Most writing about work sits in one of two camps. The academics have the rigor and none of the stakes. The operators have the stakes and none of the evidence. I’ve spent my career in both, and this newsletter is my attempt to bring them together.
The recurring claim here is simple. When a workplace isn’t working - people checking out, disputes over pay, an AI rollout nobody adopts, the reflex is to find who’s at fault. Far more often, the behavior is a sensible response to how the system was built. Change the design and the behavior changes with it.
The views here are my own. This is a personal publication, and nothing in it represents the positions of Syndio or any organization I’m affiliated with.
