Lyft CEO says he swears by ‘falcon mode’ leadership to fight off the ‘enshittification’ of his company
Today's leaders should balance the large vision image capable of diving into operational details. For Lyft CEO David Risher, this dual focus lives in what he calls “Falcon mode,” a leadership framework inspired by the agility, accuracy, and the bird's bird instincts.
Unveiled in a recent shareholder letter, the Risher model depends on three columns: customer attraction, operational efficiency, and goal -driven growth.
As the Falcons sank to check their environment and dive at speed to seize a hunting opportunity, Risher believes leaders should know when to be out and when to go in. “Sometimes [falcons] See something that could power the next leg of their journey, they dive to get it, then make up to make sure they stay on the track, “he wrote.
In Lyft, Falcon mode is his response to what he calls the “Gravitational Pull of Enshittification,” the slow erosion of product quality in the pursuit of short -term acquisitions. From the high altitude, the Risher's approach to shape and expect market transfers. But he also dives into details, especially where the customer's experience is concerned.
Every six weeks, the Risher Drive for Lyft. On a ride, a commuter flagged how the pricing climbing was interrupted by its routine, challenging the internal assumptions that prime-time pricing was widely beneficial. In another, he found out that performance benchmarks were masking deeper problems: long wait time and the driver's cancellation was devastating.
Those views have led to key changes. Lyft driving incentives repair the driver, introduce fee delays, route deviation payment, and clearer income, improving the driver's experience to better serve riders. A new price lock feature has helped facilitate fare anxiety.
The results include $ 400 million saving the rider, a falling driver cancellation from 14.4 percent to 5.6 percent, faster Average ETA than Uber, and a reported 20-point lead in rider preference.
However, Risher warns that deep operational dives should be intentional. “When you are deep, it is tempting to take over,” he said. The key is diagnosing high-impact issues without micromanaging-and clearly explains why deep diving is important.
When properly executed, Falcon mode is contagious, Risher says, because teams ask funny questions, uncover the blind areas, and more tightly align around the customer's needs.
This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
