5 Mark Zuckerberg Leadership Style Principles

Whether you hate him or love him, you cannot deny that Mark Zuckerberg is one of the most successful individuals of this century. The co-founder and CEO of Facebook have come a long way from being a college dropout fascinated with building systems that connect people. But his journey to the top has involved a lot of controversy, mistakes, and difficult choices. Luckily, Zuckerberg was determined to improve and had people who helped him become a better leader. How did he build and grow such a strong and vibrant business? Zuckerberg has these principles to share with us.

1. Have Passion For What You Are Doing.

A common denominator among some of the most successful entrepreneurs is they are passionate. They work hard and will push through challenges to achieve success. Passion is what can keep you going, no matter how long the journey and the number of bumps along the way.

2. Have a Purpose For What You Are Doing.

Why do you do what you do? What is your goal? If you can’t answer that, then you will find it more difficult to create direction and persevere. Purpose will be the core of everything you do, from hiring employees to developing products. If you take a look at Facebook, you will see that their operations, company culture, and products are rooted in revolutionizing how people spread and consume information. They are focused on a movement and not just a product.

3. Be Committed To Your Product.

Not everyone liked the Newsfeed when it was first launched, but Zuckerberg didn’t give up on it so easily. Instead, he found ways to make it better. He follows The Hacker Way, an approach to building that involves continuous improvement and iteration. So don’t be afraid to stick to your vision for your product. Encourage a culture that welcomes innovation and dedication.

4. Work With The Right People.

The CEO of Facebook has been quoted to say that “having a clear direction on what you are doing and bringing in great people who can execute on the stuff” helps your company to do well. You need to make sure you have people who can share your vision and values. Facebook is known to use an interview process where they can assess if applicants can fit in with the company culture. People who are hired are then trained intensively on the ‘hacker way’. This shows they prioritize attitude above skills, because “skills can be taught but passion can’t”.

5. Build the Right Partnerships.

Running a successful business can’t be done without the help of other people. Even Zuckerberg knew he needed a partner who could further strengthen the growth and success of Facebook. While Zuckerberg provides the imagination, it is Sheryl Sandberg, the chief operating officer of the social media giant, who executes his visions.

In his early days, Zuckerberg was known to be cutthroat and awkward, and many people considered his leadership style to be controversial and demoralizing to employees. But when Robin Reed, his in-house recruiter pointed out that he wasn’t doing an effective job as a CEO, Zuckerberg took it as constructive criticism and set out to learn from mentors, including some of the world’s best leaders. He admits to making mistakes and strives to turn those mistakes into growth opportunities. Today, his transformational leadership style continues to move Facebook to a promising future.