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Systemic Friction:

One Less Click, One More Human Signal

WHEN TO USE

Use when a team process produces completed forms but not real conversations.

WHAT TO DO

Identify one step in a recurring process (reviews, 1:1s, onboarding) that exists for the system’s benefit rather than the person’s, and remove it. Then find one moment in the same process where a direct human exchange could be restored: a specific observation before the written review, an opening question that can’t be answered with a template. Small changes signal that the person on the other side was noticed.

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Hard Things

Name the Weather

  • Habits
Shows why broad labels like “stressed” and “fine” can limit self-awareness, and what changes when you name what you’re actually feeling.
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See the Real Work

  • Hard Things
Helps you notice the strengths people use beyond their formal responsibilities, especially the quiet ones that are easy to overlook.
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Empathy That Doesn’t Burn You Out

  • Habits
Reframes empathy as understanding someone’s experience without absorbing it, so you can stay present without taking on their emotional weight.
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Build the Pool

  • Hard Things
Creates a clearer boundary between work and life so unfinished tasks and unresolved conversations are easier to leave at work.
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Vocab Rehab

  • Habits
Reveals how extreme language can amplify stress and how more accurate self-talk can change your response.
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Rush to Curiosity, Not Advice

  • Hacks
Tests how curious you really are about the people you work with, especially when familiarity and efficiency make it easy to assume you already know.
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Train Your Nervous System

  • Hacks
Shows how a few intentional breaths can help your body reset, creating enough space to think more clearly in high-pressure moments.
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One Rep Counts

  • Hacks
Turns an intimidating first step into something small enough to start, proving that progress doesn’t have to be impressive to count.
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Protect What AI Can’t Replace

  • Hard Things
Examines which human capabilities may weaken as AI makes work faster and more automated.
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The Slow Yes Rule

  • Hard Things
Challenges the pressure to make fast hiring decisions and creates space to assess evidence before extending an offer.
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