Lesson 12. ExOs Create Serendipity and Flow States

Ask any successful Silicon Valley founder in an authentic moment why their company popped above the competition. Most of the time, the answer you’ll get is, “Luck.” Just like being “discovered” in Hollywood or in the music business, luck is a tremendous, perhaps essential, factor in the success of a startup. To be sure, you must work hard, and you must be talented, but for that final push, Lady Luck often plays a part. The Roman philosopher Seneca defined luck as “where opportunity meets preparation.”

ExOs maximize both opportunity and preparation. Thus, they maximize luck and serendipity. An MTP drives passion and grit. Experimentation takes the organization into uncharted territory and pushes and tests new premises. Autonomy gives team members the freedom to try (and fail). AI and Algorithms can analyze vast amounts of data and identify patterns and trends that could indicate new business opportunities.

The various ExO attributes lead to increased collaboration and cross-functional teamwork, as different parts of the organization are able to work together more closely and share information more easily. This fosters a culture of innovation and creativity, which can lead to more serendipitous discoveries.

When individuals and teams feel empowered to take risks and try new things, they are more likely to discover new ideas and opportunities that may not have been uncovered otherwise.

The decentralized nature of an ExO and its Community allows it to tap into a wide range of diverse perspectives and ideas, increasing the likelihood of making non-linear discoveries.

Eric Yuan, CEO of Zoom, struggled for years to get major traction for his company. Then the pandemic hit, and instantly millions of customers signed up. Luckily, Eric was prepared for the incredible demand that resulted and was able to scale his offering as needed. Zoom is one of the key ExOs that allowed the world to minimize the impact of COVID-19.

Steven Kotler is famous for researching and expanding the thinking around Flow States in individuals. Moving from the individual to the organizational level, ExOs create flow states in organizations. Salim often talks about Serendipity and Luck as a measurable outcomes of being in Flow.