craftsmanship

25
Nov
The System Lives Longer Than You

The System Lives Longer Than You

In every mature engineering discipline, the creator disappears and the system remains. Railways, bridges, aircraft, industrial plants, power grids, and
4 min read
24
Nov
Monday Myth: The Cult of Belief

Monday Myth: The Cult of Belief

The modern workplace has mistaken belief for competence. Leaders preach that unless you “believe in the mission”, “feel aligned”, or “find your spark”, you cannot deliver excellence. Emotional alignment has become a moral test. But this doctrine has produced fragility, not performance
3 min read
19
Nov
Tech Through the Barbarian Lens

Tech Through the Barbarian Lens

Modern tech resembles an empire in decline. The barbarians are not outside the gates. They already run the place.
4 min read
18
Nov
The Modern Barabbas

The Modern Barabbas

The story of Pilate is remembered not because he chose evil, but because he chose nothing. He recognised the right path, understood the consequences, and stepped aside anyway. He performed neutrality while the worst forces advanced. This is the defining pattern of modern organisational decline.
4 min read
17
Nov
The Asimov Paradox: How Certainty Destroys Predictability

The Asimov Paradox: How Certainty Destroys Predictability

The Asimov Paradox describes a system in which Product and Engineering enter a self‑reinforcing loop of false certainty, eroded craft, and misaligned incentives. Each discipline believes it operates correctly. Each waits for the other. Neither generates information.
4 min read
11
Nov
The Forgotten Art of Incremental Architecture or Why System Thinking Must Lead Before Code

The Forgotten Art of Incremental Architecture or Why System Thinking Must Lead Before Code

Speed without structure is the slowest form of waste.
5 min read
10
Nov
The Cost of Clarity

The Cost of Clarity

Clarity sounds virtuous. Every company claims to value it, every leader invokes it. Yet few survive its consequences. Because real clarity is not a tool. It is a weapon. And weapons always wound, especially those who wield them.
6 min read
06
Nov
The Language of Enablement: Reclaiming Coherence in Fragile Systems

The Language of Enablement: Reclaiming Coherence in Fragile Systems

The deepest organisational failures rarely stem from weak strategy or flawed code. They begin when language itself collapses. When teams lose the ability to describe reality with precision, they lose the ability to act with intelligence.
4 min read
04
Nov
Tractor Pulling Hell or When Zero Leverage Becomes Fate

Tractor Pulling Hell or When Zero Leverage Becomes Fate

In healthy companies, traction comes from momentum. The term "critical mass" gained popularity during the wave of digital transformation in the early 2010s, especially as organisations began to recognise that adoption curves and internal advocacy play a disproportionate role in change success.
4 min read
03
Nov
Excellence as a Threat : Why Strong Engineers Get Pushed Out

Excellence as a Threat : Why Strong Engineers Get Pushed Out

The romanticised idea of the lone rebel fighting for truth has lost its meaning. In today’s corporate theatre, those who voice dissent loudly often benefit from the very system they claim to criticise. They are rewarded for drama, not depth. But this piece is not about them.
5 min read