3 Leadership Lessons I Personally Learned From Tony Hsieh

Many of us in the leadership sphere were shocked and saddened to hear the news of Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh’s tragic passing over the weekend. I expect many articles will be written about Tony’s legacy and what timeless leadership lessons he leaves behind that we can all learn from.

Likewise, I wanted to write something to honour Tony as I have used examples of his leadership in some of my leadership keynotes, I’ve quoted him in my first book “Leadership Vertigo”, and Jamie Naughton, Zappos’ former Speaker of the House and Chief of Staff who worked alongside and at times in place of Tony, wrote an endorsement for my book.

But rather than share a series of leadership lessons gleaned from Tony’s accomplishments, I want to share something a little more personal, a story that goes back to when I first started my leadership firm.

In early 2010, I was invited to join a select number of bloggers who would be given an advance reading copy of Tony’s book “Delivering Happiness” in exchange for writing an honest review about the book on my leadership blog. Although I had been writing online for many years at that point, I had just started this leadership blog and honestly, I was surprised anyone at Zappos even knew who I was or that I had a leadership blog.

Needless to say, I was delighted to be a part of this exclusive group and in June 2010, I published my review of Tony’s book here on my blog. I sent Tony’s publicist an email to let her know my review was now online and included a link to my piece.

Soon after I sent my email, I had this reply in my inbox:

I couldn’t believe my eyes. Tony was no doubt busy going from one interview to the next to talk about his new book. And yet, there it was – a message from Tony Hsieh, the CEO of Zappos, saying how he wanted to take a moment from his busy day to thank me for being a part of his book launch.

While it’s bittersweet to see Tony’s message now, I wanted to share it because in this short note, Tony reveals three powerful leadership lessons that without question will become a part of his leadership legacy.

1. Never underestimate the power of a simple gesture

It’s been over 10 years since I got this email from Tony and yet, I still remember it as though I got it last week. Not because it hangs on my office bulletin board alongside emails and cards from past clients and attendees of my talks thanking me for the insights I shared.

Rather, I remember Tony’s words because of the impact it had on me – of how a leader as successful and popular and sought after as Tony took the time to not only read my email, but send me a quick note thanking me for helping to support him.

That’s why I wanted to feature Tony’s quote in the blog image above, which is actually an image I use in some of my leadership keynotes. It’s a wonderful reminder that every conversation you have with your employees is an opportunity to share a simple gesture to let them know you care about them and their success [Share on Twitter].

2. Your words really do matter

I’m sure Tony knew that just getting a message of thanks from him would mean a lot, especially given how he was in the midst of doing media interviews in New York to promote his book’s release. And yet, notice how he starts his message apologizing that he couldn’t write more. In those 5 first words, Tony spoke volumes – you and your efforts matter to me.

One of the consistent complaints a majority of leaders face is not communicating enough to their employees. And what Tony’s example here reveals is that it’s not how much you speak to your employees, it’s what you’re telling them when you speak that matters [Share on Twitter].

As people share their own stories about Tony, it’s clear he understood the influence his successes and position gave him, and he never took that lightly. Tony clearly understood the power a leader’s words have to not only inspire others, but to help them understand the impact their contributions have on moving things forward.

3. Be humble and be generous

As I mentioned earlier, when I was invited to join a handful of online writers who would be sent an advance reading copy of Tony’s book, I was just starting out in the leadership sphere, trying to determine what unique perspectives and insights I could share. As such, just being a part of Tony’s book launch team was a big deal.

But when I got this email from Tony, I realized that it was also a big deal for him that so many people he didn’t even know wanted to help extend the reach of his book and its ideas. Tony’s message of gratitude demonstrated how humble he was and how the best leaders recognize that everyone has something meaningful to contribute no matter how small their sphere of influence [Share on Twitter].

But his gesture also showed his generosity of spirit. Amid all the demands he must have had from people around him, not to mention all the emails and text messages from people congratulating him on his book’s launch, Tony took a few moments in his day to read my email and send me a thank you note.

Of course, there are so many others who were more impacted by Tony’s leadership because they had the good fortune to work with him. But I wanted to share my story to help illustrate that even in those small encounters we have with those around us, there is an opportunity to inspire, to empower, and make people believe in their potential to be more [Share on Twitter].

A few months after I published my review of Tony’s book on my leadership blog, I got another surprise from Tony and his team – a Zappos branded box. Inside was a hardcover copy of Tony’s book, their way of “delivering happiness” to someone who had helped celebrate their company’s story and mission. That hardcover copy – along with the advanced reader’s copy – can still be found in my library of leadership books. The difference now is they both carry a deeper sentiment than they did a few days ago.

While I never got the chance to meet Tony, I nonetheless count myself fortunate that I can share this thoughtful message he sent me a little over 10 years ago and what we can learn from it. Of how we should never lose sight of what matters most, and to always remember the lasting impact we can have on others just by making the time to let them know we care.

It’s why I have little doubt his leadership example will continue to shine brightly and inspire others to always do right by those under their care.

Rest in peace, Tony.