Lenny's PodcastHow to show up in any room with a low heart rate: Silicon Valley’s missing etiquette playbook | Sam Lessin
Sam Lessin argues that Silicon Valley's tech elite are dangerously out of touch, lacking basic social skills needed to navigate high-stakes rooms where technology decisions affect millions of jobs. He presents etiquette not as stuffy formalism, but as a practical framework for building trust and showing up with confidence when the stakes are highest.
Key takeaways
- •Master etiquette as a skill for entering any room with a low heart rate and genuine confidence.
- •Meet people where they are emotionally, especially when they're worried about technology displacing their livelihoods.
- •Invest in well-fitting basics over expensive designer pieces that don't fit properly.
- •Avoid flashy displays of wealth as a startup founder—showing up with luxury items signals you're trying too hard.
- •Recognize that as technology moves from sideshow to center stage, social intelligence becomes mission-critical.
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