Fish Food for Thought

Fish Food for Thought explores various themes centered on personal development, organizational culture, technology, management, and leadership strategies. It emphasizes the importance of quality, continuous learning, psychological safety, teamwork, data-driven decision-making, and embracing change while offering insights into effective leadership and the impacts of technology on society and organizations.

Personal Development Organizational Culture Technology and Innovation Management and Leadership Teamwork and Collaboration Data-Driven Decision Making Change Management Psychological Safety Customer Service Marketplace Dynamics

The hottest Substack posts of Fish Food for Thought

And their main takeaways

Quitting

5 implied HN points • 20 Dec 23
💼 Business Decision-making Leadership Strategic Planning Project management Technology
  1. Quitting can sometimes be advantageous, even though it's often seen negatively in society.
  2. Knowing when to quit is as important as knowing when to persist, especially in decision-making and project management.
  3. Strategic quitting requires establishing clear criteria, listening to experienced voices, and making rational decisions for better outcomes.

It’s All About The Data

10 implied HN points • 03 May 23
🕹 Technology Blockchain AI NFTs Web 3.0 Cryptocurrencies
  1. Decentralized credentialed data sharing empowers individuals to own their personal data.
  2. NFTs, Web 3.0, and Cryptocurrencies are all powered by blockchain technology.
  3. Blockchain ensures transparent, secure transactions, empowering users with control over their data and digital interactions.
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Systems vs Software Architecture

5 implied HN points • 01 Nov 23
🕹 Technology Architecture Systems Software
  1. Systems architecture deals with the overall design and functionality of the system as a whole.
  2. Software architecture focuses on specific technologies, languages, and software patterns used in the system.
  3. Differentiating between systems and software architecture is essential to ensure a well-built and adaptable tech infrastructure.

Customer Service as a Differentiator

5 implied HN points • 11 Oct 23
💼 Business Customer Service Marketing AI Revenue Generation Customer Loyalty
  1. Service recovery paradox: Fixing a mistake can make customers more satisfied than if no mistake happened.
  2. Excellent customer support can be a competitive differentiator: Consumers value human-centered support over automated responses.
  3. Chatbots and generative AI can enhance customer interactions while maintaining cost efficiency: Implementing them can lead to higher customer loyalty and revenue.

Two-sided Marketplaces

5 implied HN points • 06 Sep 23
💼 Business Marketplace Scale Competition Demand Relationships
  1. Marketplaces often require heavy upfront investments but generate healthy cash flow once at scale
  2. The competitive advantage of a marketplace comes from a combination of brand, items, data, and functionality
  3. Symbiotic relationships between the marketplace, producers, and consumers are crucial for success

History

4 implied HN points • 20 Sep 23
💾 History Origins Lessons Leadership Teaching
  1. The origins of words and symbols can teach us valuable lessons about history.
  2. Understanding the history of an organization can help integrate new members and create a sense of unity.
  3. Knowledge of history in a society fosters patriotism, informed decision-making, tolerance, and well-rounded individuals.

Listen or Speak

2 HN points • 21 Feb 24
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Leadership Emotional Intelligence Communication Influence
  1. Listening is a valuable leadership skill often overlooked in modern times, supported by research and real-world examples.
  2. Emotional intelligence (EI) is a critical element in effective leadership, aiding in maintaining composure, empathy, and fostering a positive work climate.
  3. Brevity in leadership communication is key; concise messages are more impactful and influential, demonstrating a mastery of language and the art of persuasion.

Management

2 HN points • 03 Jan 24
💼 Business Management Leadership Complexity Global Influence
  1. Ikigai is a concept that ties together the essentials for happiness: something to do, someone to love, and something to hope for.
  2. Effective management involves nurturing potential, guiding careers, and creating environments for creativity and innovation to flourish.
  3. A noble manager strikes a balance between meeting organizational goals and ensuring employee well-being, fostering loyalty and trust within the team.

Principles Over Process

6 implied HN points • 25 Nov 22
  1. Agile started as a set of principles, not just a process.
  2. Applying Agile ceremonies to Waterfall projects can lead to frustration.
  3. Product development teams should focus on principles, like customer outcomes and learning efficiently.

The Future of Ecommerce

2 implied HN points • 29 Nov 23
💼 Business Ecommerce AI Data Customer Relationships
  1. GenAI is revolutionizing search and personalization in ecommerce.
  2. Data is crucial for powering AI models and personalizing the customer experience.
  3. Omnichannel retail, long-term customer relationships, and visual commerce are key trends shaping the future of ecommerce.

Brand & Data

2 implied HN points • 22 Nov 23
💼 Business Ecommerce Brand Data
  1. In Web 2.0, companies can differentiate through brand and data.
  2. Data allows for personalized experiences and enhances user satisfaction.
  3. Combining a strong brand with rich data can set a company apart in a crowded market.

How to Step Into a New Leadership Role

2 implied HN points • 27 Sep 23
💼 Business Leadership Management Team Dynamics
  1. Deion Sanders and Elon Musk are leaders who boldly make changes in their organizations.
  2. Sanders rebuilt his team immediately, while Musk downsized, showing different approaches to growth.
  3. Sanders emphasizes respect and high standards, while Musk's approach is seen as tyrannical by some employees.

Leadership

2 implied HN points • 16 Aug 23
💼 Business Leadership Management Emotions Resistance Skills
  1. Leadership involves traits like intelligence, determination, and sociability.
  2. Leadership is about achieving a goal through the direction of human assistants.
  3. People resist visions due to logic, obstinacy, visceral reactions, or emotions.

Scaling Organizations I

4 implied HN points • 21 Nov 22
  1. Scaling an organization is important for engineering leaders.
  2. Universal Scalability Law helps explain factors that impact scaling.
  3. To scale effectively, focus on minimizing contention, reducing decision-making stakeholders, and increasing parallelism.

Untrue Origin Stories

2 implied HN points • 09 Dec 22
  1. It's common for people to have preferred views of themselves, even if they are more favorable than reality.
  2. When individuals or companies present unrealistic origin stories, they may face scrutiny and consequences.
  3. Being truthful about one's achievements and origins is important for personal growth and maintaining credibility.

Scaling Organizations III

2 implied HN points • 21 Nov 22
  1. Complexity in organizations must be managed by either people or process.
  2. Organizations are similar to hierarchical and repeating structures with distinct components.
  3. Strategies for managing complexity in organizations include designing loosely coupled systems and learning from past incidents.

Think Again

1 implied HN point • 21 Nov 22
  1. Be open to being wrong to make progress
  2. Regularly question your cognitive tools and accumulated knowledge
  3. Effort to change your mind leads to improved outcomes

Software Brittleness

1 implied HN point • 21 Nov 22
  1. Software systems can fail when pushed beyond their design boundaries.
  2. Successful systems often face complexity penalties that require adaptation.
  3. Humans play a crucial role in adapting and improving software systems to reduce brittleness.

Scaling Organizations II

1 implied HN point • 21 Nov 22
  1. Cities tend to grow while companies tend to decline over time.
  2. Cities scale super-linearly, while companies tend to scale sub-linearly.
  3. Factors like specialization and idea generation contribute to cities' productivity growth.

Giving vs Receiving

0 implied HN points • 02 Dec 22
  1. In competitive environments, givers tend to succeed more often.
  2. Giving of your time is positive, but being able to receive help also boosts productivity.
  3. It's important to be willing to ask for help and admit knowledge gaps.