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Wartime vs Peacetime: Ben Horowitz on Leadership

Overview

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Wartime vs Peacetime: Ben Horowitz on Leadership

The a16z Show

Jan 02
The a16z Show

The a16z Show

Jan 02
OverviewShownoteHighlightsTranscriptChaptersPins

Shownote

In this exclusive conversation from a16z’s Bio and Health BUILD Summit, founding partner Ben Horowitz sits down with general partner Jorge Conde. Originally released in August 2023, the episode covers everything from the inspiration behind Ben’s book The H...

Highlights

In a candid conversation at a16z’s Bio and Health BUILD Summit, Ben Horowitz and Jorge Conde explore the deeper forces that shape innovation, leadership, and organizational culture. The dialogue moves beyond typical tech narratives, diving into historical parallels, existential business shifts, and the real mechanics behind lasting change.
05:10
Individual founders can change the world's trajectory
08:15
Toussaint Louverture merged European and slave cultures to build a powerful army
12:30
Many people freeze upon recognition of war
15:42
Being late to a meeting with an entrepreneur is a real problem because it disrespects their time and mission.
25:39
Startups rent innovation from incumbents while racing to distribute first.
31:05
The missing part was 'what you do is who you are', and the second book is more relevant for scaled companies

Chapters

How do real actions—not beliefs—shape company culture?
00:00
Can one person really change the course of technology and history?
07:35
What separates a wartime CEO from a peacetime leader?
10:24
Why do daily behaviors define a company’s true culture?
13:15
How does culture become an unbeatable advantage in business?
25:39
What makes bio and healthcare innovation uniquely challenging?
28:06

Transcript

Speaker 1: Culture is not a set of beliefs. This is so key. It's a set of actions. Speaker 2: And Ben says, you owe 20 bucks, Okay. So I reach into my wallet and, you know, the norm was you put the cash on the table. Yeah. So I reach into my wallet and I ...