tl;dr:(1) People are complicated and flawed. Root for their better angels. (2) The best way to get a busy person’s attention: Help them. (3) Keep it simple and move fast when conceiving strategies and making decisions. (4) Every weakness has a corresponding strength. (5) The values that actually shape a culture have both upside and downside. (6)
Understand someone’s “alpha” tendencies and how that drives them. (7) Self-deception watch: even those who say they don’t need or want flattery, sometimes still need it. (8) Be clear on your specific level of engagement on a project. (9) Sketch three possible outcomes for a project: the likely upside, likely ‘regular’, and likely downside scenarios. (10) A key to making good partnerships great: Identify and emphasize any misaligned incentives.