People, Principles, Systems, Craft
The longer I've been in this work, the more I've learned to rely on a few habits of thinking. Frameworks aren't repeatable. This is what actually helps me make good calls:
People first
Everything starts with trust. Relationships, communication, and shared context aren't just nice-to-haves, they're the actual levers. Without psychological safety, alignment is just theater. A Fortune 500 leader once told me I have an "extremely complex and nuanced EQ for working with people." I took that as one of the best compliments I've ever received.
Principles guide decisions
I'd rather be clear than agreeable. I think tradeoffs are more honest than perfection. When in doubt, I try to zoom out and ask what matters most.
Systems thinking
I look for loops, friction, flow, and failure points. Not because it's elegant, but because it's useful. Good systems thinking bridges domain gaps and makes problems feel less personal. One thing that's helped me build trust is being able to hold up a mirror to how things actually work, not just how we wish they did.
Craft matters
To me, craft is about care. It's being intentional about how we work, what we ship, and how we get better over time. Good judgment doesn't just happen—it's practiced, shared, and shaped.
Mental Models I Come Back To
These aren't rules. They're lenses. I've learned the more I carry, the more clearly I see where value hides and how to get there without breaking the system.
First Principles
When stakes are high or the status quo isn’t cutting it, this is where I start. I break problems down to what’s fundamentally true, then rebuild from there without hand-me-down assumptions.
where it applies: New domains, gnarly architecture, “we’ve always done it this way” moments.
Compare & Contrast Decisions
Side-by-side tradeoffs make better conversations than abstract pros/cons. I try to shift teams from “should we or shouldn’t we?” to “which of these?” so we actually get unstuck.
where it applies: Useful during prioritization debates, roadmap resets, and decision-making swirl. Pairs well with Real Options and Iatrogenics when do nothing is a choice to consider.
Real Options & Preserving Optionality
Not every decision needs to be final. In fast-moving or complex spaces, buying time is often the smartest move. Keep options open, delay commitments, and reduce regret.
where it applies: Great for exploratory initiatives, early-stage product bets, or long-tail integrations.
Iatrogenics
More action isn’t always more impact. Sometimes we do harm by trying to help. This lens keeps me from throwing process at problems or over-optimizing too soon.
where it applies: Reorgs, overbuilt dashboards, and product "fixes" without upside. Blog post coming soon.
Strong Opinions, Loosely Held
Conviction is good. Dogma isn’t. I show up with a point of view—but let evidence and lived experience change my mind.
where it applies: Strategy cycles, feedback loops, cross-functional alignment moments.
Inversion
When we imagine failure first, we see the system more clearly. I use this to smoke out risks, clarify what good looks like, and plan backwards from outcomes.
where it applies: Pre-mortems, launch planning, OKR definition.
Ruthless Prioritization
If everything’s a priority, nothing is. Cutting the nice-to-haves, even the emotionally satisfying ones, is what keeps momentum real.
where it applies: Backlog triage, staffing decisions, focus resets.