This is the Chipper Day message I sent to all Chipper employees globally. I am sharing it here publicly.
Hey Everyone,
I have spent the last week thinking about what message I wanted to send out to commemorate our 7th Anniversary, and ultimately what I keep coming back to are four words: grit, perseverance, humility, excellence.
- Grit: “courage and resolve; strength of character” -- It requires courage to do everything we do, and everything we aspire to do. It requires strength of character to stay the course during times of uncertainty and extreme challenge.
- Perseverance: “persistence in doing something despite difficulty/delay in achieving success” -- There is only one constant characteristic of all successful people and organizations, and that is perseverance. In the limit of time, winning and refusing to give up are the same thing.
- Humility: “permission to recognize shortcomings, and permission to grow” -- Humility is often misunderstood, it is not about having a low view of one’s importance or ability. Humility is recognizing the things you don’t know, and the things you don’t know that you don’t know. It is giving deference to ideas, and not rank or ego. This is when most growth happens.
- Excellence: “the quality of being outstanding or extremely good” -- There is no substitute for doing good work. In order to be the best among a highly competent and ambitious cohort, excellence must be a requirement at every level. Demand excellence from everyone you work with, but most importantly demand excellence from yourself. Be uncompromising in this regard.
Here’s to 7 more years, and 7 years after that, and another 7 after that. Onwards and upwards.
Best,
Ham