High-performance in tech is often misunderstood. Too often, we focus on buzzwords like ’10x engineers’ and forget the simple truths that actually make teams and individuals thrive.
In my career, I’ve seen a bit of everything. By looking at the spectrum, I can say this: in essence, high-performance is a function of: clarity, focus, drive, accountability, and ultimately productivity.
A few years ago, Elon Musk distilled this in one famous question:
What did you get done this week?
Plaintiffs in Twitter, Inc. v. Elon R. Musk et al. filed Exhibit H, page 98
I find this question very powerful. It critically separates drivers from passengers. If you’re running a small startup, make sure you have more drivers than passengers, or else nothing will get done.
As a leader, I believe it is my number one priority to ensure there’s clarity & focus. There should be no doubt of what we’re trying to do, and why. And when there is, I should be able to answer confidently. Once that’s out of the way, I start every week with two questions to my direct reports. Note to the reader: I’m mostly talking about senior leaders, such as Staff+/Manager+, as ICs.
Have you delivered what you said you would deliver last week?
This is a version of Elon’s question. It helps drive accountability to our actions. It ensures we value what we say, and stick to what we agreed on. It also helps determine if there have been any macro blockers we should work on.
What are you going to achieve this week?
We then look forward, and agree on what we all want to get done this week. This is a moment to calibrate ourselves, and continue to make progress towards the goal. It’s our opportunity to take the next steps in the right direction.
The track record of answering these two questions clearly distinguishes high from low performers. One week is a lot of time to deliver value.
What high-performance will look like
Over time, I’ve found that high performers consistently exhibit these behaviors:
- Self-manage effectively, seeking feedback rather than relying on direct guidance.
- Demonstrate relentless drive, staying committed to getting things done no matter the obstacles.
- Prioritize ruthlessly, cutting through noise to focus on the most impactful tasks.
- Deliver on commitments, meeting deadlines consistently and with high-quality results.
- Embody accountability, taking full ownership of outcomes without making excuses.
- Ask thoughtful questions, ensuring they have the context needed to deliver effectively.
- Come prepared to discussions, bringing draft proposals or solutions rather than just problems.
- Manage their time and calendar proactively, leaving space for both deep work and collaboration.
- Communicate frequently and clearly, keeping stakeholders aligned and informed without being prompted.
In my experience, regardless of their functional discipline, high-performers all tend to exhibit most of those behaviours, consistently. They will instil momentum and urgency around them. They will be effective and drive culture.
What to watch out for
While high performers drive momentum and impact, low-performer behaviors can slow progress. Identifying these patterns early creates opportunities for coaching and growth. Here are some behaviours to pay attention to:
- Frequently deflects responsibility, offering excuses instead of addressing problems or finding solutions.
- Relies heavily on direction, needing constant steering and micromanagement to make progress.
- Misses deadlines consistently, failing to deliver on commitments without valid reasons.
- Blocks progress for others, defaulting to a “no, but…” mindset instead of fostering collaboration with a “yes, and…” approach.
- Struggles with time management, failing to prioritise effectively or overcommitting to tasks they cannot complete.
- Delivers inconsistently, producing work that is either late, incomplete, or subpar in quality.
People can underperform for a number of reasons, some of which are legitimate. They might be experiencing a personal problem. There could be unreasonable expectations on them. There could be a lack of clarity, and so forth. Don’t rush to conclusions too quickly. But look at performance trends over time to identify patterns.
For these roles, high performance means not just delivering results but embodying the behaviours you want to see in the team. Show up prepared, communicate clearly, and hold yourself accountable. Your example sets the tone for the entire organisation.
If you’re running a startup, I don’t think you can afford otherwise. So – if you’re a founder or tech leader, start asking these two questions weekly and track how your team evolves. High performance doesn’t happen overnight—it’s built, refined, nurtured, and led by example.
