Airbnb CEO and co-founder Brian Chesky is unafraid to identify his favorite employees, emphasizing that effective leadership requires recognizing top talent within a team. In a recent interview with Fortune, Chesky explained that standout employees often set high standards and excel at problem-solving, making them valuable assets to the organization.
“The selection of favorites should be based on fair standards. If you’re unable to identify top performers and clearly define what excellence means, you’re bound to encounter significant challenges,” Chesky stated. “That is obviously a sign of poor leadership.”
As the leader of an $85 billion company, Chesky invites 80 to 100 employees from various levels to biannual meetings, where major decisions are made. While some of the same individuals are invited multiple times, Chesky clarified that this isn’t about favoritism but about seeking valuable insights.
However, experts caution that overt favoritism can create division within teams. Ginka Toegel, a professor of organizational behavior, pointed out in a June Harvard Business Review podcast that excessive favoritism could alienate other employees, potentially leading them to feel excluded.
Chesky acknowledged this, stating that leaders must balance recognizing top performers while still supporting the wider team. Research from the Journal of Organizational Behavior highlights that effective managers invest in understanding their employees’ strengths, fostering a supportive environment for all.
Chesky believes that CEOs should have the discretion to choose who participates in important discussions, while also ensuring fairness and preventing unconscious bias. “You can rely on surveys and mechanisms to check biases, but the idea that a CEO should be restricted in deciding who’s in the room is wrong,” he said.
For Chesky, picking favorites isn’t about choosing just one individual. “I’m not sure I have a single favorite,” he said. “My favorites are the ones I’m always communicating with, whether through texting or calling to discuss ideas.”
