Overview
- Winning solves retention: Companies that are winning never have retention problems; perks and raises won't retain great people if the company isn't succeeding
- Focus on magnets: Prioritize retaining great architects and managers who attract and retain other talented people
- Clean house: Remove "VIPs" (vesting in peace), summertime soldiers who joined post-success, and mediocre performers to improve morale and reallocate resources
- Simplify structure: Eliminate matrices, dual reporting, and shared services; give stars direct responsibility with tolerance for overlap
- Change the story: Shake things up through reorgs, deals, or bold moves to reintroduce curiosity and energy into a stagnant narrative
Takeaways
Marc Andreessen wrote this guide on retaining talent at large technology companies. The core insight is that retention problems are actually winning problems—great people stay when the company is succeeding, and no amount of perks can substitute for a compelling mission and rising stock price.
The only way a company in that situation can retain great people is to start winning again. Great people want to work at a winner.