Re:wire Issue # 1

Introduction

In the last 10 years, I've been privileged to manage thousands of people working on pushing companies into new products, new ways of working and new spaces.  

You may have been part of one of my teams. Or maybe a collaborator in another function at one the companies I've been trying to change and transform. There are hundreds of like minded people I've met as partners, investors, fellow change agents or peers on the same mission inside their organizations.  

For this cabal of folks, I'm starting a newsletter to share a body of content that makes it easier to invent and create growth. Invention and growth lead to job and personal satisfaction. They are necessary oxygen for many. 

Re:wire is about management culture for innovation, agility and growth

It's important for managers to create an environment where invention and growth are systematic. Otherwise, a mindset of scarcity sets in, often leading to disorder and dysfunction in the organization. Momentum in the organization is binary - flowing towards an expectation of less (fear / scarcity) or growth (sharing / plentifulness). Dysfunction is present when a company says it wants growth but exhibits the behaviors of less.

Many of us have been on these "north star'' journeys together - tackling hard problems worth doing, climbing mountains of the unknown, proving it can be done before it's obvious, taking risk with necessary courage. 

I want to thank those of you who've worked with me for these contributions.

You're nothing less than a Business OG in my book.

I'm starting this for you and others in the same boat, and will take a lot of input from this community / audience on content focus. So what would you like to hear about? What's a common problem that would help change agents, creatives and other Business OG's get things moving? Leave a comment! Better yet, share this post so others can get into the conversation.

?Reflection # 1

As you know I'm taking a break as 2021 starts. One of the benefits of a break is time to write. I've gathered many reflections over the last decade, and have more time to share them (first have to dig them up from notes, screen shots, older tweets, etc!)

Here's an example:

I thought a lot about this one in particular because many companies cut corners on ideas on the basis of simplifying. But that's dilution and not simplification. If you're familiar with the Amazon principle of "invent and simplify" it hits some of the same chord. It's actually really hard to simplify while not compromising. It comes down to thinking deeply about what are logical extensions vs. fundamental design factors.  

Let's take a positive example -- Volvo and pioneering the car subscription. While many others have tried and given up, the company is seeing great traction and the subscription product is getting better and better.

Speaking of Amazon

With Amazon's CEO move last week, it's timely to reflect on what other companies can learn from this highly effective machine.

In our next post, I will share reflections on Amazon's culture, scaling it and my attempts to export it elsewhere. 

Subscribe and share to get this out to more people who would benefit from it :)