(Context: I’m thinking about individual contributors in the context of a startup – outside of that setting, I wonder how much validity there is to this)

For every member of a startup, it makes sense to gauge them in two dimensions: x and y.

x is the type A stuff:

• How much focused time they work.
• How effective they are at choosing what to work on.
• How well they communicate.
• How organized they are.
• How quickly they work.
• How well they take care of themselves so that they can maintain high output over time.

y is the dark side. The unknown. The creative dimension. For example:

• Coming up with a question no one asked before.
• Bringing a different approach that solves a long-lasting, difficult and important problem.
• Questioning assumptions and then finding better foundations for the existing or foundations for something new.
• Finding opportunities.
• Realizing that something important is actually not important.

X is the conscious. It’s relentless, organized, powerful and anxious push. Y is the shadow. It is quiet, detached, playful, irreverent.

To build something new, you need both. My operative formula is x times y. The value that someone contributes (or the probability that they will succeed) is the combination of x and y. This explains why someone with a lot of x but with near-zero y will not have much to contribute, unless they surround themselves with y people and are able to leverage their insights. Someone with good y can probably go quite far with a small amount of x. But a lot of both of x and y is possible, and it is a thing to behold.

I believe that you can increase your amount of x and y. y is probably harder to train for, but it’s definitely not impossible.

What’s also interesting is that too much x prevents y, and too much y prevents x. x requires push and order. y requires space and detachment. It hints at a cyclical pattern.

This is what I’m looking for in those I work with: as much x and y as possible. That, and trust. Lack of trust multiplies everything by 0.