Traction Heroes

AI gives us the ability to prototype faster than ever before — which is great, as long as we remember that there's underlying work to be done. Show notes: The Clock of the Long Now by Stewart Brand How Buildings Learn by Stewart Brand Maintenance of Everything, Part One   by Stewart Brand Antifragile by Nassim Nicholas Taleb Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman The World as a Total Syst...

Many so-called accidents can be prevented with a bit of forethought. In this conversation, we explore ways to avoid bad outcomes by preparing beforehand. Show notes: There Are No Accidents, Only Collisions by Alan Levar Traction Heroes Ep. 2: Unprecedented The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande Pass Labs Four Types of Problems by Art Smalley Drift Into Failure by Sidney Dekker T he Problem Is Not...

Determining what to track is essential for effective management. But focusing on just a few measures can lead us to miss important things. Show notes: Seeing Like a State by James C. Scott How Buildings Learn by Stewart Brand Pace layers Strategies for Learning from Failure by Amy C. Edmondson (HBR gift link) What Got You Here Won't Get You There by Marshall Goldsmith and Mark Reiter

A reading from a popular job search book prompts a discussion about our inability to accurately self-diagnose — and what to do about it. Show notes: Never Search Alone by Phyl Terry  Phyl.org Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi and Tahl Raz What Color is Your Parachute? by Richard Bolles So Good They Can't Ignore You by Cal Newport Social Traps by John...

Jorge shares one of his core mental models — from an unexpected source. Show notes: Axis Thinking by Brian Eno A Year with Swollen Appendices by Brian Eno Polarity Management by Barry Johnson The Problem Is Not the Problem by Harry Max  

On the risks of unquestioningly delegating sense-making to technology in general (and AI in particular.) Show notes: The Glass Cage by Nicholas Carr

Our perceptions of what someone else will say or do can influence what they actually end up saying or doing — leading to a dangerous vicious cycle. Show notes: Beyond Belief by Nir Eyal Liminal Thinking by Dave Gray The Matrix Mistakes Were Mad (but Not By Me) by Caroll Tavris and Elliot Aronson

Harry and Jorge discuss one of the latter's favorite means for gaining traction: the MacGuffin, a concept with a storied pedigree in cinema. Show notes: Dark Matter and Trojan Horses by Dan Hill Trim tab The New How by Nilofer Merchant Human-Centered Security by Heidi Trost Tempo by Venkatesh Rao

On the importance of mindfulness for gaining traction — and how you can practice to become more mindful. Show notes: Original Love by Henry Shukman The Informed Life ep. 75: Hans Krueger on the Cycle of Emotions The Tim Ferriss Show ep. 531: Henry Shukman The Way App Waking Up The Ultimate Coach by Amy Hardison and Alan D. Thompson Being in the World

We tackle a key reading from a classic book to solve a perennial problem: how do we talk about what we do so we don't undersell our value? Show notes: Competing Against Luck   by Clayton M. Christensen, Karen Dillon, Taddy Hall, and David S. Duncan  Managing Priorities by Harry Max MECE principle Positioning by Jack Trout and Al Ries

A conversation about something that's emerging as a central theme in the podcast: how to avoid fooling yourself so you can achieve your goals by seeing more clearly. Show notes: The Art of Action by Stephen Bungay Sunset Boulevard (1950 film) John Boyd Traction Heroes Ep. 6: Chesterton's Fence Crazy Time by Abigail Trafford

Is your business in service to the bottom line or something higher? Whichever you pick will influence the organization's culture. Show notes: Tim O’Reilly in a Nutshell by Tim O’Reilly Rosenfeld Media Shai Agassi OODA loop Thinking In Bets by Annie Duke The Art of Action by Stephen Bungay Makers and Takers by Rana Foroohar

How do you get useful information from people when the very act of asking might compromise the answer? Harry offers insights from a surprising source. Show notes: Confidential by John Nolan Climbing the Ladder of Business Intelligence by James E. Cates, Sam S. Gill, and Natalie Zeituny  Precision questioning EnlivenWork

An end of year reflection on what motivates us to do what we do. The Highest Goal   by Michael Ray Echelon Front Extreme Ownership The Dichotomy of Leadership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin Steve Siebold THE SECRET Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill The ONE Thing by Gary Keller The Strangest Secret by Earl Nightingale Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi Values Clarification by Sidney Simon and Lela...

A reading from an unexpected source leads to a discussion about the importance of having a clear vision. Show notes: Be Useful: Seven Tools for Life by Arnold Schwarzenegger Arnold (Netflix series) StrengthsFinder Penny-farthing Extreme Ownership Lincoln (film)

Our running conversation goes meta after Harry reads from a book about how to listen better. You’re Not Listening: What You're Missing and Why It Matters by Kate Murphy The Informed Life  podcast Duly Noted by Jorge Arango How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

Spurred by a reading from Nassim Nicholas Taleb, Jorge and Harry have a rambling conversation about building resilient businesses during times of disruptive technological change. Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder by Nassim Nicholas Taleb Peak Priorities unfinishe_ The Great Mental Models by Shane Parrish Xenix Cursor Lovable

Harry brings to the discussion a four-part model for skillfully navigating change. Show notes: Thresholds of Change by Rebecca Borland Reynolds and Connolly Fox ADKAR: A Model for Change in Business, Government and our Community by Jeffrey M. Hiatt PROSCI Kübler-Ross Change Curve® Liminal Thinking by Dave Gray

Harry offers a taxonomy of five "social traps" that can keep us from gaining traction. Show notes: Social Traps by John Cross and Melvin Guyer Steve Jobs Stanford commencement address Matthew Perry Frequency Illusion (the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon)

A reading from a famous director's memoir sparks a discussion about a key trait for gaining traction: boldness coupled with the ability to get things done. Show notes: Every Man for Himself and God Against All  (audiobook) by Werner Herzog Aguirre, the Wrath of God Comedian   The Attributes: 25 Hidden Drivers of Optimal Performance by Rich Diviney

Harry offers a short reading from a surprising source about an important question: How do you decide when it's time to let go?  Show notes: What Would Harry Do? by Juliana Sharaf  Necessary Endings by Henry Cloud The Innovators Dilemma by Clayton M. Christensen Kodak   Harry’s newsletter

Jorge and Harry discuss how to proactively shift your mental models to get unstuck. Framers by Kenneth Cukier, Viktor Mayer-Schönberger, and Francis de Véricourt Breakneck by Dan Wang Precision questioning Iceberg model

Jorge and Harry discuss a classic book about how to avoid getting in your own way through overthinking. Show notes: The Inner Game of Tennis by Timothy Gallwey Stick  (Apple TV show) Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert M. Pirsig Zen in the Art of Archery by Eugen Herrigel Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi Esther Dyson

Harry and Jorge discuss the implications of John Boyd's work beyond its original military context. Show notes: The Mind of War: John Boyd and American Security by Grant Hammond  John Boyd OODA loop Boyd: The Fighter Pilot Who Changed the Art of War by Robert Coram Science, Strategy and War: The Strategic Theory of John Boyd by Francis P.B. Osinga Hoyt Ng Algorithms to Live By: The Computer Sc...

Jorge and Harry discuss a book focused on using AI to lead better — and has underpinnings that align with the show's themes. Show notes: More Human by Rasmus Hougaard and Jacqueline Carter The Mind of the Leader by Rasmus Hougaard and Jacqueline Carter The Glass Cage by Nicholas Carr