Category: Everything else

Closing an inactive account

I received an email from Mailchimp saying they’re closing my account as it has been inactive for 2 years.

They had a clear reason for doing this – they want to delete the user data involved to reduce security risks.

In one stroke, this likely reduced internal tech debt, possible security vulnerabilities, and greatly simplified compliance. Genius.

It also makes for a delightful user experience. I’m clearly not using my Mailchimp account and I’d love to remove it instead of a continued zombie state existence.

Delightful user experiences can come from the most unexpected of places.

Great job, Mailchimp. I hope more services follow your lead.

Big kids, bullies, and power

Our kids encountered a couple of bigger kids at a park who were intent on giving them a hard time. They were at a water fixture and the kids made it a point to keep forcibly splashing water on them.

And, despite a couple of “please stop” from the two of them, they didn’t. So, the only remaining option was to leave the fixture – which they did.

We’ve talked a bit about the idea of bullying over the years. At 4 and 6, they’ve been sheltered enough to not experience it too many times. But we’re aware that these kinds of experiences will happen more often as they experience life in school and on the playground. It is – for good and bad – part and parcel of growing up.

I was reminded of a quote from Michelle Obama’s book when we were talking about this yesterday – “Bullies are scared people hiding inside scary people.”

It is wonderfully deep and powerful. And it is an idea that flows across many animated movies as well – so it is relatable for kids as well.

That and an idea we always talk about when they experience these sorts of things. Just remember how bad it feels to be treated this way. And make sure you don’t do it when you have the opportunity to do so when you’re the big kid.

Both ideas are just as applicable to adults as they are with kids.

Power just shows itself in different ways when we get older.

The Code Breaker

I’m making my way through Walter Isaacson’s “The Code Breaker.” It is the story of Nobel Prize winning scientist Jennifer Doudna and her pioneering work in CRISPR gene editing.

I don’t yet have much in the way of lessons learnt from the book as much as gratitude for such an in-depth take into the research process of one of the greatest breakthroughs of all time. The iterative process of discovery, the collaboration between Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier and their respective research teams is a nice combination of fascinating, inspiring, and riveting.

The story illustrates the power of bringing together people with curiosity, single-minded determination, resilience, and a willingness to collaborate on thoughtful hypothesis driven experimentation.

It is a great reminder of an enduring idea – high quality teams, led by strong and capable leaders, can accomplish amazing things.

Not what they seem

When asked about government subsidies, billionaire Elon Musk said “Delete them all.”

Marc Andreessen made waves when he funded Adam Neumann – who previously magically converted over $20 Billion in investments to a company worth $4 Billion – $350M pre-product to fix the housing crisis.

For years, Dan Price – the CEO of Gravity payments – built a massive social media following around leaders doing the right thing.

That’s all on one hand.

On the other…

… Tesla and SpaceX would not exist today if it weren’t for government subsidies. Tesla alone is estimated to have received over 2 billion dollars in government support.

…the same Marc Andreessen said he’s “IMMENSELY AGAINST” the development of ~130 apartment units in his elite town because they’d “MASSIVELY decrease” home values.

…Dan Price is being investigated for rape and multiple counts of sexual assault.

While such inconsistencies are especially commonplace amongst those with extreme fame, wealth, and power, they are on display all around us.

Two implications for us:

(1) Remember that things aren’t what they seem.

(2) Don’t listen to what people say. Watch what they do.

Feedback – 1% and 99%

One of our executives said this about feedback – “All feedback is between 1% and 99% accurate.”

It is a line that has stuck with me in the past months as I process feedback I receive and help others process feedback they receive.

All feedback is 1% and 99% accurate. It is on us to listen, decide which parts are accurate, and then respond with action where necessary.

No over-reaction necessary.

The choice map in one word

Years after first reading about it, I keep coming back to the Marilee Adams’ Choice Map from time to time. It is the single best illustration of Carol Dweck’s “growth mindset” in action. Dr. Adams’ map shows the difference between asking “learner” questions and “judger” questions.

I was recently thinking about this map and realized that the difference between the two can be boiled down into one word – constructive.

The learner path is constructive because it creates forward momentum and energy. The judger path, on the other hand, has the exact opposite energy. It sucks all energy and takes us straight to that judger pit.

The judger path is all about the reaction. The learner path is all about the response.

A simple idea in theory.

Transformational in practice.

Being in the driver seat of our journey

The challenge of being in the driver seat in our journey = figuring out the balance between…

figuring out where want to go,

looking at the map,

driving in silence,

driving while engaging in conversations or with content,

focusing hard on the terrain,

asking for help,

taking a break to eat, stretch, or rest,

and looking at the rear-view mirror.

There’s no right answer or right mix. Some days or weeks demand something very different from those that came before.

It’s just on us to adapt as necessary.

And make the most of the experience while we’re at it.

Clues that you might not be trying hard enough

Seth shared a post today that resonated deeply

Clues that you might not be trying hard enough

You usually succeed

You rarely feel like an imposter

You already know what you need to know

You’re confident it’s going to work

If you’re not feeling stretched or dancing with uncertainty often enough, you are probably not learning.

A wonderful reminder. Thanks for sharing, Seth.