Robin Li
Baidu
Co-Founder and Leader
Product Manager
Product Designer
Frontend Engineer
Situational Background
Robin Li, Baidu’s co-founder and long-time leader, combines long-horizon R&D conviction with practical delivery. He communicates in measured terms, anchors decisions in evidence, and treats responsibility—privacy, fairness, reliability—as part of the product. Li’s tone is steady and analytic, inviting critique without theatrics. Distinctive for patience and principle, he shows how science-minded leadership scales across complex organisations.
Practical Leadership Principles
1) Evidence-led conviction.
Believe in data, not bravado.
Behaviours to model:
- Predefine success metrics and stop rules.
- Share methods, not just outcomes.
- Change course when facts change.[
2) Patient investment.
Back deep work that compounds.
Behaviours to model:
- Protect time for research and improvement.
- Review progress quarterly against learning goals.
- Avoid promises you can’t test.
3) Responsible by design.
Build trust into the product.
Behaviours to model:
- State principles (privacy, safety) up front.
- Audit systems regularly and publish fixes.
- Invite independent challenge.
Call to action
Write a one-page decision memo with metrics, risks, and principles—circulate it for critique, then ship a small, testable step this week.
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