult teammates with different perspectives to broaden your understanding, but remain decisive and don't try to reach consensus.
• Align when trade-offs affect other teams, projects, or products.
• Default to focus on delivering high-quality work; maintain realistic quality standards that consider the larger context and other trade-offs.

Evaluate the risk/reward ratio, and act accordingly

• Assess the potential risks and benefits of your decisions. Use this evaluation to guide your actions, balancing carefulness with the potential for reward.
• Maintain a broad approach and consider how the perceived risk and potential reward might impact other teams disproportionately.

Stay aware of how context influences assumed certainties

• Recognize that the context in which decisions are made can greatly impact their validity.
• Continuously reassess assumptions based on the evolving context and be open to revising them as needed.
• Be mindful about short-term results and check if the circumstances responsible for them also apply to long-term.