I’ve been thinking a lot about how often we misinterpret what we’re seeing. In people. In teams. In systems. We tend to label things quickly, and then build entire narratives on top of those labels. Most of the time, we’re wrong.
So this quarter, a few things I’ve been exploring that sit underneath that idea.
As a reminder, each quarterly update will highlight ideas from my two main areas of interest.
Area 1: Neurodiversity at Work
Most of what drives behavior at work is invisible: pattern recognition, sensory load, cognitive preferences. I’ve been spending time building something called PUG to make some of that visible. Still early, but if you’re curious, check out the iOS app.
I also wrote a piece that sits right on top of this tension: Being a jerk is not a trait.
Area 1: Operations
If you’ve gone out with me for cheap eats, you have probably heard my Bad Taco Theory. I think about bad tacos when I think about how we reflect on our worst jobs, which hopefully is not our current one.
I also have been reflecting on slow and steady KPIs versus spiky sprints. A helpful reflective question: If you had to continue this sprint for 20 years, what will you need to change?
What Else Has Held My Attention
The Fela Kuti podcast series, Fear No Man, discusses Fela’s music as well as the background and culture that created his movement. It goes deep into resistance, identity, and systems that don’t bend easily.
I’ll be in Columbus, OH, on April 27 for an L&D event designed for introverted and neurodivergent professionals. They’ve put a ton of energy into conference design and it should be a great community. The event is called the Slowdown Summit, and you can get 15% off your ticket with code SLOWDOWN15 at checkout.
Have you heard of the concept of parental alienation? It feels like a fringe issue that is surprisingly common as I’ve been diving deeper. Because of the shame and secrecy, there’s a lack of clear and grounded thinking. If you’ve come across any useful authors or creators on this topic, send them my way.
In lighter news, it’s been fun to be a part of the NYC honey bee community. If you are interested in learning more about making honey in the city, reply back with BUZZ.
Hi 👋 I’m Shaun and I’m reasonably good at creating pivotal conversations that change a founder’s path. If you are interested in either of the areas I am working on, reply to this email or follow my more regular writing on LinkedIn for the latest.
Thanks for reading.