What You Do Is Who You Are: How to Create Your Business Culture

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Ben Horowitz, a prominent venture capitalist and management expert, offers practical and often surprising insights on building resilient organizational cultures. Drawing from historical examples and modern practices, he addresses a vital question for every organization: how to create and sustain the desired culture. Horowitz emphasizes that culture is defined by decision-making processes and the assumptions employees use to tackle everyday challenges. If culture is not intentionally crafted, it risks becoming accidental or misguided. The book highlights four influential leaders—Toussaint Louverture, the Samurai, Genghis Khan, and Shaka Senghor—who shaped their respective cultures through purposeful leadership. Horowitz connects these historical figures to contemporary case studies, demonstrating how their cultural techniques can inform modern leadership practices at companies like Netflix and Uber. He also explores how Genghis Khan’s inclusive vision resonates with the leadership styles of Don Thompson at McDonald's and Maggie Wilderotter at Frontier Communications. Through this exploration, Horowitz provides guidance for organizations to understand their strategies and cultivate successful cultures. Ultimately, he asserts that an organization's identity is defined not by stated values or marketing but by actions. This book serves as a roadmap for leaders aspiring to create a culture that reflects their true values and fost