The Scribbler: When Language Gets Cheap, Thinking Gets Expensive
A quiet change has taken place in executive life, and it is not "AI" as such. It is the arrival of smoothness as a default condition. Language is
Free to read
Critical Thinking
10 essays
How to Use AI as a Thinking Partner Without Letting It Think For You
A practical method for how to turn AI into a thinking partner—surfacing assumptions, testing arguments, and strengthening decisions through disciplined cognitive friction.
The Commons
The Scribbler: When Strategy Meets Stagecraft
The Scribbler: When Strategy Meets Stagecraft0:00/651.0961× It's month end again, and as Finance settle in with pizza and press the 'reconcile' button, it&
Free to read
The Scribbler: The Empire of Euphemism Strikes Back
The Scribbler The Empire of Euphemism Strikes Back0:00/505.5361× Hello, and welcome to this edition of The Scribbler. This month I peer beneath the polished surface of organisational
Free to read
The Art of Not Reading
In an age of information overload, mastering the art of not reading is vital. Schopenhauer warns against indiscriminate consumption, urging deep engagement with quality works to cultivate sharper thinking, intellectual discipline, and true independence of mind.
Free to read
Preserving a Little Magic in a Rational World
Margaret Mead argued for keeping Santa as myth, not deception—preserving wonder while nurturing critical thinking. Treating Santa as symbolic and drawing on diverse traditions fosters imagination, honesty, and cultural insight.
Free to read
The Art of Decision-Making: How Effective Leaders Make Tough Choices
In leadership, few tasks are more consequential than making decisions — especially difficult ones. Decisions often come with uncertainty, incomplete information, and conflicting values. The best leaders manage these complexities by
The Commons
How to Think Better: A Shallow Dive into a Deep Topic
Critical thinking is vital but demanding. It isn’t fixed; it’s built through practice. Time for deep thought, less multitasking, patience, writing, and wide reading sharpen judgment, creativity, and the development of original, valuable ideas.
Free to read
The Perils of Overconfidence and Benefits of Rational Thinking
Overconfidence distorts managerial decisions, fuelling poor strategy and ego. Shifting from prediction to preparation, grounding judgment in rational thinking, and valuing informed anecdote alongside data helps balance confidence with pragmatism and improves organisational outcomes.
Free to read
Being Right A Lot: An Inputs Approach
When we judge the principle 'be right a lot' on inputs rather than outcomes we can make rational choices about the future, secure in the knowledge that we have positioned rather than predicted our future, that our future is based on skill and not luck, and that we are people worth following.
Free to read