There is more and more false information in the world.

From propaganda to generative AI, a version of the world is sent to us, where we don’t see the source of the information.

So what does that mean?

No source, no background, just vibes.

Vibes don’t generate understanding, they just produce feelings that we can’t iterate on. You can’t close the loop on vibes, so you hold on to them.

If I control the vibe, I control your emotions. If I control your emotions, I control your dreams.

Arrested dreams hold the world back.

With technology, we have to be skeptical.

The last 10 years have led us to a place where we have less of a social safety net, security in our workplace, and less money in the average persons account.

The average person isn’t in a better place than they were.

Technology – for it to be a force for good, has to change what it’s for, and technologists, need to reckon with the changes that the work has done over the last few years.

Until that happens, assume ill intent, and ask, who benefits from the technology that is being pushed.

Generative AI – Copyright protections, artist rights, trust in information (certainly long term)

Crypto – Regulation, visibility,concentration of finances

Until this reckoning, assume ill intent and question – I can’t see how anything else brings us better technology.

Next time you write something that needs a sense of edge, do this exercise.

After you are done with your first draft, take all the adjectives you see.

Put them in a list.

Define them.

In your next draft, write them out and make what you are saying as plain as possible.

Why?

Sometimes we can shrink our point with language. Sure, the adjective may fit; however, without defining a word like “thoughtful” to ourselves, we miss seeing how we may be shorting ourselves.

AI can only look at the past and guess.

You see this phenomena on display when using the current “hot” LLM’s.

Ask it to review a document.

What sounds like a simple ask looks good at first. The grammar looks good, and the references seem real.

Except – none of it is “known,” and all of the output is a guess.

That guess can have consequences:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/opinion/chatgpt-invented-a-sexual-harassment-scandal-and-named-a-real-law-prof-as-the-accused/ar-AA19vNsJ

Be careful.

Yesterday – April 9th, was my 36th birthday.

Last year was a rough one.

I enjoyed my job and personal life with no external anxiety.

Then, everything changed. As a result, I felt like I’ve gone through a ton of growth, especially mentally where I lacked the tools to take care of myself. I got to explore my anxiety in ways that challenged me to get to the root of how I feel.

The root is raw, and each step gets me stronger.

Now, I have a new role, and many things have changed in my life.

This year feels new, and I look forward to seeing it through.

Let’s see where 36 takes me.

AI feels right .

Even if the information isn’t.

Feeling right though, isn’t enough – especially when the impact of being wrong can hurt people.

Until the laws catch up, it’s up to the people who build to create safeguards for the public good.

When the laws catch up, ignorance won’t be an excuse.

Stay regular.

Treat yourself well.

Every day is a day to improve the routine and build stamina.

Do you know where you are going?

If not – why not slow down and enjoy the scenery?

A clue may be there.

“This is the most important thing for me/us to do.”

Is it?

So dedicate an hour a day to it.

Shape it, write about it, think about it, collaborate on it, check in on it, whatever it takes.

That’s only five hours a week.

If that seems like too much – how important is it?

The thing is the thing; everything else is a means to the thing or a distraction.

Focus is difficult.

What are you working on?

There is the public, good answer – “Our objective.”

However, is that reflected on your calendar?

If it isn’t – are you sure that’s your objective? If you ask the person setting the objective to look at your calendar, would they like what they see?

If you are setting the objective, are you focused? If you ask your direct to look at their calendar and cross-examine that with your requests, would they think you were wasting their time?

The thing is the thing. If there is no thing, the time will fill, with no problem. However, if there is a thing, everything else is a distraction.

Are you open to talking to people this year?

Well you should be.

There is a huge silo issue in product development teams, and much of it rests at the feet of the product manager.

Your job is to help the team around you make better decisions, however, you spend so much more of your time sitting in Jira and setting meetings that don’t change anything.

I’m issuing a challenge.

New month.

New priorities?

Mostly not – things are the same, and for many, getting worse. 

What is about to change? Everything.

Our Priorities won’t. 

A tad scary.

When talking to people to learn anything,  conversation will beat interrogation. 

Conversation gets us, as humans, comfortable. We relate, tell our stories, and build trust. 

Conversation is a virtuous cycle. 

Interrogation leads us to defensiveness. We hide.

If you build on followup questions and take an interest, you are having a conversation.

If you have a list of questions to get through, you are interrogating. 

Strategic custody is who controls and owns the strategy. The trick is, this could be anyone – it requires someone to care about the outcomes and think about the future.

The hard part about this is it requires time. You have to make time for it.

You cannot react your way into being a strategic custodian. 

When I’m kickboxing, I try to figure out form first.

When the form is right, the body whips, and I can feel the speed and power on the bag in front of me. I can feel the environment around me shift in the follow through.

When I do it wrong, its a challenge and I can hurt myself, so the stakes are clear.

The thing is, even when I get it right, I still have to go slow to build the muscle memory. I know I have a long way to do it fast and right, but I feel it connect. 

In any work we do, we should find ways to practice form first with the understanding that it is going to take reps to do it fast.

Often times we just dive in, and we pay the price.

Do you have the right problem?

Are you sure?

What are some other possible problems that exist?

What is the opposite problem?

Where is this a problem?

Just a few prompts to dive in. 

What do you all value?

How does it work?

What do you think everyone else values?

How far away do you feel your definition is from the group?

How does it get closer? 

Everyone watches the “launch.”

However, the real work happens before and after. 

Unless something catastrophic (read: Massive Exception) happens during the launch, the results before and after are insight to your progress.

For the most part, the launch takes care of itself.