"I Don’t Negotiate on Culture!” CEO of iFood on How To Lead With Grit & Growth

The Future Of Work With Jacob Morgan

During times of rapid growth and disruption, aligning teams and sustaining a strong culture can be daunting, but Diego Barreto, CEO of iFood, has successfully led his company to unicorn status by focusing on these essentials. In this episode, we dive into his leadership strategies, exploring why team mobilization is central to a CEO’s role and how effective communication fosters alignment. Diego reveals how iFood’s non-negotiable culture supports an entrepreneurial mindset, values radical candor, and encourages big thinking. He shares insights into how iFood adapted during the pandemic, balancing employee comfort with high performance by instilling grit. We also discuss how iFood’s six-month cultural sprints inspire innovation and resilience and examine the role of the “pendulum effect” in guiding flexible leadership strategies.

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