Leadership Lessons From Managing a Global Development Team in the Midst of War
summary
Company closes Russian office, establishes Jet Rockets LLC in Georgia, and relocates 75% of staff within months, using buses, trucks and Airbnb-style rentals to move people and move furniture by truck from Russia to Batumi. Leadership enforces a cutoff—about 15% of staff are let go if they stay in Russia—while spending roughly $250,000 to fund relocation, open local payroll, issue Georgian contracts, set up a community office, and keep client projects running with minimal disruption.
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chapters (19)
- 0:00Leadership lessons from war
- 1:50War changed everything
- 3:37Relocating the team
- 7:17Escaping Russia
- 9:50MasterCard suspension
- 11:18Journey to Georgia
- 13:04Travel agent for team
- 14:2975% staff to Georgia
- 15:58Letting team members go
- 17:21New home in Batumi
- 19:51Furnishing the office
- 20:34First offsite in Georgia
- 21:36Decision saved lives
- 22:44Thriving remote-first
- 24:30Fast decisions and empathy
- 26:15Cost of doing right
- 27:18From rigid to transparent
- 27:39Embracing impostor syndrome
- 28:23Q&A
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