Achieve the best outcomes by working in and on the business

Many will advise you to get out of the business, and work "on the business" instead of "in the business".

My experience of achieving the best outcomes has been different. No doubt, you need to ensure you are spending enough time working on the business at a higher level, setting the vision and strategy, and spotting new opportunities. But I've found the best way to do that is to be in the business enough to have the context to arrive at great high level conclusions and decisions.

The times when I fully stepped out of the business and attempted to mostly work "on the business", were the times that I had the worst ideas and the least clear strategy. Those were the times the team felt the most disconnected from me, and I lost a strong institution on the best initiatives to move the company forward. And those were also the times I lost my passion for the work we were doing.

These days, I've arrived at a very blended approach to leading Buffer. I work in, and on, the business. And in fact, in recent years I've really sunk back into the business and work very actively with every team. It's the best way I've found stay connected to the details, have that context to arrive at strong strategic decisions, and maintain my passion for what we're doing.