Why Keith Rabois is one of the best communicators I’ve ever interviewed.
8 principles to be a GREAT communicator
How to be a GREAT Communicator
Keith Rabois is one of the best communicators I’ve ever interviewed.
Every line he says could be quoted.
He is sharp. Passionate. Uses specifics. Gives recognition. & invents frameworks for better understanding.
Here are 8 principles that make Keith a GREAT communicator.
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1. Turn complexity into clarity
Keith’s hallmark is taking messy, frustrating founder problems & distilling them into sharp metaphors and frameworks.
“I hired more people, I raised money, yet I get less done. Why? … You don’t have more barrels. You’re just stacking ammunition.”
This ability to compress chaos into an image founders can immediately apply is what makes him a sought-after consigliere.
2. Own responsibility for being understood
Keith rejects the idea that a founder (or teammate) should “just understand.” Instead, he sees clarity as the communicator’s job.
“Communication is only successful if the recipient understands what you’re saying. You don’t blame the recipient for fumbling the ball — you didn’t throw the pass correctly.”
This mindset forces him to tailor his frameworks to the listener, which dramatically increases his effectiveness.
3. Harness the power of storytelling
He’s constantly pulling from sports, cults, or music to make abstract ideas tangible.
“Every successful company is a cult.”
“Communication is like throwing a basketball pass.”
These analogies stick — founders repeat them, investors adopt them, and they spread far beyond his direct circles.
4. Speak in confident, memorable lines
Keith has a talent for punchy contrarian statements that spark debate and stick in people’s minds.
“996 was lazy by my standards. At PayPal, 9–9–6 would’ve been an easy week.”
“You don’t want to be the best. You want to be the only.”
These lines cut through noise because they challenge assumptions.
5. Balance intellectual rigor with bluntness
Keith is both analytical and bold — a rare combination. He’ll cite a book or study, then deliver an unvarnished punchline.
“I basically don’t believe in days off — for anything. Work, workouts.”
“Don’t hire Meg Whitman.”
That mix of rigor + sharpness makes his communication hard to ignore.
6. Aim to be useful. What are you teaching?
Keith frames his role as providing advice founders can act on immediately.
“My primary role as a venture capitalist is to be a consigliere of the founder… simplifying a complicated set of facts to an actionable framework.”
7. Ground ideas in examples
Keith constantly grounds abstract principles in concrete cases from his own career.
Hiring Ian Wong at Square after reading his Quora posts.
Using Traba as an example of building Olympian work culture.
Reflecting on Opendoor, Square, and PayPal when explaining comparative advantage.
This example-driven approach makes lessons practical and real.
8. Give credit. Multiply reach.
Keith regularly credits lessons he’s learned from others — mentors, peers, and founders alike.
“I’ve given whole talks on lessons I’ve learned from Vinod, Peter Thiel, Reid Hoffman, Max Levchin.”
He also highlights insights from founders like Eric & Karim (Ramp), Mike (Traba), and Christian (Trade Republic). By giving recognition, he builds trust and shows humility.
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