6 tips from OpenAI CEO Sam Altman on how to run a company and manage your team
- OpenAI CEO Sam Altman survived a high-profile ouster last year.
- At OpenAI, he has certain management philosophies, from keeping mornings free of meetings to delegating strategically.
One of the biggest names in the AI industry, Sam Altman was the subject of a massive ouster last year. Within a (very hectic) week, however, he was reinstated in his role as CEO at OpenAI, the firm behind AI chatbot ChatGPT.
So how exactly does he like to run one of the most talked-about AI businesses?
Here's a look at some of the tips he's shared over the years when it comes to managing teams and leading a business.
Find balance in managing people
Altman believes in "pushing people hard enough that they accomplish more than they thought they could, but not so hard they burn out," he wrote in a 2019 blog post.
In a 2023 blog post, he added, "Do not let the org chart get in the way of people working productively together."
Watch out for meeting creep
Altman typically tries to limit the amount of his time spent on meetings or conferences, he wrote in a 2018 blog post, but acknowledges it's "critical that you keep enough space in your schedule to allow for chance encounters and exposure to new people and ideas."
Every OpenAI employee is welcome to reach out to Altman on Slack, and a "crazy" number of people have his personal phone number, one person who has worked closely with Altman previously told Business Insider.
Altman said in the 2018 blog post that he thinks the ideal meeting time is either around 15 to 20 minutes, or 2 hours, but "the default of 1 hour is usually wrong."
The first few hours of Altman's day, which are his most productive, stay meeting-free.
Communicate with brevity
Altman says speaking concisely is a game-changer.
"Learning how to say something in 30 seconds that takes most people 5 minutes is a big unlock," Altman wrote on X in April.
In emails, he is "terse to the point of rudeness," he wrote in 2018.
Delegate carefully
Altman shared advice for delegating tasks in 2018.
He wrote that he "can't be very productive working on things I don't care about or don't like," so he sometimes passes down these responsibilities, strategically.
"Remember that everyone else is also most productive when they're doing what they like, and do what you'd want other people to do for you—try to figure out who likes (and is good at) doing what, and delegate that way," he wrote.
Prioritize your work well
Altman said there are three parts to his approach to work.
"Make sure to get the important shit done, Don't waste time on stupid shit, and make a lot of lists," he said in 2018.
He makes lists on paper of what he wants to get done daily, monthly, and yearly.
Devote more attention to hiring
"Spend more time recruiting," he wrote in 2023. "Take risks on high-potential people with a fast rate of improvement. Look for evidence of getting stuff done in addition to intelligence."
He's also said it's crucial to "get good at discovering undiscovered talent."