The Hard Thing About Hard Things
By Ben Horowitz
•Reading time: 15 minutes
•Last updated: January 1, 2024
Overview
"The Hard Thing About Hard Things" by Ben Horowitz offers an unvarnished look at the harsh realities of building and running a company. Drawing from his experiences as co-founder and CEO of Opsware (sold to HP for $1.6 billion) and as a venture capitalist, Horowitz shares practical wisdom about navigating the most difficult challenges in business.
Unlike many business books that focus on success stories, Horowitz concentrates on the painful moments—layoffs, management struggles, company failures, and high-pressure decisions. His candid advice, often delivered with cultural references to hip-hop lyrics, offers entrepreneurs and leaders a realistic roadmap for handling situations where there are no easy answers.
Key Leadership Lessons
The Struggle
Horowitz introduces "The Struggle"—the painful, lonely, and often unsolvable challenges that leaders face:
- The Struggle is normal and unavoidable for ambitious leaders
- There's no formula for handling The Struggle; each situation is unique
- The most important quality is the ability to keep going despite the pain
- Embrace the struggle as part of the journey rather than an indication of failure
Wartime vs. Peacetime CEO
Horowitz distinguishes between two leadership modes:
- Peacetime CEO: Focuses on expansion, optimizing procedures, and innovation during times of prosperity
- Wartime CEO: Must be decisive, focused, and sometimes ruthless when the company is fighting for survival
- Great CEOs can adapt their leadership style based on the company's circumstances
- Startups are often in permanent wartime mode, requiring a specific mindset and approach
Making Tough Decisions
Horowitz offers practical advice for handling the most difficult leadership decisions:
- When faced with only bad options, choose the least worst one
- Take the time to properly frame the decision by identifying the key factors
- Gather multiple perspectives, but ultimately the CEO must decide
- Don't hide from reality—face bad news head-on and act decisively
Practical Management Advice
Hiring Executives
Hire for strengths rather than lack of weaknesses. Look for people whose skills match your company's specific needs at its current stage. Prioritize the ability to get things done over perfect experience, and don't rely too heavily on references.
Firing and Layoffs
If you need to let people go, do it quickly, clearly, and with compassion. When conducting layoffs, be transparent about why they're necessary, take responsibility, and focus on treating people fairly. Never sacrifice your company culture in the process.
Training Your Team
Proper training is crucial but often overlooked. Create formal training programs for all key roles and functions. Good training builds company culture, establishes common standards, and improves productivity across the organization.
Company Culture
Culture is defined by who gets promoted, hired, and fired. Make your values explicit and actionable. Create mechanisms to preserve culture as the company grows, and lead by example with your own behavior.
Conclusion
"The Hard Thing About Hard Things" stands out for its brutal honesty about entrepreneurship and leadership. Horowitz acknowledges that there are no easy answers or perfect solutions when running a company—only hard choices and the courage to make them.
The book's enduring value lies in its practical, detailed advice drawn from real-world experience rather than theory. For entrepreneurs and leaders facing their own struggles, Horowitz offers both the tactical guidance and moral support to keep going when things get tough. As he emphasizes throughout, the ability to persist through hardship and make good decisions under extreme pressure is what ultimately separates successful leaders from unsuccessful ones.