Federico Soria, Airbnb | The Airbnb Method: Leading Teams and Building Culture

The audio and video are in Spanish. These notes are a translation.

Growing professionally, whether as a founder or as an employee, usually means stepping away from individual work and becoming a leader who helps more people do their work successfully.

This transition brings challenges that not all of us are prepared for. You not only have to be technically skilled at solving problems; you also have to have the emotional intelligence needed to build a team that trusts you.

Today we speak with Federico Soria, a Manager at Airbnb, the startup that revolutionized the hospitality industry and went public in the middle of the pandemic. Before arriving at Airbnb, Federico founded his own company in Mexico and was a technology leader at other startups in Silicon Valley.

We talked about what it takes to have a successful career in the world of startups, the challenges of moving from individual contributor to manager, and what the best practices are for leading a high-performing team. Federico also told us how Airbnb’s leadership style and culture work from the inside.

Youtube Timestamps*

[1:33] - Career in Startups

How did Federico arrive at the fascinating world of startups?
What have been some key moments for standing out that led Federico to his current role as an engineering manager?
What has Federico learned about how to build a career in startups? What practices, mindset, or advice do you give people who are starting to work at a startup?
Federico is a manager of managers at Airbnb. How do his career lessons show up in the way he mentors his own team?

[15:45] - Intro to Management

What has been the hardest part for Federico of the transition from individual contributor to engineering manager?
What have been your most important lessons about how to manage a team?
Federico is clear on the 3 levels of management: upward, downward, and lateral. What does this concept consist of, and how does understanding it affect his management style?
In 2020, Airbnb had to lay off 25% of its staff. How did Federico experience that moment, and what did the company’s leadership do to be so honest and share the real hard truths without hurting the team’s trust?
What was the process for communicating and building culture during the early months of the pandemic?

[42:50] - Airbnb Culture

Airbnb has a very particular culture. It is not only 100% remote work, but also policies such as the No Meeting Wednesdays. What is Airbnb’s philosophy on meetings, and how do they think about the advantages and disadvantages of having meetings?
What is necessary, according to Federico, to maintain a strong culture in a company that is 100% remote and as large as Airbnb?

[55:35] - Quick Questions

If he had to start a company from scratch, what is the main piece of advice Federico would give himself?
What has been the most influential book on Federico’s path through the world of startups?
Changes Federico would like to see in Latin America’s startup ecosystem