Kreps: CEOs must learn ~80% of what functional executives know
Jay Kreps · How to build a company when you’re not an optimist | Jay Kreps (Co-founder and CEO, Confluent) · Mar 26, 2026 · at 3:31
Jay Kreps, co-founder and CEO of Confluent, discusses the operational learning curve of transitioning from a software engineer to an executive leader.
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“I think CEOs need to know, you know, about 80% of what their executives know about their function, I think, over time. So really kind of learn that discipline. Not enough to be good Add it, but enough to be, to know what good is and know if it's going well.”
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