EP.5: We’re a Team, Not a Family— That’s a Good Thing

We are not a family. And that’s intentional.

Most companies love saying, “We’re a family,” but I never use that word to describe my team.

Here’s why: Teams thrive on accountability. Families don’t fire their underperforming members.

In business, we need people who are committed to excellence, not just included because of an emotional bond. Calling a company a family sets the wrong expectations—it implies unconditional belonging rather than earned success. This mentality can hold businesses back and create confusion around performance expectations.

Let’s break this down.

Why ‘Family’ Thinking is Hurting Your Team

The word “family” carries a powerful emotional weight. Families are built on unconditional love and support. No matter what happens, you’re still part of the family.

But companies aren’t built on unconditional love. They are built on results, accountability, and shared success.

A high-performance team demands excellence—it’s not about participation trophies or keeping people around because they’ve been here for a long time. Families tolerate and forgive mistakes without consequences. But a company must learn, adjust, and improve to stay competitive.

I once hired a brilliant engineer—one of the best we had in the early days. He could solve any problem, write exceptional code, and work insane hours to get things done. But as the company grew, so did the need for process, structure, and teamwork. This guy? He resisted every bit of it. He thrived in chaos but collapsed under structure. Meetings frustrated him. Code reviews felt like a waste of time to him. When we introduced better documentation, he called it “corporate nonsense.”

He was dragging the team down, and I had to let him go.

My father drilled this into me: When you let people go, let them believe they’re right. Let them leave cursing your name, convinced they saw it coming—smile.

Most will never sit where you sit. The ones who get it won’t hold grudges. They’ll adapt, grow, and keep moving.

The ones who don’t? They were never built for this.

Michael Jordan showed up to practice before anyone else, working on what he was already better at than the rest. Then he tore into his teammates, pushing them to match his intensity. They hated him for it—but no one questioned his discipline, his professionalism, or his results.

He wasn’t there to make friends. He was there to win.

Those who adapt, who embrace tough decisions—those are the real A-players.

A diploma might open doors, but no Ivy League education teaches the raw, unbreakable mindset required to thrive at the highest level.

True A-players aren’t defined by credentials; they’re forged in adversity, sharpened by failure, and driven by an unrelenting need to evolve. They don’t cling to past wins or dwell on old losses—they push forward, always chasing what’s next.

These are the ones you want beside you. Not the ones who whine when the game gets hard. Not the ones who coast on yesterday’s achievements. The ones who show up, put in the work, and demand more—from themselves, from you, from the mission.

Because, ultimately, success doesn’t wait for those who hesitate. It belongs to those who refuse to stand still.

Your Office Is Not Your Living Room—And That’s a Good Thing

Some of the most extravagant workplaces, from tech giants with nap pods to high-end consultancy firms with Michelin-starred cafeterias, boast about their luxury perks. But behind the glittering facade, these environments often breed complacency rather than innovation. Compare that to high-velocity startups where success is built on relentless execution, not on how fancy the espresso machine is. You think it’s a perk? It’s a golden cage. And many walk into it willingly—why wouldn’t they? After all, who wouldn’t want a workplace that pampers them like a five-star resort?

But here’s the problem: when your office starts feeling like a second home, you stop treating it like a place to execute. You get too comfortable. And comfort kills urgency.

No F1 driver sips an oat-macadamia latte at the starting line

No top surgeon scrolls memes before a life-or-death operation. No elite NBA player scrolls through Instagram or Tik-Tok before tip-off—they put on their noise-canceling headphones, listen to their pre-game playlist, and lock in mentally.

Your office is a battlefield for execution, not a lounge for passive productivity.?If you need a couch to function at work, you’re already losing the game.

Your office is where you execute—whether it’s the 34th floor of a downtown skyscraper or a corner in your home office. It’s where you bring your best, fully engaged in solving problems. Blur the lines between work and home, and you dilute your focus.

A workspace built for comfort over execution breeds mediocrity. The best in any field don’t see their workplace as a second home—they see it as the arena where they perform at the highest level.

Take Denzel Washington, for example. In an interview with?The New York Times, the host asked if he had ever taken a role purely out of passion, without considering the money. Denzel, with his signature mix of cynicism and blunt honesty, shot back:?“Of course I did it for the money. Do you think I’d invest this much time if I wasn’t getting paid to feed my family?”

This is what separates true professionals from amateurs. Denzel delivers nothing less than excellence when he's on set, but he’s not there to romanticize the grind—he knows exactly why he does what he does.

The best don’t clock in to "feel at home"—they show up to execute, dominate, and take care of what matters.

They all understand that peak performance requires absolute focus and rituals that reinforce their competitive edge. They don’t let distractions creep in -- they leave them behind to?stay 100% focused on execution.

This isn’t about being heartless—it’s about being?high-performing.?When you’re at work, your mind should be completely present in the mission at hand. When you’re at home, you should fully detach and recharge.

“Work hard, rest harder.”?If you mix both, you create confusion. You either sit in your cozy office?counting the time until 5 o’clock, or work sluggishly because home isn’t fulfilling enough.

This simple shift in perspective - work at work, rest at home—creates efficiency and purpose and will skyrocket your performance. Create an environment for?execution, not relaxation.

You Don’t Need to Guess—There’s a Proven Shortcut to Success

Pilots don’t “wing it.” They follow a process. And so should you.

Each pilot, no matter how senior or how many flight hours they have, follows the same?pre-flight checklist, in-flight status checks, and emergency protocols.?There’s no room for guesswork when the stakes are high—only discipline, process, and execution. But true excellence isn’t about rigidly following a script—it’s about mastering a framework that enables quick, decisive action when it matters most.

This is where the?OODA Loop comes into play.

1. OBSERVE?– Before takeoff, during flight, or when the unexpected strikes, a pilot's first move is always the same—scan everything. Weather shifts, aircraft performance, and air traffic updates are continuously assessed to stay ahead. Likewise, top performers in any field don’t just set a plan in the morning and hope for the best. They remain vigilant, continuously re-evaluating priorities, identifying obstacles before they become crises, and adapting swiftly to maintain momentum.
2. ORIENT?– Pilots don’t just take in information—they process it in real-time, understanding how changing conditions impact their strategy. In leadership, this means staying adaptable, making decisions based on live feedback rather than rigid, outdated plans. It’s not just about what you think is best or how you would have done it; it’s about listening to your co-pilot, crew, and everyone involved, recognizing that the best insights often come from those around you.
3. DECIDE?– The best pilots make rapid yet informed decisions, weighing risks against objectives. In high-performance work environments, strong leaders commit to a course of action based on logic and insight, not hesitation and second-guessing. "A plan in motion beats perfection in limbo—execute, adjust, and move forward."
4. ACT?– Execution is everything. Once a decision is made, there’s no dwelling—only action, followed by continuous assessment to improve the next cycle.

By following OODA, elite professionals set themselves apart—using a structured, repeatable discipline to stay ahead of challenges, shape outcomes, and build an environment where focus and adaptability thrive.

Set the Pace Like a Lewis Hamilton — Not a Passenger

Let’s switch things up: next time you're on your way to the office—whether you're tuned into your favorite radio station, a Spotify playlist, or the latest podcast, or just easing into your home-office routine with a coffee in hand, try a different approach. ?take control before your day even starts.

When Lewis Hamilton gets in the car, he already knows every turn, every braking point, every strategy adjustment. He doesn’t just react—he dictates the pace.

Does he win every race??absoultly not.?

In Formula 1, a long circuit can have up to?50+ laps, and in every single one,?unplanned, unexpected, and unwanted?problems arise. A tire puncture. A sudden downpour. A mechanical failure. A bad pit stop. A reckless move from another driver. But does he sit back and let it derail him? No. He adapts, recalibrates, and keeps pushing forward.

You should do the same. Instead of starting your day by figuring out?what?to do, take a few minutes before work to map out your key tasks. You don’t need a complicated system—just a quick mental rundown or a short note on your phone will do.

Then, when you step into work,?set the tone.?Whether it’s a quick personal check-in, a Slack message outlining priorities, or a brief sync with your team, make sure everyone—including you—knows what needs to get done.

And when an issue inevitably arises??Handle it like Hamilton—decisive, methodical, unshaken:

• Immediate actions?– Respond instantly. No hesitation.
• Analyze the situation?– Get the full picture with clarity.
• Refine the response?– Adjust based on facts, not feelings.
• Determine continuity?– Does this impact the long game? Yes or no.
• Debrief the same day?– Learn fast. Apply it tomorrow.

This alone will?double your efficiency overnight.

No wasted time. No pointless meetings. No passive “catch-ups.” Just?execution, reflection, and relentless improvement.

Lewis Hamilton doesn’t wait for the race to dictate his moves—he sets the pace from the first lap.?Why should your day be any different?

How This Mentality Creates a Better Work Environment

When we call a workplace a "family," it blurs the lines between personal and professional relationships, often leading to confusion about expectations and accountability. People around you want clarity, not vague emotional ties.

A team mentality creates a structured, fair, and high-performing environment:

• Clear expectations?— Everyone knows their role and how to succeed.
• Clear rewards?— Performance is recognized and compensated accordingly.
• Clear accountability?— Underperformance is addressed, and excellence is rewarded.

In aviation, pilots operate in an environment where clear expectations and accountability are paramount. When a pilot makes an error, it isn’t brushed aside with emotional support. Instead, there is a structured debriefing process where mistakes are analyzed, lessons are extracted, and improvements are made. This rigorous feedback loop ensures that pilots remain among the best in the world.

The Final Word: Win or Be Left Behind

I respect my team too much to sugarcoat reality. We’re not a family. We’re a high-performance unit, built on execution, accountability, and an unrelenting drive for success—both individually in their careers and collectively in the mission we believe in. The company isn’t just a place to work; it’s the platform that gets us there.

A team mindset fosters excellence, accountability, and fairness. If you treat people like a true team, they will show up like top performers. They will know that their contributions matter, that their hard work is recognized, and that their growth is based on merit.

Both in our careers and in the mission we’re building, we’re here to move forward.?The company isn’t the goal—it’s the vehicle.?You don’t sit in a car just to be in it; you drive it to get somewhere.

For the team, that might mean hitting their money goals, leveling up in their careers, or building something they’re proud of. And collectively, we see this vehicle as the way to achieve all of that—by executing on the company’s vision.

And by the way, even the board, shareholders, and investors—while they might admire the innovation—are here for the same reason.?As Denzel put it, if it wasn’t for the money outcome, there’s a high chance it would’ve never happened.?

Passion is great. Purpose is powerful. But without results, the vehicle doesn’t move.

The best way to get what you want—to pilot your own path, even in someone else’s vehicle—is to maximize your probability of winning.?And to do that,?you need to cut out the noise.?The predictable obstacles, the daily grind, the distractions—they’re all just background static. Your focus should be on?the real challenges—the unexpected problems that actually matter with the right team around you.

So ask yourself—do you want to be part of a team that wins or a ‘family’ that settles? The choice is yours. But remember, success doesn’t wait for those who hesitate.

It's your path. Pilot it.