The Blubber

For most people starting a new job, being told to put together a presentation on day one would feel like a nightmare. But for Evan Spiegel, cofounder and CEO of Snapchat, it’s a deliberate part of the onboarding process.

Instead of beginning with tours or administrative tasks, new designers are thrown straight into the deep end. They’re given just a few minutes to come up with and pitch a brand-new idea to the team. Naturally, most are likely overwhelmed and anxious—and that’s entirely intentional.

“When you don’t know the company’s projects or have any background, how are you supposed to generate a solid idea? It’s almost impossible,” Spiegel admitted during an interview on The Diary of a CEO podcast.

Although the ideas typically miss the mark, the purpose isn’t perfection—it’s to normalize failure and create space for innovation.

“Most ideas aren’t good—99% of them, in fact—but that remaining 1% can be incredible,” Spiegel explained. “We really believe that the only way to get a great idea is to generate a lot of them.”

This approach can be especially difficult for members of Gen Z, many of whom are entering the workforce carrying high levels of anxiety. Compounding the challenge is the fact that not all employers share Spiegel’s mindset. Reports suggest that nearly 60% of employers have let go of Gen Z workers due in part to issues like poor communication or lack of initiative.

What Spiegel Values Most in a New Hire

According to Spiegel, three traits separate a good candidate from a great one: intelligence, creativity, and kindness. But among these, one stands out as essential.

“Over time, we realized that kindness is the most critical element for fostering a creative culture,” he said on the podcast.

Kindness, he explained, creates a safe space where unconventional ideas can be shared without fear of judgment. However, it’s important to distinguish kindness from simply being nice. Spiegel offered an example: if someone has food stuck in their teeth, a nice person might say nothing to avoid awkwardness, but a kind person would point it out to help them.