#16 How to Avoid the “Big Company Disease” When Growing? - (Qonto) Steve Anavi | Slush 2022

Scaling a company without losing its culture and values requires empowering employees to take ownership and make decisions, and focusing on autonomy, support, and the right tools.

Key takeaways
  • The company was once small and agile, but as it grew, it became less so.
  • The founder believes that scaling a company is not just about growing, but about maintaining the culture and values.
  • People don’t need to be told what to do, they need to be empowered to take ownership and make decisions.
  • Command and control approach to management often leads to mediocrity and robots.
  • The key to growth is to give people autonomy, support, and the right tools to do their job.
  • Micromanaging and constant feedback can be counterproductive and kill creativity.
  • The route to success is not just about results, but about the journey and the process.
  • The company’s culture is built on the idea of “orient and support” where people have the freedom to take ownership and make decisions.
  • The company is not looking for compliance, but for adaptability and autonomy.
  • The founder encourages people to take ownership and to focus on their own misconceptions and biases.
  • The company is looking for people who are self-aware and willing to learn and adapt.
  • The founder believes that data should be used to inform decisions, not dictate them.
  • The company is focused on being a third way, neither following dogmatic rules nor relying solely on instinct.