Nik

Think like a kid. Be a kid. Kids are very successful at making friends. Kids are very successful at making discoveries. Literally, every new day in a kid’s life is a new beginning, a new discovery. Because kids are extremely open-minded. Because they aren’t afraid to take the first step. They’re not afraid to say hello, to start a conversation with someone new. One of the most important skills kids have is the ability to play with other kids—and the ability to attract others to come play with them. Kids can easily experiment. They can combine things that have never been combined before. They can create new games, new things, new everything—from nothing—based solely on their imagination. Kids are fairness. They simply don’t know what fail is and what outcome of the fail.

Children are growing up—they’re becoming more adult-like—and they already understand what risks are. They know that some things probably won’t work, ever. They know what it means to feel fear. And little by little, they stop experimenting. They used to be so open-minded, but over time, they become adults. And the more adult you become, the more aware you are of risks and the possibility of failure. You start playing it safe, because you don’t want to take risks—you’re not ready to fail. Now, imagine that 100% of decisions in all companies, both small and large, are made by people who are already adults—people who are afraid and not ready to take risks. Of course, risks should be calculated. If you understand that something will likely lead to a loss, a drop in revenue, or damage to your business—even if the risk is small—then of course, you shouldn’t do it.

But don’t focus only on the risks.

Most adults—especially managers and decision-makers—focus too much on minimizing risk. Yes, you should consider risk, but don’t let it become your main focus. Don’t make risk your “north star.” Allow yourself the luxury to be wrong. Prove yourself this is normal. Don’t let risk turn your playground into an insurance office. It is not so hard, start the game and environment will play with you. This isn’t about being childish or naive — it’s about being mature and emotionally healthy enough to take risks. Risk tolerance is actually a strong marker of growth. People who only go for safe bets likely had bad experiences in the past and are trying to avoid facing them again. And that’s completely okay — but it’s important to let go. Let those bad experiences turn into lessons learned, not lifelong limitations.

If only we asked ourselves more often: What would happen if…?

When I started my career, I was eager to make a difference. I tried to be everywhere—attending every meeting, volunteering for every opportunity, and using all my free time to contribute beyond my role. Eventually, I burned out. My very first job was as a courier, delivering newspapers and magazines when I was 17. After that, I joined the armed forces and spent five years serving in various positions. Once I left the military, I decided to pursue a career in advertising. From the very beginning, I worked overtime—late nights, countless activities, and no personal life. I was inspired by David Droga, who famously lived in his office during the early years of his professional life. Working hard and working smart are entirely different worlds, you know.

To be successful you need to do two things.

First, you need to be good at the basics—what was assigned to you in your job offer. This doesn’t mean you should underperform or be less proactive. However, the KPIs outlined in your  were agreed upon with you, and achieving these is your main goal within the organization you work for.. In large organizations, every individual must meet these goals to contribute to the company’s overall success. These KPIs are thoughtfully designed to align your efforts with the corporation’s strategy. By helping the organization achieve its objectives, you’ll also move closer to your personal success. Never underestimate the effort of the people who created these goals for you.

Second, once you are good at your basics, you need to develop something unique—your X-factor. For example, if you’re a software engineer, you could excel at organizing internal events or hosting technical discussions within and outside the company. Or, if you work in marketing, perhaps you’re skilled in managing social media, which you can leverage to boost brand awareness.

Let me explain using football as an example. I’m a big fan of football. Take David Beckham—he’s a world-famous football player. Was he good at everything? No. Was he the best at dribbling, ball control, or defense? Not necessarily. He was above average in those areas but highly proficient in the basics of being a right midfielder. His standout X-factor was his ability to deliver long, precise passes and exceptional free kicks. Beckham recognized this strength, honed it, and became one of the greatest footballers known for long passes.

Another example is Sergio Ramos, formerly of Real Madrid and the Spanish national team. He’s an excellent defender. But to become one of the greatest defenders, he needed more than just defensive skills. Ramos developed a unique ability to score goals, which is uncommon for a defender. His aggressive defensive style, combined with his goal-scoring prowess, made him a leader and a world-renowned player.

The lesson here is clear: Don’t neglect your core duties in favor of extras. If your basics are weak, even multiple X-factors won’t save you from failure. But if you excel in your core role and contribute in other areas, it will shape a positive image of you in the eyes of your teammates, earning you a strong reputation. No one will remember all the initiatives you started or participated in, but they will remember the ones where you achieved something.

Management is not rocket science, but people management is. Everything around us was created by people—people with their own goals, fears, and motivations. These factors drive their actions. Thousands of years ago, humans planned and worked together to hunt mammoths, and today, we’re creating prompts for ChatGPT. The underlying motivations are timeless.

Remember Maslow’s hierarchy of needs? Motivation can be complex, and fear isn’t always negative. Just as goals aren’t always purely positive. People can be motivated by a fear of failure or losing their job, and this can sometimes be even more powerful than financial incentives. Those motivated by money might not maintain high productivity levels forever; if salary directly determined productivity, then companies like Apple would have all the best minds of the universe on their team.

However, people driven by fear are often the most motivated. They’re clear about what they don’t want to experience again, and they understand the costs of failure. For them, it’s not just about gain but also about avoiding a negative outcome.

To truly motivate a team, it’s essential to set clear goals. But this is about more than just SMART objectives; it’s about setting a vision—a final destination. How will it look when the work is done? It can be difficult to explain an end goal in simple terms. Consider how challenging it is to summarize a complex story like Game of Thrones in a single sentence—where noble families vie for ultimate power. 

For instance, consider other examples:

1. Breaking Bad
   Teacher turns drug lord for survival.
2. Stranger Things
   Kids uncover secrets of supernatural dimensions.
3. The Walking Dead
   Survivors fight zombies and societal collapse.
4. Friends
   Six friends navigate life and love.

This is a big picture, North Star goal—a broader, long-term vision. This should be the final piece of the puzzle that everyone works toward. Setting up a big picture could be challenging when you are operating on low level. I remember working on a huge commerce program. Every Monday was super stressful because we had to prepare reports and present updates to top management. The main stakeholder would always sit there silently, not saying a word. We couldn’t understand why he behaved this way, and it left us feeling confused. One day, the boss finally spoke up. He said, “Guys, I don’t care about the burn-down chart or how many story points you closed. I just want to see the overall progress. Are we on track with the deadline or not? Everything else doesn’t matter at all.” That moment was a turning point for me. It changed how I understood the importance of setting clear goals.

When I worked at a friend’s startup, one of our API engineers had printed Instagram profiles of our potential customers and placed them on his desk. He said, “When I’m unsure what to do, I look at these photos. It reminds me who I’m building this platform for, and then the solution just comes.” Recognizing that you’re working on something meaningful and tangible is a powerful motivator. Many wealthy people are unhappy because they’ve lost sight of their vision. Money provides only temporary motivation.

One more exercise. I always think about how I will describe the project I work with in the current time during the job interview. It doesn’t mean I am in the endless search of work. It does mean I think about the final destination and keep focusing on the results.å

People management is rocket science because you must decide what fuel your team will use. A rocket powered by cortisol (stress) may launch quickly, but it will burn out just as fast. Without a clear destination and a guiding North Star goal, your daily actions become nothing more than aimless activity. Your vision always dictates your decisions.

Matrix needs you to push the buttons.

Some people are implementing frameworks to offload operations, but as a result, they are overloading operations and creating complex systems.

Imagine that one tap on the touchpad generates a chain of overloaded events. For example:

Initial Event: The Button Press

• Action: At precisely 8:00 AM, an individual seated in a bustling café clicks the "Create Email" button on their laptop, initiating the composition of a critical message.

Immediate Consequence

• Email Dispatched: This seemingly trivial action results in the dispatch of an essential email to a colleague, containing vital project data.
• Prompt Response: The recipient promptly reads the email and approves a key project decision without delay.

Short-Term Chain Reaction

• Project Advancement: The project kickoff is brought forward, accelerating the overall timeline.
• Supplier Contract: The accelerated schedule necessitates an earlier-than-planned signing of a supplier contract.

Mid-Term Effects

• Production Realignment: The supplier adjusts their production schedule to meet the new timelines, affecting logistics and delivery chains.
• Economic Ripple: These logistical adjustments lead to shifts in demand for regional transportation services, influencing local economic patterns.

Long-Term Consequences

• Economic Stimulation: The increased logistical activity stimulates local economic growth, attracting new businesses to the area.
• Urban Development: The influx of enterprises leads to urban expansion, prompting new housing and infrastructure projects.

Global Impact

• Technological Breakthrough: One of the new businesses specializes in developing advanced urban planning software, revolutionizing city planning on a global scale.
• Sustainable Growth: This innovative software aids cities in growing more sustainably, reducing environmental impacts and improving the overall quality of life.

Conclusion

Thus, the simple act of pressing the "Create Email" button on a laptop sets off a cascading series of events, culminating in technological innovations and sustainable urban expansion. This narrative epitomizes the butterfly effect, demonstrating how negligible actions can lead to profound and far-reaching consequences.

Total

• Approximate Total Man-Hours: 744.5 hours

An attentive person would recognize the butterfly effect. By pushing the email button, the system has created additional load with unexpected impacts.

If you are the person creating this additional overload, I hope you clearly understand what you are trying to achieve. If you are not this person, let me explain why this happened to you and why you have to work in this crazy situation: someone has goals you don’t understand, and you work to achieve those goals. If you can identify the chain of goals, you can understand that at the top is someone who doesn’t care about the metrics you are trying to achieve.

This is all about creativity. It is hard to make the step from 0 to 1 to create something truly innovative that will change the game. Identifying what is new and original versus what is a continuation of an already created system is the most time-consuming task. Identifying the limits helps you find a starting point for a leap.

There are two types of individuals. The first type is good in creativity and bad in execution. The second is reversed—good in operations and bad in creativity. For some reason, operations guys are highly recognized as good leaders and managers. Matrix loves both types: the first for supporting the system, the second for resistance that makes Matrix stronger.

Following and supporting systems doesn't mean being effective; you are just adding additional load. Creating one simple solution does mean being effective. So, it looks like people who are good in operations are not effective. Please don’t mind me saying this. We need to concentrate on a small number of hard points rather than the opposite. It is hard to find them, but the impact will be significant.

Sometimes following a process can kill a good idea. Fast interactions and failures are better than slow ones. You will fail anyway, but it is better to do it fast and finally find solutions that work.

Imagine you have a choice: continue loading the system and producing continuous negative value, or spend your brain resources to cut the corner and supervise the system. An attentive reader will answer: it depends on what your goals are.

Modern Neo struggles to choose between two options until he understands. There is no escape from the Matrix. There is a choice between two ways only: support the current Matrix or create a new one and try to control it until the Matrix controls you. There is no freedom in creating a new Matrix, nor in being part of the current system. There is no escape from the Matrix; you just become a part of new ones and jump into the loop. The only value you can get from both is experience.