Customer Obssesion

Principle

“Leaders start with the customer and work backwards. They work vigorously to earn and keep customer trust. Although leaders pay attention to competitors, they obsess over customers”.

Background

Gjirafa is a customer-centric company. We are passionate about catering to our customers and focused on earning their trust. We accomplish this by placing the customer at the heart of everything we do.

Learn and Be Curious

Principle

“Leaders are never done learning and always seek to improve themselves. They are curious about new possibilities and act to explore them, and help their teams by sharing knowledge”.

Background

At Gjirafa, we challenge the status quo by solving real problems and providing value for our customers. We also challenge ourselves to escape the comfort zone, acquire new skills, and push boundaries. Having a growth oriented mindset means welcoming challenges and encouraging improvement.

Insist on the Highest Possible Standards

Principle

“Leaders have relentlessly high standards — many people may think these standards are unreasonably high. Leaders are continually raising the bar and driving their teams to deliver high-quality products, services, and processes. Leaders ensure that defects do not get sent down the line and that problems are fixed, so they stay fixed".

Background

Gjirafa strives for the extraordinary. Our relentlessly high standards enable us to never settle for the ordinary. We value achievement over effort, and we are uncompromising when it comes to quality.

Hire and Develop the Best

Principle

“Leaders raise the performance bar with every hire and promotion. They recognize exceptional talent, and willingly move them throughout the organization. Leaders develop leaders and take their role in coaching others seriously”.

Background

Gjirafa strives to be a platform for talent and a springboard for developing exceptional careers. Gjirafa's extensive outreach and discovery efforts are focused on finding the best and brightest. We actively seek people with diverse experiences and make conscious efforts to ensure that they are paired with the right opportunities.

Invent and Simplify

Principle

"Leaders expect and require innovation and invention from their teams and always find ways to simplify. They are externally aware, are not limited by ‘not invented here’, and look for new ideas from everywhere”.

Background

Gjirafa is a pioneer of innovation, both in the region and beyond. We do not follow the tides of time, we create the future. Our ability to deliver great products for our customers relies on our capacity to innovate and scale. We are always on the lookout for inspiration to invent and launch new technologies and make them accessible to as many people as possible.

Leaders are Right, a Lot

Principle

“Leaders are right a lot. They have strong judgment and good instincts. They seek diverse perspectives and work to disconfirm their beliefs."

Background

The right answer is often not the most obvious one. The decision-making process at Gjirafa is rooted in data and guided by sound judgement. We expect members to seek different perspectives and be open to amending their positions accordingly.

Dive Deep

Principle

“Leaders operate at all levels, stay connected to the details, audit frequently, and are skeptical when metrics and anecdotes differ. No task is beneath them”.

Background

High growth environments do not always create favorable conditions for attention to detail. Gjirafa expect its members to understand the company's inner workings and be willing to dive deep and discern the root cause of emerging issues. We encourage team members to be diligent and rigorous in their assessments.

Deliver Results

Principle

“Leaders focus on the key inputs for their business and deliver them with the right quality and in a timely fashion. Despite setbacks, they rise to the occasion and never settle”.

Background

When you operate at the frontier of innovation and adhere to the highest performance standards, the journey is not easy. At the most fundamental level, Gjirafa delivers results. We make mistakes and learn from them, but we do not make excuses. Despite the odds and the setbacks, we always meet the deadline and do our best for our customers.

Frugality

Principle

“Accomplish more with less. Constraints breed resourcefulness, self-sufficiency and invention. There are no extra points for growing headcount, bugdet size, or fixed expenses."

Background

Gjirafa expects team members to operate with 10x growth mentality. This applies to productivity and performance. It means that we aim to produce 10x of a unit with the resources that are required to produce one, and achieving a result while lowering expenses by 10x.

Leaders Act Like Owners

Principle

"Leaders are owners. They think long term and don't sacrifice long-term value for short-term results. They act on behalf of the entire company, beyond just their own team. They never say “that’s not my job".

Background

Gjirafa wants its members to utilize their full potential. We understand that to fuel our growth, it is often incumbent upon us to transcend the scope of our job descriptions and rise to the occasion. Gjirafa expects its team members to prioritize long-term decision-making and company-wide responsibility distribution.

Work with Dignity

Principle

“Always work with dignity. Be respectful and caring, but remain honest and sincere. Leaders understand that teamwork is at the core of innovation. On the other hand, dignity is at the heart of teamwork. Caring about the surroundings and one another is essential to our culture”.

Background

Gjirafa is committed to providing equal and equitable opportunities. We expect our members to foster a working environment of mutual respect, dignity, and trust. We know that by building a welcoming and inclusive culture, we can do the best works of our lives together.

Be Radically Open Minded and Radically Transparent

Principle

“Radical open-mindedness and radical transparency are invaluable for rapid learning and effective change. Learning is the product of a continuous real-time feedback loop in which we make decisions, see our outcomes, and improve our understanding of reality as a result”.

Background

Gjirafa is an unconventional company. We have a distinct identity and sense of self. Being a member of the Gjirafa Team requires a high degree of openness and tolerance for vulnerability. Our members are expected to engage in transparent communication and accept input from others as a stimulus for growth.

Writing Culture

Principle

“Less talking, more writing. Talking a lot and rushing to conclusions is the enemy of working intelligently and effectively. Introducing a writing culture gives team members room to take a breath and construct smart questions and reasonable objections, and avoid any misunderstandings.”

Background

Gjirafa has installed writing as a preferred method of communication because it is more generous to the expression and clarification of complex concepts. We encourge writing precisely as it lends itself to comprehension beyond superficial value and relational dynamics.

Have Backbone, Disagree and Commit

Principle

“Leaders are obligated to respectfully challenge decisions when they disagree, even when doing so is uncomfortable or exhausting. Leaders have conviction and are tenacious. They do not do not compromise for the sake of social cohesion. Once a decision is determined, they commit wholly”.

Background

Gjirafa expects its members to be right rather than get along. Finding the right answers to pressing questions is part of our quest to deliver results for our customers. Respectful disagreement and openness to adjustment are crucial components of evolution and growth.

Think Big and Extreme Thinking

Principle

Thinking small is a self-fulfilling prohecy. Leaders create and communicate a bold direction that inspires results. They think differently and look around corners for ways to serve customers”.

Background

The size of our goals determines the size of our accomplishments. Gjiarafa expects its team members to aim high, think differently, and always try to find new and unconventional ways to design delightful customer experiences. Our members are expected to be bold, even extreme, in widening the spectrum of possibilities and discovering groundbreaking solutions.