Benevolence and morale

[karl]

Morgan Collett wrote:
> Interesting essay by Paul Graham on running a startup like a
> non-profit - the power of benevolence: http://paulgraham.com/good.html
>
> I found it inspiring in the context of OLPC, given that OLPC is a
> non-profit, yet going through startup-style challenges.
>
> Note his section on morale:
>
> "Morale is tremendously important to a startup—so important that
> morale alone is almost enough to determine success. Startups are often
> described as emotional roller-coasters. One minute you're going to
> take over the world, and the next you're doomed. The problem with
> feeling you're doomed is not just that it makes you unhappy, but that
> it makes you stop working. So the downhills of the roller-coaster are
> more of a self fulfilling prophecy than the uphills. If feeling you're
> going to succeed makes you work harder, that probably improves your
> chances of succeeding, but if feeling you're going to fail makes you
> stop working, that practically guarantees you'll fail."
>
> "Here's where benevolence comes in. If you feel you're really helping
> people, you'll keep working even when it seems like your startup is
> doomed."
>
> Anyway, read the whole essay to get the context.
>
> Morgan
I liked this picture from former OLPC worker Ivan Krstic' describing the 
startup process:
http://radian.org/notebook/startup-process

Karl