The Twilio Magic is our defining spirit

When deciding what to build, wear the customers' shoes. Spend time with your customers and work hard to understand the world from their perspective. Build empathy and build with a spirit of hospitality. Earn trust through every interaction.

When there aren't step-by-step instructions, draw the owl. Embrace the uncertainty, and realize that when we have the opportunity to write the instruction book, that's when we're pushing the boundary. Also recognize that we might not get it right the first time-that's ok, as long as we embrace the iterative nature of creation.

When approaching a problem, start by writing it down. To get the best results, put in the work to write down your desired outcomes, your decision criteria, and your plan of action; and write down the lessons learned along the way. This forces clear thinking and enables effective communication. The aim should be concise, thoughtful, and simple writing presented in a productive forum.

When you've outgrown the ability for everyone to internalize and be involved in everything you're doing, divide into well-structured, small teams. Define your teams by the customer served, the mission we serve for the customer, and the metrics that indicate if we're on the right track.

When things get complicated,hard,or even impossible, live the spirit of challenge. Embrace the hard problems. If our ambitions aren't challenging, we aren't pushing ourselves enough.

When taking ownership, earn trust-it's the #1 thing we sell. Know your stuff; do what you say you'll do, and focus on the interests and needs of others, not just your own. Trust is a bank account you make deposits into for long periods of time, and hope not to make withdrawals.

When you're making decisions that will have a lasting impact, think long term. Consider how the problem you're owning will evolve over time, and take actions now that the future will thank you for.

When given the opportunity to weigh in on a big decision, have a point of view. Put in the effort needed to understand the issues and to formulate your recommendation for the best path forward. Be bold and clear in how you communicate your thoughts to others.

When making decisions on where to invest time and resources, ruthlessly prioritize. Prioritization helps break down complex problems, and provides clarity in the face of uncertainty. We can't do everything, so focus on what matters most, and help others do the same.

When spending company resources, be frugal. If we can do more with less, we can do more. Ensure that everything we spend time and money on benefits our customers and our mission.

When you see something that needs doing, pick up the trash. Sweat the details and pay attention to the little things. If you pick it up now, you'll thank yourself in the future.

When working with others to make a decision disagree and commit. Solicit and participate in honest, open, and respectful debate to get to the best decision, but be a committed supporter once the decision is made, even when the decision doesn't go your way

When forming and asserting your point of view, be humble. Everybody has something to learn, and everyone you meet has something valuable they can teach you. Recognize that you are a work in progress and don't hold all the answers; seek to learn from

When you feel out of your comfort zone, embrace being uncomfortable. Know that in order to grow and change you must be vulnerable, alert, and willing to try new things. If you're uncomfortable, you're probably doing it right

When faced with adversity or the unknown, seek the truth. The goal, always, is to find the best possible answer. Ask the right questions, put aside politics and titles, and work with others to come to the best answers.

When you need to get the best thinking (and energy!) from others, share problems, not solutions. Invite them into the problem rather than just prescribing your version of the solution.

When you feel stuck in the middle of a complex problem, seek progress over perfection. Experiment through constant testing, user feedback, and iteration to help progress your ideas-rather than sitting at your desk designing the most perfect solution that no one will use.

Be genuine. Be you, complete with quirks and eccentricities, and without facade. Don't fear being different or letting your humanity show, and embrace diverse perspectives and ways of thinking

No shenanigans. Be thoughtful, and always deal in an honest, direct, and transparent way.

Empower others. Unleashing human potential in others is the key to our success. It's the best way to make an impact at scale. Be humble, and realize it's not only about you; invest in others. 

Be antiracist, which is an umbrella term also referred to as anti-oppression or anti-bias. Being anti-racist means actively opposing racism, oppression, bias, and discrimination, and actively promoting equity for all communities. 

Be respectful. Show consideration and regard for others; listen well and be open to input. Being right is not an excuse for being a jerk. 

Ask how you can help. Teams are made of folks who help each other. When somebody needs help, we proactively offer it. And one day when we need help, somebody offers it to us.