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TBM 315: The Self-Sealing Argument Trap
The punchline: We frequently get pulled into Catch-22 arguments and discussions. No matter what we do—at least the normal gut options—we lose. But…
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John Cutler
5
TBM 314: Using Enabling Constraints for Situational Awareness
It is almost impossible to scale quickly without introducing some incoherence and inefficiency. To understand this, one need only read the history of…
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John Cutler
2
TBM 313: Chat, Breathe, and Reflect
When a situation becomes more dynamic and uncertain, it is important to do three things:
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John Cutler

September 2024

Scoping and Shaping Mini-Book
In addition to my newsletter, sometimes I write short playbooks/mini-books.
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John Cutler
TBM 312: Comparing Areas of Friction and Drag
A common pattern is that people will surface an issue, but the conversation will taper off quickly. The team doesn’t dig into their assumptions around…
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John Cutler
1
TBM 311: Roadmapping Miro Board and Question for Subscribers
I had some family commitments this week, so keeping it short and:
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John Cutler
33
TBM 310: Trees, Journeys, and Loops (and the Functional Model Trap)
After conducting hundreds of North Star workshops, I noticed a pattern.
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John Cutler
6
TBM 309: Zombie Practices and Processes
If all of this is true, why do companies have so many challenges with OKRs? Why do they treat them as yet another zombie process that no one…
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John Cutler
4
TBM 308: Boundary of Safely Challenged Assumptions
In software product development, we have idealized ways of working firmly planted in mission command, independent teams, etc. But we don't have an…
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John Cutler
7

August 2024

The "X" Files (65.57% of 2024 Edition)
In 2024, I started writing short dialogues on LinkedIn.
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John Cutler
12
TBM 308: No Unforced Errors
I am working on Part 2 of last week's post. Given the topic's weight, it will take some time. I appreciate all the feedback.
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John Cutler
18
TBM 307: The "P" Word, Legitimacy, and Challenging Our Default Models and Frames
Two questions jumped out in the last week.
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John Cutler
10
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