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Hughes Johnson: No perfect org structure exists; commitment matters more

Claire Hughes Johnson · Lessons from scaling Stripe | Claire Hughes Johnson (ex-COO of Stripe) · Mar 5, 2023 · at 50:35

Former Stripe COO Claire Hughes Johnson discusses why companies should commit to an operational system rather than constantly seeking perfection.

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“There's no perfect org structure. There's no perfect operating approach. There's no perfect, yeah, performance and management and level system, but having one and committing to it is good, and don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good.”

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