Snapchat CEO on why he gives employees an ‘almost impossible’ task on 1st day: 'Your worst fear...'

Snapchat co-founder and CEO Evan Spiegel

Snapchat co-founder and CEO Evan Spiegel gives new employees on his design team an "almost impossible" task on their first day at work because he feels the first day can set the tone for the rest of their tenure.

Speaking on a recent podcast episode of The Diary of a CEO, Spiegel said that the tactic may seem unfair, but it lays the groundwork for the creativity and critical thinking skills that employees would need to succeed at the company. It also helps people build confidence and mental resilience, and acts as a bit of a bonding activity for employees, the 34-year-old added.

“We have design critiques once a week for a couple hours,” he said. ”[On] your very first day, you have to present something ... Of course, on your first day, when you have no context for what the company is working on... How on Earth are you supposed to come up with a good idea? I mean, it’s almost impossible.”

The Snapchat CEO added that the practice can help people quickly overcome their fear of failure and feel encouraged to take more risks at work. “Your worst fear has come true that we’re sitting there all together and we’re looking at an idea that’s not that great. I mean, sometimes they’re pretty good, but ultimately not that great,” CNBC Make It quoted him as saying. “And I think that opens the door to creativity because it already happened. You already failed.”

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