First Who ... Then What

Jim Collins says "First Who ... Then What". I begin to see some truth.

I used to think that as a great bus driver, you need to start the journey by telling people where they are heading. You need to set the direction or articulate the vision. But according to Jim, leaders of good to great companies think first about "who" and then about "what". They get the right people on the bus, the wrong people off the bus, and the right people in the right seats, before they figure where to drive the bus. When you have the right people on the bus, you don't have to worry about changing directions along the way. The right people looks at who else is on the bus and adapts to the change knowing that it is good for the company.

I remember that when we first started Crimsonworks in 2002, we have 3 amigoes on the bus with no bus driver, and not knowing exactly where we are heading. With a sense of collective ownership and trust, we manage to set out the direction and take turns to drive. Though, I can't say that Crimsonworks is today a good company, I realise that it is the people that will make it good. The concept of "First Who ... The What" not only applies on the company itself, it can also apply to projects we embark on. It is the right people who will determine the outcome of the product or service.