Wartime CEO: Running a War Room (1 of 2)

All bets are off. That lead investor just pulled out. Your cost of acquisition just doubled. Your biggest customers are leaving. You stare at the spreadsheet. Nothing adds up. Without swift action your runway will shrink until a crash is imminent. What do you do when your worst-case scenario becomes a reality? <h1>Welcome to wartime</h1> In <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hard-Thing-About-Things-Building/dp/0062273205" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">The Hard Thing About Hard Things</a>, Ben Horowitz paints a vivid picture of a wartime CEO up against an ‘imminent existential threat’. In the 12 years building tech companies, I did more than my fair share of layoffs. I’ve shut down companies, fired co-founders and had investors pull out at the last minute. But as a CEO coach for many years, I’ve seen even worse. Mike Tyson said, “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.” And that’s why I’m writing this series: to give you a blueprint on how to react when life deals you a painful blow. The series comes in two parts: <ul> <li>Part 1: Running a War Room (attack)</li> <li>Part 2: Making Cuts (retreat)</li> </ul> <h1>Attack: running a war room</h1> War rooms are used by military leaders to discuss tactics and strategies in a state of war. In your case, you’ll create a dedicated space for your team to work intensely on your plan of attack. If you have an office, you might take over a meeting room, otherwise it might be a dedicated video-conference link. <a href="https://medium.dave-bailey.com/wartime-ceo-part-1-running-a-war-room-49b3f46504f4">Learn More</a>