Alignment sounds nice, but translation works.

I’ve stopped believing that alignment means everyone agrees. Most of the time, it just means everyone thinks they understood the same thing. In product conversations, we love to say, “Let’s get aligned.” It sounds mature. Kinda professional as well. But what we’re really saying is, “Let’s make sure we’re not talking about completely different things.” … Continue reading Alignment sounds nice, but translation works.

The trap of wanting to be liked

There’s this pattern that shows up at work for so many of us: the craving to be liked. Not just respected for the work, but really liked—seen as smart, capable, and worth celebrating. And the moment someone seems curt or doesn’t give that signal, the mind runs wild. “Do they think I’m not good enough? … Continue reading The trap of wanting to be liked