CTOrly

CTOrly is dedicated to crafting exceptional engineering leaders and teams, emphasizing understanding, starting and finishing tasks strategically, utilizing simplicity, leadership philosophies, mental models, practical planning, the importance of personal data for leadership, strategic gaming in workplaces, emotional intelligence, and decision-making. It focuses on mindfulness, leveraging past experiences, and concentrating energies on specific problems.

Leadership Development Strategic Planning Team Building Emotional Intelligence Mindfulness and Productivity Decision Making Workplace Dynamics Personal Growth

The hottest Substack posts of CTOrly

And their main takeaways

Think Again

39 implied HN points • 30 Aug 22
📚 Literature Writing Ideas Self-reflection Impact Creativity
  1. Writing down your thoughts helps you truly think and solidify ideas
  2. Crafting and molding your thoughts can give them weight and impact
  3. Regularly writing and forcing yourself to think better can be beneficial for your present and future self

A Kingdom of Wisdom

39 implied HN points • 08 Aug 22
📖 Philosophy Wisdom Logic People Mental models
  1. Leadership requires philosophy, not just logic, to navigate people's irrationality.
  2. Being reasonable often trumps being purely rational in dealing with people.
  3. Mental models are better tools than logical formulas for understanding and interacting with people.

The Hardest Part

39 implied HN points • 05 Aug 22
🚌 Education Writing Motivation Self-Improvement Learning
  1. Starting is always challenging, but it's not the only difficult part; other complexities follow.
  2. Success depends on evolving definitions, simplification, and finishing well, not just starting.
  3. Knowing how to finish and what to start are crucial; consistently starting without finishing may reveal underlying issues.

Overwrought

1 HN point • 21 Feb 24
🔬 Science Physics Models
  1. In complex situations, sometimes relying on simpler, traditional methods like Newtonian physics can still be effective and get the job done.
  2. Striving for extreme accuracy or perfection, like using Einstein's equations instead of Newton's, may not always be necessary or practical, especially when the outcome is the priority.
  3. It's important to balance between optimizing for the output and focusing on achieving the desired outcome, rather than getting lost in unnecessary details or precision.
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Flower Power

19 implied HN points • 22 Sep 22
🎨 Art & Illustration Painting Creativity Design
  1. The act of recreating something isn't just imitation; it can be a way to continue the essence of the original.
  2. Documenting decisions and actions may not fully replicate the original intention, but it keeps the essence alive.
  3. Utilize tools and methods that support your work effectively, like Linear for workflow management, to avoid unnecessary challenges.

Punch It In

19 implied HN points • 13 Sep 22
💼 Business Product Management Planning Leadership Strategy
  1. Having a plan is crucial, but it's essential to plan practically and realistically for today.
  2. Traditional roadmapping may give a false sense of accomplishment without delivering tangible benefits to customers or the market.
  3. Prioritize making plans based on the current reality rather than uncertain future projections.

The Pivotal Thing

19 implied HN points • 25 Aug 22
💼 Business Product Management Leadership Planning Problem Solving Change Management
  1. Guard against unnecessary, preventable volatility in planning and focus on the quality of the problem rather than constantly changing solutions.
  2. Detangle desired outcomes from specific features in planning to enable pivoting on how to achieve goals while maintaining the constancy of overall objectives.
  3. Leaders should balance adapting to changes when necessary without causing unnecessary chaos by crying wolf with constant changes.

On Keeping Score

19 implied HN points • 18 Aug 22
💼 Business Management Leadership Communication Data-driven
  1. In a data-driven world, don't overlook the importance of gathering personal data from your colleagues.
  2. Use a simple question like 'What's your score?' to help understand your colleagues' feelings and improve their well-being.
  3. Asking simple questions and building trust can lead to deep, actionable insights for better leadership and communication.

Gaming Industry

19 implied HN points • 16 Aug 22
🎭️ Culture Gaming
  1. Everyone is playing games, it's in our nature. The key is to recognize which games we're engaging in.
  2. Whether in big companies or startups, office politics and games are present. Be mindful of the games you participate in.
  3. Ensure you are playing a strategic game rather than a senseless one. Pay attention to the outcomes to understand the game you're playing.

Shhhhh it

19 implied HN points • 11 Aug 22
🏥 Health & Wellness Self-care Mindfulness Well-being Productivity Balance
  1. Setting time aside for silence and unplugging can lead to feeling more at peace and productive.
  2. Taking breaks from work to sit in silence can help spark creativity and re-energize when feeling stuck.
  3. Unplugging from distractions like technology and noise can allow for personal and professional growth.

Big & Small

0 implied HN points • 23 Aug 22
💼 Business Teams Product Development Distractions Team Dynamics Goal setting
  1. The size of a person is determined by what they love and what annoys them - applies to teams too.
  2. Product teams should plan big and not be disrupted by small things, aiming for home runs.
  3. Teams can be greater or less than the sum of their parts based on how distractions are managed, so focus on making grand plans and cutting out distractions.

Focused Energy

0 implied HN points • 02 Jan 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Maintenance Problem Solving Prevention
  1. When facing a specific problem, using concentrated, specific solutions is crucial for resolving it effectively.
  2. Differentiate between maintaining a steady state and solving a problem; what works for one may not work for the other.
  3. Prevent issues by taking proactive steps, but be prepared to switch to targeted solutions when problems arise.

Stumbling Blocked

0 implied HN points • 07 Sep 22
📖 Philosophy Existentialism Mindfulness Reflection Wisdom
  1. It's important to focus on the present rather than getting stuck in the past
  2. Allowing our mind to wander is fine, but fixating on past mistakes can be harmful
  3. Consider what past experiences are impacting your present and if they are worth holding onto