Motivation Aug 20, 2026
The latest issue
A Parable on Building Commitment
In the Jātaka tale of the monkey king, the leader sacrifices himself for his troop's safety.
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The Framework
One lens. Four functions.
Every act of leadership is a combination of the same handful of functions. Our framework is the lens that runs through every issue, every episode, and the book.
01 Allocation. Deploy what is scarce where it matters most.
02 Information. Read the signals that tell you what is actually happening.
03 Motivation. Align personal purpose with the team’s mission.
04 Execution. Set the intent; let the people closest own the means.
Recent issues
Browse all →Allocation · Aug 13, 2026
Making Costs Visible
Before he proposed, Charles Darwin worked the decision out on paper in two columns, weighing what each path would cost him.
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Motivation · Aug 6, 2026
What happens when you put a price on a gift?
Richard Titmuss argued that Britain's volunteer blood system produced safer blood than America's paid one. A Swedish experiment later offered donors a small payment and found it cut women's willingness to give almost in half. The lesson is about what a price tells people.
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Motivation · Jul 30, 2026
Who is the happiest person you've ever seen?
Croesus asked a visiting sage who was the happiest man he'd seen, expecting his wealth to settle the question. Solon's answer is about what happiness can be built on.
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The Podcast · Episode 9
Could AI Be a Good Leader?
Aaron and Spencer ask A. Todd Howard, MetLife Investment Management's Head of Fixed Income - EMEA and a former Army Black Hawk pilot, whether an AI could ever be a good leader. His answer turns on accountability, soft information, and why commitment only counts when it costs something.
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