Input, Output, Outcome

Andy Grove’s excellent book High Output Management is rightfully considered a fundamental think piece in management tech. Nevertheless, the term “output management” is misleading. While a hardware company like Intel can more easily manage how many units are produced, i.e., output, that is not how software startups should view their product engineering. I believe this […]

Impact Alignment Checklist

There’s a reoccurring phenomenon right now, which I last saw when the pandemic hit. The best leaders around aren’t those who throw their hands up in despair but precisely those who find new ways to leverage the current situation. No matter how dire things might seem, I’m working with executives who had to lay good […]

Belt-Tightening or Suffocation?

We get it. Tech’s going through a rough patch. Even though it seems like most major economies will avoid a recession and that inflation is trending positively, funding and expectations from tech companies and startups have changed. Hundreds of thousands have lost their jobs, and companies are talking about their newly found focus on performance […]

Motivating Matters

With the slowdown in hiring (for some, a complete freeze), there is an increasing need to make do with what you’ve got. You can no longer cover up underperforming employees by staffing more. How do you make ICs’ motivation align with impact for the company? Here are suggestions to tailor your approach to different types […]