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Most important takeaway for me was: In any discussion, it’s not only critical to consider your perspective or that of the person you’re directly dealing with, you must consider everyone else who’s not in the room and their reactions/motivations.

Relevant far beyond the scope of startups

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I'm a techie for life and work for Bigco (probably for life) and I see this sort of thing weekly. A decision comes down that is derided as stupid because "management is clueless" is often not because the people that made the decision understand this basic principle.

I considered what would be the opposite effect if you always considered others perspective. Wouldn't this affect the way you make decisions when you're required to put your foot down? Or is not a situation that often happens?

I take it to mean make sure you apply empathy in decisions, particularly hard ones. The ability to "put your foot down" is an independent skill and in many cases made easier if you take time to understand the perspectives and motivations of those who didn't have an initial voice in the conversation that led to the decision.

Ben has a good section in his recent book where he talks about firing executives. His suggested strategy involves a mix of exactly this, empathy, swift actions, and putting your foot down.

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