Extinction choice

Remember typewriters? Adding machines? Whiteout? I do. I also remember the organizations that clung to them. They don’t exist anymore. Here’s what changed everything: Manufacturing productivity jumped 47% between 1987 and 2022. Not because workers suddenly...

Premortem planning

We project goals, milestones, accountability measures. We allocate resources. We plan for success, as we should. But here’s the question that changes everything: If you failed by [specific future date], what would be the reason? Not could fail. Not might fail....

Accountability changes behavior

Ever wondered where your kids’ good behaviors come from? What about the bad ones? Look no further than the mirror. Children absorb what they see. They model what they experience. They normalize what we tolerate. Why is this any different in organizations? It si...

Betting on fog

We lose sleep over predictions. The market forecast. The competitor’s next move. Whether this hire will work out. If the strategy lands. We spin scenarios, build models, and stress test assumptions. We place bets on fog and wonder why we’re exhausted....

Plan to refuel

You’ve done the work. Quarterlies mapped out. Annual plan locked in. Monthly reviews calendared. Weekly team meetings set. Key conferences booked. The year is perfectly structured. Except it isn’t. You’ve planned your way straight into burnout. Dan...