Five Links

Here are five links I found interesting

About that Tantrum – Seth Godin, one of my favorite authors, writes a great post about the right for us to feel frustrated, but, also the decision afterward. What do we choose to do about that frustration? Are we going to throw a tantrum or get something done?

Can You Pass a C.E.O Test? – This is an interview in the New York Times with Greg Brenneman, the chairman of CCMP Capital. The idea with the most impact from this interview (it’s all great) was the one-page plan.  He posits that if you can’t turn an idea into a one-page memo, it’s too big or you haven’t thought about it enough. I connected with it because I learned a similar tool working under Chris Butler. He got me in the same frame of mind with a product. His “Protostrategy” technique forces you to sum up a company, present bets, and potential outcomes to an executive who had no idea of the company beforehand.

Policy Entrepreneurship At The White House – This is a long read, and worth it. This essay is a masterclass in navigating a large bureaucratic structure. The best idea presented was an exercise he would run with his staff called”15 minutes with the President.” He’d ask every person on his team, no matter the job title( from intern to his top lieutenants) if they would be ready, right now, if the president called and gave fifteen minutes of his time. Could you sell the president on an idea?  Great, because that doesn’t just involve knowing something, it also means communicating it as well. This includes prep for followup questions. Healthy mental exercise, and something, combined with a one-pager, could be a big winner for anyone trying to get something done.

Making Big Changes – This presentation is the most significant lesson I learned as a mainframe architect condensed in a few dozen slides. Change management is a skill that most startups fail at, mistaking “bureaucracy” for care and consideration. Yes, taking it slow doesn’t help you change the world in a flash, but its ok because no one ever does.

The Artist’s Journey, #11 –  Steven Pressfield is doing a slow drip of his new book, The Artist Journey, and I can’t be more excited to buy it. Pressfield has been spending the last few weeks taking readers down the artist’s journey, giving tips and references to creators with each entry. I can’t wait to buy this and reread it but get a taste here, free.