Isaiah

I just helped someone with a huge barrage of pricing questions. Here’s what I found the answers kept boiling down to: When you lock in on a pricing strategy you lock in on a client type. Is your product or service perfect for the discount-hunter, the always-changing-their-mind, the gotta-research-it-all, the buy-on-trust, the comparison-shopper, the referral-shopper? … Read more

Don’t let the micros distract you from the macro. Don’t let the macro excuse the micro. Do plan the micros to fuel the macros. Do set the macros before the micros. Don’t make every conversation about the macros after the macro has been decided. Do make every micro about the macro after the macro has … Read more

Why is soccer beautiful? It’s a romantic sport because it’s a combination of skill/technique with flowing intuition and artistry. One thing that sets it apart from American football: any player could show up at any part of the field to execute any move at any time. I find it inspirational when thinking about 21st Century … Read more

When form leads: Re-architected processes with no throughput Endless meetings Debate about the right “way” is abstracted from what flows through 1x results, especially in “agile” over-measured creative production When function leads: Innovation in form is on target since form adjustments flow from the source You end up writing the “here’s how we did it” … Read more

I just learned this from one Jared Montz, a genius (and former pro MLS player, YouTube star, franchise owner, CEO). It’s that sometimes coaching/teaching moments with your team work better from an outside voice, even when you have what’s needed. So don’t be afraid to “delegate genius” to improve the power of your message. Jared … Read more

I think the temptation is this: the draw to be part of something bigger. It’s not different than becoming superhuman in a video game. Living your own mundane, right in front of you, life is just land grandiose on first blush. But it’s not really.

We’re polarized by loud voices. It’s like having angry newscasters in your head. You can silence them. Here’s how: don’t listen to them. It’ll take “they” from “over there” to right in front of you. When you—yourself, personally—talk to a non-belligerent liberal, conservative, libertarian, agnostic, atheist, Muslim, Christian, pick your race, creed, background, orientation, you’ll … Read more

One anti-pattern follows this pattern: On page 1: see page 3 On page 3: see page 5 On page 5: refer to page 1 Positive pattern: here’s what you need, when you need it.

The news has oversimplified our brains: that’s fact, that’s opinion. Modern education has supported this model: “let’s increase the amount of facts in your head, then maybe your opinions will be better.” Aristotle classified five types of knowledge, which are the pillars of the classical liberal arts education (though, hilariously, I’ve worked at classical schools … Read more

Reading is one of my “life basics” patterns that if I stop, I spiral downward. But I’m not completely certain why. I’ve never asked myself! Here are some answers I’m coming up with right now: Because my Dad (a career Army officer) said that they say if you read 15 minutes a day, no matter … Read more