A simple slide deck went viral in 2009 because it was revolutionary.

A simple slide deck went viral in 2009 because it was revolutionary.

Yes I’m talking about the Netflix culture deck that was published in 2009 by Reed Hastings (The CEO). This deck is famous for being tongue in cheek about things that companies and CEOs may usually be too diplomatic to say.

Even though it is almost 14 years old, it is still extremely relevant and a model document to how a culture can be against the tide and still help a company remain successful.

Along with revolutionizing the way we watch TV and also leading the way in the entertainment production industry, Netflix has also built its culture as one of its core product offerings.

Some of the points I really liked were -

1. They mention the importance of radical transparency and giving feedback to those who you work with - even if it may be harsh.

2. They are only interested to hire extraordinary people. They back it up by paying top dollar. And they are not shy form firing someone if their managers would not fight hard to keep them if they decided to leave.

3. They give Freedom and Responsibility to their employees - No expense budgets for travel or entertainment, unlimited vacation time and parental leave, and all documents are shared to all employees, on which discussions are expected.

4. They don’t wait for committees to make decisions. They trust project leaders to call the shots.

There are many examples of how this culture is practiced in the book No Rules Rules written by Reed himself, which is worth a dive into

Netflix's culture page (a revamped version of the original deck) - https://lnkd.in/gPQMdPua

Slide Deck - https://lnkd.in/gFGrxWRi