Jan 10, 2022
Dear Friend,
The first full edition of our weekly dispatch is chock-full of stuff – which means I will keep it short and simply hope you had a good first week into the New Year.
Read on!
Practical Futurism
When it comes to evaluating weak signals from potentially strong signals, we like to assess signals in five dimensions: Frequency, Strength, Directionality, Maturity, and Spread. Looking at the cacophony of voices (and noise) around NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens), one is well advised to pay special attention to the directionality dimension. We haven’t, in recent history, seen an emerging technology stir up so many, and such strongly opposing, opinions. Just yesterday, Moxie Marlinspike, founder of the messaging platform Signal, published a blog post “My first impressions of web3” (which is essentially a take-down on Web3) — with an immediate rebuttal from fellow hacker Brandon Skerritt. Emotions are running high in crypto-land, that’s for sure. And it is a good reminder to seek information from both sides of the spectrum when assessing a signal which sees such strong “tug-of-war” directionality.
Disrupt Disruption
We are currently re-reading Geoffrey Moore’s book “Zone to Win”. We always had a sweet spot for Geoffrey’s work — as it is not only deeply insightful but also highly practical and very accessible. There is lots of goodness in Zone to Win, starting with his very useful differentiation of three different types of disruption: Infrastructure Model, Operating Model, and Business Model. Incumbent organizations typically have no problems in absorbing infrastructural changes, and typically can successfully navigate operating model changes. The challenges emerge when the business model shifts — which is the moment when the corporate antibodies invoke the companies immune system. A good reminder to take a hard look at the potential disruptors you and your organization are facing and consider which of the three types they are.
What We Are Reading
👂 How to Become a Better Listener As a new year soon begins, it’s a good time to consider our own personal development. One of the best things you can do as a leader is to cultivate becoming a better listener. This article will give you all the tips and know-how to deeply connect with your team and the people around you. Jane ⇢ Read
🎆 5 science-based strategies for nailing your New Year’s resolutions Do you have new year’s resolutions in place? Here’s how to actually stick to them. Mafe ⇢ Read
💩 The worst technology of 2021 For a little counterpoint to all the hype-filled trend reports forecasting the year ahead, take a moment to reflect on the worst tech innovations of last year. Each one has something to teach us about the future by way of cautionary tale or counterexample. Jeffrey ⇢ Read
🎮 A Tribute to the Nintendo Engineer Masayuki Uemura His work is an inspiring story of how great ideas can come together with the right timing and environment to create not only a product line but a cultural phenomenon. Julian ⇢ Read
⛓ Ledger Wondering what’s real, and what’s mere hype in the world of blockchain and crypto? Here is the first peer-reviewed journal dedicated to the study of blockchains and cryptocurrencies. Pascal ⇢ Read
Internet Finds
Do you have kids? Are you (at least sometimes) geeking out on User Experience/User Design? Leslie Ylinen’s humorous take on “The UX on this Small Child is Terrible” is a fun read! 👼
In Case You Missed It
🏴☠️ The Heretic: Slow is Smooth and Smooth is Fast
⚠️ Disrupt Disruption: We are coming back with a series of interviews, including Dave Friedman, founder and CEO of AutonomyWorks, Hydrow’s founder and CEO Bruce Smith, re:3D’s co-founder Samantha Snabes, and Futurity Studio co-founder Cecilia MoSze Tham. Stay tuned!
Radically yours, take good care, friend!
— Pascal, Mafe and the three Js (Jane, Jeffrey, and Julian)
