Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO, Uber | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

Dara Khosrowshahi discusses his journey from Iran to becoming the CEO of Uber, addressing challenges such as assimilation and the importance of family. He emphasizes the need for transparency, mentorship, and customer-obsession in leadership. Khosrowshahi also shares insights on the culture and future of Uber, including diversity, the integration of third-party services, and the role of autonomous vehicles.

Key Insights

• 👶 Assimilation experiences as a child can shape leadership qualities such as resilience and adaptability.
• 🖐️ Mentorship plays a crucial role in personal and career development, providing guidance and the ability to learn from experienced individuals.
• 💭 Company culture should value diversity of thought, origin, and gender, and should be customer-obsessed for long-term success.
• 🪛 Balancing growth and profitability is a challenge, but maintaining a focus on the customer can drive sustainable growth.

Transcript

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Questions & Answers

Q: How did the experience of assimilation shape Dara Khosrowshahi as a leader?

Khosrowshahi explains that being a child at the time allowed for more flexibility in adapting to different situations. However, being low on the family totem pole taught him to assimilate even before coming to the United States. The experience instilled resilience and the ability to adapt quickly, qualities that have shaped his leadership approach.

Q: How did mentorship play a role in Dara Khosrowshahi's career development?

Khosrowshahi acknowledges Barry Diller as his first true mentor, describing how Diller took a personal interest in his work and desired to understand the core of the subject matter. He emphasizes the importance of going to the source of information and learning from those directly involved. This mentorship experience influenced Khosrowshahi's approach to leadership and decision-making.

Q: How did Dara Khosrowshahi address the cultural and leadership challenges at Uber?

Khosrowshahi acknowledges that Uber had a culture that focused too much on winning and there were negative aspects that developed as a result. He identifies the need for diversity of thought, origin, and gender within the company. Khosrowshahi is actively working to change the culture by building a diverse leadership team and ensuring the celebration of differences. He aims to create a customer-obsessed approach that values the drivers and riders, as well as the cities in which Uber operates.

Q: How does Dara Khosrowshahi balance investing in growth and new products with demonstrating profitability to shareholders?

Khosrowshahi expresses that Uber will not have predictable profitability and shareholders can choose whether to invest in a predictably profitable company or a growth-focused one. He believes that the potential for growth in the markets Uber operates in is substantial and that the company's position uniquely allows for the integration of various transportation services. Khosrowshahi emphasizes focusing on the customer and their needs rather than solely on competitors.

Summary

In this video, Dara Khosrowshahi, the CEO of Uber, discusses his background, leadership experiences, and his role at Uber. He shares insights on the challenges he faced during assimilation as an immigrant, the importance of mentorship, and his approach to negotiating job offers. Khosrowshahi also talks about the cultural issues at Uber and the steps they are taking to address them. He discusses the company's focus on customer obsession, the integration of different transportation modes, and their plans for autonomous vehicles. Additionally, he shares his perspective on profitability and growth, and his support system for maintaining sanity amidst the pressures of his role.

Questions & Answers

Q: How did the challenge of assimilation shape Dara Khosrowshahi as a leader?

Dara Khosrowshahi explains that as a child immigrant, he had to quickly adapt and assimilate to a new environment. Being flexible and resilient helped him navigate different situations and cultures. Additionally, being low on the social hierarchy as the youngest brother and cousin pushed him to assimilate even before coming to the United States. Despite the difficult experiences, having the support of his family and a strong education helped shape his leadership qualities.

Q: How did Dara Khosrowshahi start his career in the technology industry?

Dara Khosrowshahi's career in the technology industry began when he joined Allen & Company as a young analyst. It was during a hostile takeover deal that he had the opportunity to work closely with Barry Diller, a prominent figure in the industry. Khosrowshahi recognized Diller as someone he wanted as a mentor due to his demanding yet loyal nature. This connection eventually led him to work with Diller at IAC and later become the CEO of Expedia.

Q: How did Dara Khosrowshahi approach negotiations during the process of becoming the CEO of Uber?

During the negotiation process with Uber, Dara Khosrowshahi valued transparency and aligning expectations with the board. He emphasized the importance of open communication, particularly in the boardroom, to ensure decisions and discussions were not leaked externally. Khosrowshahi was clear about his capabilities and what he needed to succeed in the role. He believed that being transparent about one's capabilities and expectations is crucial for building trust and mutually beneficial relationships.

Q: How did Dara Khosrowshahi address the internal leaks and repair trust at Uber?

Dara Khosrowshahi acknowledged the issue of leaks and the negative impact they had on the company. He recognized that it takes time to rebuild trust and emphasized the importance of focusing on customer obsession and internal improvement rather than competitor-centric thinking. Khosrowshahi mentioned that leaks have decreased over time and expressed confidence in the progress they are making to repair trust within the organization.

Q: How does Dara Khosrowshahi think about profitability and growth at Uber?

Dara Khosrowshahi stated that Uber is not focused on predictable profitability but believes in investing in growth. He described Uber as a complex, multi-product company with a global scope. Khosrowshahi expressed a long-term and patient approach to building the company and serving the needs of their customers. He emphasized being transparent with shareholders about their growth-oriented strategy and attracting investors who align with Uber's vision and potential.

Q: Does Dara Khosrowshahi see Uber as a potential platform for autonomous vehicle players like Waymo?

Dara Khosrowshahi expressed openness to integrating autonomous vehicle players like Waymo onto the Uber platform. He believes that autonomous technology is a means to an end and that ride-sharing is a crucial component for commercializing autonomous vehicles on a large scale. He highlighted Uber's advantage of having both ride-sharing and autonomous technology under one roof, enabling them to develop and commercialize autonomous vehicles more effectively.

Q: How does Dara Khosrowshahi plan to integrate different transportation modes into Uber's platform?

Dara Khosrowshahi sees Uber as an A to B mobility and transportation platform that aims to integrate various transportation options. He mentioned the integration with Lime for bikes and scooters and expressed their goal of including public transportation, such as buses and trains, as well. The objective is to provide users with the best transportation option based on their needs and offer a seamless experience with real-time data and payment integration.

Q: How does Dara Khosrowshahi approach the tension between investing in growth and demonstrating profitability to shareholders?

Dara Khosrowshahi stated that Uber's focus is on growth and that predictable profitability may not be achievable in the near future. He emphasized being transparent with shareholders about their growth-oriented strategy and attracting investors who align with Uber's long-term vision. Khosrowshahi mentioned that he prefers small ideas that can be quickly implemented or big long-term bets, rather than being caught in the middle.

Q: How does Dara Khosrowshahi maintain his sanity amidst the pressures of his role at Uber?

Dara Khosrowshahi credits his family, particularly his wife, as his support system. He mentioned that having a perspective shaped by his family's loss and rebuilding in the past allows him to have a fearlessness towards failure. Khosrowshahi emphasized the importance of giving his best to the opportunity at hand and appreciating the moments spent with his family.

Q: Does Dara Khosrowshahi envision a future in politics beyond his role at Uber?

Dara Khosrowshahi expressed that he is focused on his current role at Uber and helping the company succeed. He joked about being half CEO and half politician in the new world of Uber but stated that he does not see himself getting further involved in politics beyond that.

Takeaways

Dara Khosrowshahi's leadership journey has been shaped by his background as an immigrant, his experiences with mentorship, and his focus on transparency and customer obsession. He emphasizes the importance of assimilation and resilience in navigating new environments. Khosrowshahi's approach to negotiations highlights the value of aligning expectations and being transparent about capabilities. He addresses the cultural challenges at Uber and the steps they are taking to improve trust and diversity within the company. Khosrowshahi envisions an integrated transportation platform at Uber, embracing autonomy and various transportation modes. He prioritizes growth over predictable profitability and emphasizes the importance of attracting investors who align with Uber's long-term vision. Despite the challenges and pressures he faces, Khosrowshahi maintains his sanity through the support of his family and a perspective shaped by past experiences.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Dara Khosrowshahi reflects on his childhood in Iran and the challenges of assimilation and learning English upon moving to the United States. He highlights the role of family and sports in helping him adapt.

• Khosrowshahi shares his experience working with mentor Barry Diller and the importance of transparency in leadership and decision-making.

• The CEO discusses the past and future of Uber, addressing the need for diversity and customer-obsession. He emphasizes integrating third-party services and platforms to create a comprehensive transportation and mobility offering.