Builders-To-Talkers Ratio
What does it mean to build or create something? Today, when you ask someone in a tech company: "who builds stuff around here?". They would assume you're referring to the engineering team. They code, they build.
However, building takes shape in many forms:
Carpenters building beautiful cabinets
Sales rep creating marketing collaterals
Product wizard of oz-ing an MVP for the customer
To me and for the purpose of my points below: when I think of "building and creating", it's the execution of an idea. Willing an thought into reality.
I strongly believe that if you want to build a great company, you need a team of builders. And more importantly...
When the builder : talker ratio is not high enough, you will have a problem.
I would go as far as to say that your company or project is doomed to failure if you don't nip this problem ASAP. I'll explain why below.
Unfortunately, this happens a lot in today's world of becoming ever more specialized and roles are more delineated in terms of roles and responsibilities.
While this increases efficiency, sometimes it discourages people to build. Sometimes, this creates an environment where you can simply talk, and still be rewarded because it looks like you're "participating" and "helping".
Building vs. Thinking
When it comes to executing an idea, there are basically 2 things you need to do:
Think — what to do?
Do — do the task.
Hopefully, you're not in the not thinking, not doing bucket... reminds me of this.
Although you cannot have a team of only followers, they are usually hard-working and does the task given to them.
Talkers however are people who simply think and voice their disagreement and ideas, however, fail to do any of the work.
The real danger of only talking without the action is that it encourages people to sit back and simply talk.
Talking without action is actually a form of laziness.
Everyone has a brain, everyone thinks. However many people fall into this trap because it's easy to take comfort in talking, it provides a false sense of execution. That you're "contributing" and "helping" the rest of the team and bringing forth your "big brain ideas" 🧠.
However... this is actually toxic long term.
The best builders both think and create, they translate what they think into reality. This is why lean teams move quickly because that builder can simply build instead of politicking the room for consensus. Requirement of consensus washes out conviction.
Why talkers drive away builders
Builders love working with other builders because it energizes them. The sharpening of an idea happens as you continue to build and learn. You never build the best cabinet from your first attempt, but seeing a fellow carpenter's cabinet will give you inspiration for yours. It's the same in product and software.
When you have too many talkers instead of builders, people spend time talking instead of doing anything. The less builders you have, the more talkers dominate the room and presence. The more talkers there are, the more talking gets done. Your builders will learn that either they can simply talk and do no work too (and that's acceptable), or the good ones will leave.
Talkers either converts your builders into talkers, or your builders to leave.
Similar to how Guy Kawasaki explains the Bozo Explosion, it's a similar concept where before long: you'll end up with a room full of talkers.
Reminds me of the GOT scene with the hound. Listening to talkers makes your builders frustrated because they're spending all their time debating ideas and playing "devil’s advocate" instead of building and learning from them.
(Article some other time about the importance of incentive loops, but this is a great example of a downward spiraling incentive loop.)
What about talkers and followers?
You see this in larger companies that move slowly. Often times, you'll see talkers squeeze out the builders, and then you have a room full of talkers. They likely form the more senior, management layer where they are then hiring followers to execute on their ideas.
When you get to a certain scale, it's almost inevitable, it's very difficult to have a high concentration of only builders. However, as a startup, this is something you should watch out for.
This is because there are 2 fundamental flaws to a culture lacking builders:
You'll be so much slower in execution. Against a team of builders, they'll run circles around you.
It's incredibly difficult to build something truly amazing and cohesive because there will always be a gap between the idea and execution.
Kind of like the game keep talking and nobody explodes...
That's what it'll be like trying to execute your idea. It's possible, but imagine how much faster you can go if you could do both.
Builders-to-Talkers Ratio
I'd say, you'd want this ratio above 3:1. However, that 1 talker, better be a damn good visionary, or else it starts to create a bit of an incentive that "talkers" can succeed in the culture.
Related Idea:
This similar concept can be seen in a parallel to marketing vs. product. Steve Jobs does a good job explaining why product companies stop innovating when you get a monopoly.