Traction Heroes
Digging in to get results with Harry Max and Jorge Arango
Episodes
43 episodes
Subsidiarity
How do you delegate authority while maintaining coherence? One way is by establishing solid principles.Show notes:...
Feedback
Harry shares an important insight from a personal place: we must not just get better at giving feedback, but receiving it as well — and it can be especially difficult when feedback is part of your professional skillset.Show notes:
Craft
Jorge digs out an influential book from his past to discuss a critical issue in decision-making.Show notes:The Art of Computer Game Desig...
Agency
It's easy to feel frustrated and powerless — but organizational leaders have more agency than they might think in today's world.Show notes:Incorruptible by Eric Rie...
Pace Layers
AI gives us the ability to prototype faster than ever before — which is great, as long as we remember that there's underlying work to be done.Show notes:
Checklists
Many so-called accidents can be prevented with a bit of forethought. In this conversation, we explore ways to avoid bad outcomes by preparing beforehand.Show notes:
Legibility
Determining what to track is essential for effective management. But focusing on just a few measures can lead us to miss important things.Show notes:
Blind Spots
A reading from a popular job search book prompts a discussion about our inability to accurately self-diagnose — and what to do about it.Show notes:
Axis Thinking
Jorge shares one of his core mental models — from an unexpected source.Show notes:Axis Thinking by Brian Eno
Automation Complacency
On the risks of unquestioningly delegating sense-making to technology in general (and AI in particular.)Show notes:The Glass Cage by Nichol...
Perceptions
Our perceptions of what someone else will say or do can influence what they actually end up saying or doing — leading to a dangerous vicious cycle.Show notes:
MacGuffins
Harry and Jorge discuss one of the latter's favorite means for gaining traction: the MacGuffin, a concept with a storied pedigree in cinema.Show notes:
Mindfulness
On the importance of mindfulness for gaining traction — and how you can practice to become more mindful.Show notes:Original Love<...
Jobs To Be Done
We tackle a key reading from a classic book to solve a perennial problem: how do we talk about what we do so we don't undersell our value?Show notes:
Delusion
A conversation about something that's emerging as a central theme in the podcast: how to avoid fooling yourself so you can achieve your goals by seeing more clearly.Show notes:
Going Meta
Is your business in service to the bottom line or something higher? Whichever you pick will influence the organization's culture.Show notes:Ti...
Eliciting Information
How do you get useful information from people when the very act of asking might compromise the answer? Harry offers insights from a surprising source.Show notes:
The Highest Goal
An end of year reflection on what motivates us to do what we do.The Highest Goal by Michael Ray
Having a Vision
A reading from an unexpected source leads to a discussion about the importance of having a clear vision.Show notes:Be Useful: Seven Tools for Life by Arnold Schwarzenegger...
Listening
Our running conversation goes meta after Harry reads from a book about how to listen better.You’re Not Listening: What You're Missing and W...
The Lindy Effect
Spurred by a reading from Nassim Nicholas Taleb, Jorge and Harry have a rambling conversation about building resilient businesses during times of disruptive technological change.
Thresholds of Change
Harry brings to the discussion a four-part model for skillfully navigating change.Show notes:Thresholds of Change...
Social Traps
Harry offers a taxonomy of five "social traps" that can keep us from gaining traction.Show notes:Social Traps by John Cross and Melvin Guyer