This is absolutely essential reading Farida! I spent time over the weekend creating a context vault with Claude so that now every single project that it opens up basically knows exactly what I want in terms of my long-term, medium-term, and short-term thinking. It took four or five hours, but I think in the long term it's going to save me weeks and weeks of time. Hopefully, other creators and founders can adopt a similar approach as well.
Thank you, Sam, Love this. That “context vault” approach is exactly what I mean by building better lenses before acting. It takes time upfront, but as you said, it saves weeks or even months down the line. The work you’re doing to make every project start with context is the kind of fence-building that actually prevents disasters later. Really glad to see other creators thinking this way.
I truly value context in a way that I’ve found hard to explain. My ClinftonStrengths finder’s reminder:
You are often fascinated by history and the lessons it reveals, but others may find this information boring or overwhelming. Keep this in mind as you share your perspectives, and look for signs that you’ve lost people’s attention or interest.
Thank you for showing us why this matters and reminding me that it’s an important part of the conversation - even if I might lose people’s attention or interest lol
Rebecca, I love that you brought up your CliftonStrengths insight, it's a perfect example of the kind of self-awareness that allows leaders to navigate challenges in their own style.
I also think that knowing how to hold onto these insights while finding ways to engage others is a skill that can be developed over time. So, keep bringing that perspective those lessons from history will always be more useful than we realize, even if it takes a little extra patience to get others to see it. 😊
Yes! The great thing is, as you’ve very correctly pointed out, context is something that everyone needs to better understand whether it’s a strength or not. It’s better for business, particularly now with how we implement AI into workflows.
Thank you for bringing up such an essential subject. I find I often go to the extreme of needing deep context, before I can even begin to frame an opinion or make a decision. While this can sometimes be exhausting for others, I believe it's vital for avoiding the 'expensive repetition' you described.
In a corporate setting, we call it 'brainstorming' when we invite the team to speak freely, but it rarely functions that way if a leader’s authority and personal OS simply overwrite the collective insight. It reinforces your point: the most dangerous person is the one who changes things confidently without asking why they exist in the first place. Truly understanding one's function as a leader means respecting those 'fences' and the context the team provides, rather than just performing leadership for the crowd.
Anna, I love this! You’re spot on about the need for deep context before making decisions, it's exhausting for others sometimes, but it saves a lot of pain in the long run.
Your point about “brainstorming” is perfect. If the leader’s voice drowns out the team’s insight, it stops being a real brainstorm. Leadership isn’t about performing for the crowd; it’s about respecting the fences and the context the team brings. It’s about listening first, then leading with that understanding. Great thoughts!
This is absolutely essential reading Farida! I spent time over the weekend creating a context vault with Claude so that now every single project that it opens up basically knows exactly what I want in terms of my long-term, medium-term, and short-term thinking. It took four or five hours, but I think in the long term it's going to save me weeks and weeks of time. Hopefully, other creators and founders can adopt a similar approach as well.
Thank you, Sam, Love this. That “context vault” approach is exactly what I mean by building better lenses before acting. It takes time upfront, but as you said, it saves weeks or even months down the line. The work you’re doing to make every project start with context is the kind of fence-building that actually prevents disasters later. Really glad to see other creators thinking this way.
I hope the prompt can be helpful too
I truly value context in a way that I’ve found hard to explain. My ClinftonStrengths finder’s reminder:
You are often fascinated by history and the lessons it reveals, but others may find this information boring or overwhelming. Keep this in mind as you share your perspectives, and look for signs that you’ve lost people’s attention or interest.
Thank you for showing us why this matters and reminding me that it’s an important part of the conversation - even if I might lose people’s attention or interest lol
Rebecca, I love that you brought up your CliftonStrengths insight, it's a perfect example of the kind of self-awareness that allows leaders to navigate challenges in their own style.
I also think that knowing how to hold onto these insights while finding ways to engage others is a skill that can be developed over time. So, keep bringing that perspective those lessons from history will always be more useful than we realize, even if it takes a little extra patience to get others to see it. 😊
Yes! The great thing is, as you’ve very correctly pointed out, context is something that everyone needs to better understand whether it’s a strength or not. It’s better for business, particularly now with how we implement AI into workflows.
Thank you for bringing up such an essential subject. I find I often go to the extreme of needing deep context, before I can even begin to frame an opinion or make a decision. While this can sometimes be exhausting for others, I believe it's vital for avoiding the 'expensive repetition' you described.
In a corporate setting, we call it 'brainstorming' when we invite the team to speak freely, but it rarely functions that way if a leader’s authority and personal OS simply overwrite the collective insight. It reinforces your point: the most dangerous person is the one who changes things confidently without asking why they exist in the first place. Truly understanding one's function as a leader means respecting those 'fences' and the context the team provides, rather than just performing leadership for the crowd.
Anna, I love this! You’re spot on about the need for deep context before making decisions, it's exhausting for others sometimes, but it saves a lot of pain in the long run.
Your point about “brainstorming” is perfect. If the leader’s voice drowns out the team’s insight, it stops being a real brainstorm. Leadership isn’t about performing for the crowd; it’s about respecting the fences and the context the team brings. It’s about listening first, then leading with that understanding. Great thoughts!