Topics

My writing tends to focus on a few key areas and concepts. As a different, non-chronological way of navigating my articles, you can browse them by topic here.

Knowledge

(How we know what we know, how we learn new things)

When complexity defuses disruption Lying for Money Why revolutions rarely work Focusing further Drifting into failure Doing the genba walk Unintended consequences Cadence and speed The danger of isolated beliefs An unsuccessful coup The shamrock organisation The merits of mêtis Chesterton’s many fences It’s not just about the office The Field Guide to Understanding ‘Human Error’ Your own personal distortion field Improvement communities Thickening strategy Collective IQ and continuous improvement Simplifying strategy The thermocline of truth Going with the gut Clash of mindsets: puzzles vs. mysteries

Creativity

(Solving problems, flashes of inspiration, how we develop new ideas)

Cultivating serendipity The simplicity of subtraction The five-year chunk Dedicated innovation The three Xs of innovation The commoditisation of creativity Build competence, not literacy In praise of the idea shepherds The taste–skill gap in creative work Communal creativity A factory for startups Augmented creativity Creating creative organisations Insiders and outsiders The rise of creativism

Sustainability

(Climate change, business as a force for good)

The regenerative city Owning your externalities Sustainability and strategy credits Why hasn’t ESG investing worked yet? Affordable ethics Guilt and sustainability Individuals and climate change Lessons from long-lived businesses

Brands

(Branding, marketing, direct-to-consumer)

Conway’s law and brands The shearing layers of brands A chronic case of cost disease Why snake oil succeeds Decentralised branding What comes after brand purpose? Subprime Attention Crisis The niche multinationals Amazon, aggregators, and the death of brands

Organisations

(How groups of people work together)

Cultural complexity The efficiency movement Cultural context and conflict The hiring mystery