When firing employees, it's important to be transparent and give them opportunities to correct their performance.

When hiring, always consider how each person will push the company forward. Remember, companies don't do things; people do.

It's important to have someone in your organization who consistently advocates for efficiency and communicates its importance to the team.

When evaluating new employees, consider their output and velocity; if they are producing a high volume of work, even if it's not perfect, you can guide them to improve over time. I learned that it's much easier to redirect high volume output than to increase the volume of output.

Look for signs of engagement from senior management and whether your colleagues seem busy and productive, as these can indicate the company's health.

When an employee consistently makes poor decisions, it's painfully obvious to everyone, and that's when you need to take action.

Hiring more people does not always lead to increased productivity; often, adding team members can complicate processes and reduce overall output. However, the velocity of your company improves by adding more 'barrels'—unique capabilities or roles—allowing you to accomplish more tasks each day, week, or quarter.

If you want to create a high-functioning team, do your work, and it starts with the person who has the most power.

Evaluate whether you have a seat at the decision-making table; if business leaders are making all the decisions without your input, it may indicate exploitation.