A document for internal Netflix employees was recently released on Slideshare called Reference Guide on our Freedom & Responsibility Culture. This document is a pretty strong culture manifesto. We’ve included the entire 128 pages below and will likely highlight a number of points here in the near future.

One suggested practice is The Keeper Test Managers Use. The question managers should ask is:

“Which of my people, if they told me they were leaving in two months for a similar job at a peer company, would I fight to keep at Netflix?”

You may end up with two lists. Those you would fight to keep and those you are paying, coaching, correcting and developing now that you wouldn’t fight to keep. Next, the action item for those you wouldn’t fight to keep:

“The other people should get a generous severance now, so we can open a slot to try to find a star for that role.”

Could you do that in your organization? Why not? I’ve frequently heard it said that everyone can’t be a star. We need B and C and D players. Is that really true? Why?

Yes, you will have people on your teams with varying degrees of experience and at different spots on their development journey but why can’t everyone be a star or star in the making?

This slight mind-set shift is key to a championship high-performing team vs. a “meets expectations” team. Which do you prefer?

Take a few moments to read through the slides below. All 128 pages are thought provoking.

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