Metal Culture Code
Culture as a force multiplier
Our culture is our operating system, our secret sauce for how we get things done.
In the long run, culture is the defining element of our ability to execute effectively. Culture starts from the values and beliefs that shape our behaviours on a daily basis.
For many years, we have curiously observed what drives people to achieve outstanding results. Ultimately, through a combination of empirical research and practical experience, we have come to view drive and initiative as the two most fundamental pillars of success.
At Metal, our culture is built around rewarding drive and initiative. From quarterly performance reviews and compensation plans to learning and development programs, our environment invariably rewards outlier drive.
Our definition of drive has less to do with work hours, and more with results and outcomes. For individuals that are driven to achieve big things, Metal provides an environment that is highly conducive to learning, experimentation and achievement.
In our early-stage startup environment, the act of doing is the fundamental building block that drives all progress. We actively seek out individuals that are doers, that do not let the pursuit of perfection get in the way of progress.
A brief study of history reveals that there some of the most profound human achievements took place in surprisingly brief time periods. At Metal, we make decisions quickly and view mistakes as an inevitable outcome in the journey of rapid progress.
We believe the best teams execute at the highest velocity, which requires strong planning and foresight.
We must fight for every inch of our success. There is no such thing as a free lunch. We operate with an anti-entitlement mindset.
We believe the software industry makes for an increasingly competitive landscape. As the competitive landscape shapes up in our category, we must fight hard to win customers and to capture market share.
Our anti-entitlement mindset sits at the core of our operating mantra to out-compete and out-execute the competition.
We believe the best operators fight like they’re right and listen like they’re wrong. If and when teammates have conviction on a given idea, they should fight for their conviction, and move the Company in that direction.
The above mindset is a critical step toward turning ideas and convictions into business impact. With this mindset, we must always listen to contrasting views with the assumption that we’re wrong.
We view empathetic and active listening as one of the most under-rated business skills.
We are eager to partner with people that demonstrate a "learn-it-all" mentality (as opposed to a "know-it-all' mindset).
In our environment, intellectual humility and adaptability is a baseline expectation. At Metal, the best leaders demonstrate a strong mix of humility and eagerness to learn. We like to think of ourselves as hungry amateurs that are looking to learn and not as experts that have everything figured out.
For individual careers and for Company trajectories, we view the slope of the learning curve as the biggest driver of success.
