Thanks, Daniel - I always learn a great deal from our collaborative back-and-forth. Really impressed with the next-level insights we abstracted from these winning product strategies.
Very cool. I was first introduced to the Lean Strategy more in writing with Dickie Bush. He talked about the Lean Writing Strategy. Lean writing is similar to what you're talking about in that it has to do with pulling back the fluff, the speed, and the volume to what are the bare essentials. Very easy in business to add more staff, more tools, pay for more impressive software. Really, we just need to maximize what we already have.
Well, this was the first time I heard of Dickie Bush (is that even a real name?!).
Looked him up and he just turned 30, but I can see what he means by Lean Writing - expanding from a tweet to an essay and viceversa. Justin Welsh is also very good at this sort of stuff.
Have you tried prompting AI to strip stuff in Lean Writing as well?
I know right? Any time I tell people I've studied under Dickie Bush for their Ship 3030 or their PGA product, people look twice as if I made up a name.
Great question on using AI to strip down the content to Lean Writing. Yes, I am at the end of day 30 posting on LinkedIn with outline content (no images, no media), then moving to phase 2 with doubling down on proven topics.
What I'm most excited about is developing deep thought and deep work using AI. I set up my 2,000 notes with my zettlekasten (how to take smart notes by Sonke Arhrens) that are now accessible through claude cowork. I'm having it pull out notes around philosophy and theology, and then I'm making this bridge to marketing concepts to develop hopefully my own unique POV.
how about you, are you using ai to write more lean? what has worked for you?
Yes, definitely. That’s actually why I asked. I use AI more to edit than to generate. Tightening my wording (I like to dictate to it my ideas), stripping out fluff, and catching when I slip into jargon, passive voice, etc.
It helps me get back to the point faster. Sometimes the idea is there, it’s just wrapped in too many words. I still want the thought and angle to be mine though. AI just helps me frame it more cleanly.
I think this is where we need to bring in @JoelSalinas and @MikeGoitein - An AI leadership prompt to keep things leans in your team and product/service.
Hard to argue with three decades of success, Chris- thanks for sharing.
Price’s Law is indeed eye-opening and makes intrinsic sense, especially laid out against the Pareto Principle.
One thing I’ll say is that even though it’s frequently like this, it doesn’t have to always be like this.
Notion early on focused on hiring for “talent density,” something that Linear also has focused on and Magic Patterns is also now doing with their Series A round funding.
Thanks, Daniel - I always learn a great deal from our collaborative back-and-forth. Really impressed with the next-level insights we abstracted from these winning product strategies.
Learning through collaboration... now that's an idea for a future post!
Thanks again Mike for sharing your insights with the Millennial Masters crowd.
Small teams win when they stay close to the problem.
Very cool. I was first introduced to the Lean Strategy more in writing with Dickie Bush. He talked about the Lean Writing Strategy. Lean writing is similar to what you're talking about in that it has to do with pulling back the fluff, the speed, and the volume to what are the bare essentials. Very easy in business to add more staff, more tools, pay for more impressive software. Really, we just need to maximize what we already have.
Well, this was the first time I heard of Dickie Bush (is that even a real name?!).
Looked him up and he just turned 30, but I can see what he means by Lean Writing - expanding from a tweet to an essay and viceversa. Justin Welsh is also very good at this sort of stuff.
Have you tried prompting AI to strip stuff in Lean Writing as well?
I know right? Any time I tell people I've studied under Dickie Bush for their Ship 3030 or their PGA product, people look twice as if I made up a name.
Great question on using AI to strip down the content to Lean Writing. Yes, I am at the end of day 30 posting on LinkedIn with outline content (no images, no media), then moving to phase 2 with doubling down on proven topics.
What I'm most excited about is developing deep thought and deep work using AI. I set up my 2,000 notes with my zettlekasten (how to take smart notes by Sonke Arhrens) that are now accessible through claude cowork. I'm having it pull out notes around philosophy and theology, and then I'm making this bridge to marketing concepts to develop hopefully my own unique POV.
how about you, are you using ai to write more lean? what has worked for you?
Yes, definitely. That’s actually why I asked. I use AI more to edit than to generate. Tightening my wording (I like to dictate to it my ideas), stripping out fluff, and catching when I slip into jargon, passive voice, etc.
It helps me get back to the point faster. Sometimes the idea is there, it’s just wrapped in too many words. I still want the thought and angle to be mine though. AI just helps me frame it more cleanly.
is there an ai prompt that you use for keeping it lean? I’m all ears….or I’m all LLMs?
I think this is where we need to bring in @JoelSalinas and @MikeGoitein - An AI leadership prompt to keep things leans in your team and product/service.
Looking forward to trying it out!
💯 on my wavelength. Great piece guys! - the law that drove my career is Prices Law - huge value created by the smallest group in the team - https://thefoundercorner.substack.com/p/the-law-that-explains-why-your-team - driven my career for 3 decades. I hope it helps
Hard to argue with three decades of success, Chris- thanks for sharing.
Price’s Law is indeed eye-opening and makes intrinsic sense, especially laid out against the Pareto Principle.
One thing I’ll say is that even though it’s frequently like this, it doesn’t have to always be like this.
Notion early on focused on hiring for “talent density,” something that Linear also has focused on and Magic Patterns is also now doing with their Series A round funding.
Oh my 😱 It is alarmingly true (a law after all) and looking back, I see it everywhere now!
Small, focused teams can win by prioritizing what truly matters, executing with precision, and exploiting gaps that larger competitors overlook.