Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky is rewriting the Silicon Valley leadership playbook by eliminating emails from his workflow and refusing to schedule meetings before 10 a.m., insisting that tech executives can run successful companies without sacrificing their wellbeing.
"Don't apologize for how you want to run your company," Chesky told The Wall Street Journal, explaining his unconventional approach to managing the $84 billion hospitality platform.
The 43-year-old billionaire has completely removed email from his professional life, replacing it with phone calls and text messages. "[Emailing] was the thing about my job that I hated the most before the pandemic," he admitted, adding that these alternative communication methods now handle anything requiring his attention.
Chesky's workday begins significantly later than most executives, with no meetings scheduled before double digits. "When you're CEO, you can decide when the first meeting of the day is," he said.
Breaking Silicon Valley's " grind culture "
His late-night creative schedule flips traditional expectations, as he typically experiences peak productivity between 10 p.m. and 2:30 a.m., following a 90-minute workout ending around 9:30 p.m.
Chesky's management philosophy is influencing other tech leaders. Bumble founder Whitney Wolfe Herd recalled, "[Chesky] always said to me that being a public-company CEO doesn't have to be miserable," crediting his example for her own return as CEO.
He's not alone in reassessing conventional leadership practices. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang refuses one-on-one meetings, while billionaire investor Mark Cuban has criticized meetings as the workplace practice that most negatively impacts productivity.
"The pandemic was the turning point of the company," Chesky explained. "My first principle became 'Don't apologize for how you want to run your company.' Most of all you should not apologize for being in the details."
His approach comes as Airbnb undertakes a major business transformation, launching new services and experiences aimed at expanding beyond vacation rentals into a comprehensive lifestyle platform.
"Don't apologize for how you want to run your company," Chesky told The Wall Street Journal, explaining his unconventional approach to managing the $84 billion hospitality platform.
The 43-year-old billionaire has completely removed email from his professional life, replacing it with phone calls and text messages. "[Emailing] was the thing about my job that I hated the most before the pandemic," he admitted, adding that these alternative communication methods now handle anything requiring his attention.
Chesky's workday begins significantly later than most executives, with no meetings scheduled before double digits. "When you're CEO, you can decide when the first meeting of the day is," he said.
Breaking Silicon Valley's " grind culture "
His late-night creative schedule flips traditional expectations, as he typically experiences peak productivity between 10 p.m. and 2:30 a.m., following a 90-minute workout ending around 9:30 p.m.
Chesky's management philosophy is influencing other tech leaders. Bumble founder Whitney Wolfe Herd recalled, "[Chesky] always said to me that being a public-company CEO doesn't have to be miserable," crediting his example for her own return as CEO.
He's not alone in reassessing conventional leadership practices. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang refuses one-on-one meetings, while billionaire investor Mark Cuban has criticized meetings as the workplace practice that most negatively impacts productivity.
"The pandemic was the turning point of the company," Chesky explained. "My first principle became 'Don't apologize for how you want to run your company.' Most of all you should not apologize for being in the details."
His approach comes as Airbnb undertakes a major business transformation, launching new services and experiences aimed at expanding beyond vacation rentals into a comprehensive lifestyle platform.
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