Category: People OS

  • Is Urgency Your Real Choice?

    Is Urgency Your Real Choice?

    It starts with a familiar rhythm.
    Morning check-ins. Slack pings. A client fire. A vendor delay. A manager who’s out sick. A project deadline that’s now suddenly “urgent” — even though it’s been on the calendar for three weeks.
    You jump in. You delegate fast. You adjust priorities. You clear the path.
    It feels productive. Energizing, even. You’re moving. Your team’s moving.
    But there’s something else happening under the surface.
    Your business has already made strategic choices; about what to pursue, how to deliver, and where to focus. But urgency has a way of pushing those choices to the side. In the name of speed, the business starts reacting instead of aligning. The plan fades. Chaos fills the gap.
    And the most frustrating part? You’ve seen this before. Maybe even fixed it before.
    But without the right systems in place, the cycle repeats. Fast days. Busy weeks. Misfires. Exhaustion.

    The strategic cost of operating in urgency

    Years ago, Tim Ferris made the point in “The 4-Hour Workweek,” that most people live in a constant state of distraction and reactivity and call it productivity. That same idea plays out at the organizational level.
    Living in urgency is a strategy. It’s just not a conscious one.
    It’s the default state when clarity is missing. When roles and outcomes blur. When accountability breaks down.
    In mid-sized businesses, especially those with 50 to 150 employees, this becomes a pattern. Everyone is busy, but no one is aligned. And the owner? They become the system that holds it all together — again.

    What functional alignment makes possible

    This is where functional alignment comes in; a core part of the People OS framework.
    Functional alignment means mapping your business by outcome, not just by department or title. It means clarifying what needs to happen, who owns it, and how success is measured, across all levels of the business.
    When that alignment is in place, you’re not constantly stepping in. The team knows what matters. They act on strategic choice instead of urgency. And you get to lead from a place of intention, not reaction.

    The real question isn’t “how do I get out of urgency?”

    It is really about: What choices have we already made that we’re not honoring?
    Because urgency doesn’t just happen. It creeps in when the business forgets the choices it’s already made and stops reinforcing them.
    People OS doesn’t fix everything overnight. But it starts with a simple shift: clarifying the structure, roles, and rhythms that keep strategy intact: even when things get busy.

    Curious if your urgency is helping or hurting? Let’s talk.
    No pitch. Just a 30-minute conversation about what you’re seeing.

  • How to Tell If You’re Still the System

    How to Tell If You’re Still the System

    The Bottleneck at the Coffee Shop

    You walk into your favorite café. The line’s long. Not because the place is slammed — it’s just stuck.
    There’s one barista at the counter. She’s taking orders, steaming milk, ringing people up, wiping down the tables. She’s good. Really good. But she’s doing everything.
    Everyone’s waiting. Not because they’re slow. But because one person is doing too much.
    Now zoom out.
    You’re not at a coffee shop. You’re looking at your business.
    And that barista? That’s you.

    The Difference Between Involved and Essential

    There’s a fine line between being an engaged owner and being the bottleneck.
    You’re not micromanaging. You’re not even trying to stay in control.
    But somewhere along the way, your business made a quiet decision:
    Nothing really moves until you move it.
    People check in with you “just to be safe.”
    Projects pause when you’re out of office.
    The team is engaged, but not truly empowered.

    What’s Really Being Revealed

    In the post, It’s Late Summer. Are You the Only One Pushing?, we talked about the stillness of late-Summer and how it exposes the rhythm (or lack of it) inside your team.
    Here’s the other thing this moment reveals:
    Whether your business still needs you to run.
    Sometimes you only notice it when you step back — or when you realize you can’t step back without something breaking.
    This isn’t about working too hard. It’s about systems of dependency that form quietly around you.
    And while it might feel like commitment, it’s often just inertia.

    Reflective Questions to Spot the Pattern

    If you’re wondering whether you’re still the system, try asking:
    • If I disappeared for 2 weeks, what wouldn’t get done?
    • What decisions are being delayed until I weigh in?
    • Where am I still the only one who can say “go”?
    • When was the last time something moved forward without me?
    • What part of our success is actually repeatable, and what part is just me pushing?
    None of these are accusations. They’re signals.
    The kind your business is already sending, if you’re listening.

    What to Watch For

    When you’re still the system:
    • Your team operates, but doesn’t advance.
    • Priorities are clear in your head but fuzzy everywhere else.
    • You feel constantly looped in, even when you’re trying to step out.
    • Your team’s confidence stays flatlined, waiting on your approval to spike.

    There’s a Name for This

    In People OS, we call this the center-of-gravity problem.
    The entire system orbits around the business owner.
    When you move, it moves.
    When you stop, it stalls.
    That’s normal in early growth. But it doesn’t scale.
    People OS is designed to fix that.
    To create execution rhythm, shared ownership, and decision clarity.
    To replace friction with flow.
    And to get you — the owner — out of the middle of everything.

    Ready for the Hard Truth?

    Your business can’t reach the next level if you’re still the system.
    And the solution isn’t to work harder.
    It’s to build a team and an operating rhythm that knows how to move without you.
    We’ve been there too.
    What your team is showing you right now? Just curious.

  • Agile Isn’t Dead. But It’s Missing Something.

    Agile Isn’t Dead. But It’s Missing Something.

    I recently read a post on Medium titled “The Death of Agile.”
    While the headline blames Agile, the article mostly critiques Scrum, the structured methodology, not the mindset Agile was built on.
    It caught my attention, not because I agreed entirely, but because I recognized the tension it described.
    Maybe you have bought into the agile mindset: move fast, iterate, empower your team to solve problems instead of waiting for permission.
    But somewhere along the way…it stopped working. Or worse, it never really got off the ground.

    Let’s call it what it is: Agile didn’t fail

    The structure around it did.
    Agile is a mindset: a way of working, thinking, learning.
    But in many mid-sized companies, it gets layered with standups, product boards, sprint planning, performance dashboards…and none of it seems to move the business forward.
    The team feels busy. But not aligned.
    Accountable. But not empowered.
    Structured. But still dependent on you to push it over the finish line.
    If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone.

    Here’s what I think typically happens

    We adopted the playbook but we didn’t build the team.
    Agile assumes you have:
    • Clear roles with real ownership
    • Team members close enough to the customer to solve real problems
    • A lightweight operating structure that supports initiative; not one that chokes it
    But most mid-sized businesses haven’t built that yet.
    They’re still running a team that was great at 30 people, stretched across 90, and showing signs of strain at 130.
    In that environment, “Agile” becomes a word you throw into meetings, but not a way of working you can trust.

    People OS was built for this exact moment

    People OS is not a replacement for Agile, it’s the system that makes agile work again.
    It gives you clarity around who owns what, how teams make decisions, and how execution actually happens when you’re not in the room.
    It’s not about more process.
    It’s about making sure your people have the structure and support to own their roles fully, so agility can thrive again.

    But let’s stay in the tension for now

    How are things working in your business?
    • Are your teams structured to solve problems—or just execute handoffs?
    • Does your “Agile” feel like momentum or meetings?
    • Is your playbook missing a team?

    If this hit a nerve, you’re not alone.

    The promise of Agile still matters.
    But it needs a system behind it that fits your business—not one you borrowed from a company 10x your size.
    Curious what that could look like?
    Let’s grab a 30-minute brainstorm.
    No pitch. Just clarity. And maybe some next steps to rebuild momentum in a way that fits you.

    People OS is the framework behind our work and thinking and it might be the missing system your business needs.

  • The Headlines Say Panic — But Your Business Feels Strong. What Gives?

    The Headlines Say Panic — But Your Business Feels Strong. What Gives?

    If you’re like most mid-sized business owners I talk to, you’ve definitely noticed the hum of economic uncertainty lately. Headlines are loud—persistent inflation, rising costs, talks of new tariffs. It’s enough to make anyone pause and wonder what’s coming next for the market as a whole.
    But here’s what I keep hearing—and what recent reports are confirming:

    Even with all that big-picture noise, there’s a quiet, grounded confidence when owners look inside their own companies.

    Not bravado. Not denial. Just a deep sense of: “We’ve got this.”

    The Optimism Paradox

    It might sound contradictory: national and global economic confidence is down significantly, but many owners are more confident than ever in their own operations.
    This isn’t naive—it’s earned.
    When you zoom in on your team, your pipeline, your execution rhythm… you start to see why. You’re not a massive corporation chasing quarterly earnings. You’re on the ground. You can see what’s working—and what’s not. That proximity is power.

    Internal Confidence Is a Strategic Asset

    When uncertainty rises, your competitive edge isn’t always market expansion. It’s internal optimization.
    It’s not about going quiet. It’s about doubling down on what’s already working—and clearing what’s not.

    Think:

    • Clearer execution paths
    • Faster decisions
    • Stronger frontline leadership
    • Real-time visibility into what’s moving the business

    This isn’t about just survival. It’s about turning your internal resilience into external advantage.

    But Confidence Without Clarity Creates Drag

    Here’s the catch: If your execution is still messy—if “no one owns execution” or if “execution slows down between 50 and 150 employees” —it doesn’t matter how confident you feel. Friction will show up anyway.
    Internal confidence without operational clarity turns into frustration.
    So the question becomes:

    Are you structured to translate your optimism into momentum?

    Because in this environment, execution proves your strategic choices.

    Let’s Talk

    Are you feeling this contradiction in your own business?
    Are you optimistic—but unsure whether your systems can keep pace?
    Let me know in the comments: what’s giving you confidence right now?

    Or, if you want to explore how to align your internal systems with that optimism, let’s grab a 30-minute brainstorm. No pitch. Just clarity. My treat.

  • No One Owns Execution? That’s Why You’re Stuck.

    No One Owns Execution? That’s Why You’re Stuck.

    And how to take back the levers—without carrying all the weight
    Earlier this week, I wrote about the myth of “HR will handle it.”
    And here’s the reality for most companies between 50 and 150 employees:
    • You might not have HR at all.
    • You might have someone… but they’re stretched thin.
    • Or you’ve outsourced it—and found out payroll companies don’t drive performance.
    But the deeper problem isn’t HR capacity.
    It’s that no one owns execution.
    And when no one owns it, you—the owner—step back in. Again.
    If you’re tired of being the backstop, the fixer, the one holding the whole thing together… here’s where to start.

    5 Ways to Reclaim Operational Clarity (Without Adding HR)

    1. Identify the “Ownership Void”
      Look at a recurring issue and ask:
      “Who owns the outcome here?”
      Not the task. The result.
      If you’re the fallback… that’s your first red flag.
    2. Separate HR Work from Leadership Work
      Benefits, policies, onboarding = HR
      Team performance, decision velocity, execution gaps = Operational leadership
      If your HR person is trying to do both, they’ll burn out, and so will your business.
    3. Give Every Manager 3 Outcomes They Own
      Skip the 20-point job description. Ask:
      “What 3 to 4 outcomes are you responsible for delivering this month?”
      If they can’t answer, or if you can’t answer, you’re flying blind.
    4. Clarify Who Decides What
      Most delays are decision delays.
      Build a simple decision-rights map so everyone knows who decides, who informs, and who acts.
      No more endless “collaboration” that results in… nothing.
    5. Create a Weekly Execution Rhythm
      Give your team a cadence that aligns daily work with key outcomes.
      You don’t need a new dashboard—just a meeting rhythm that reinforces priorities and removes drift.

    What This Is (and Isn’t)

    This isn’t about bringing everything back to your desk.
    It’s about reclaiming leadership by redesigning clarity.
    People OS was built for this.
    It helps you stop duct-taping solutions and start running the business like the machine it could be—clear, people-driven, and owner-empowered.
    But even if you never touch our framework, I want you to hear this:
    You don’t need a bigger HR team.
    You need a better operating system.

    Want to See Where to Start?

    Pick one team or department and ask:
    “Who owns execution here—and do they have the structure to succeed without me?”
    If the answer’s fuzzy, let’s talk.
    I’ll walk you through the first few steps—no pitch, just possibilities.

    Reach out. Or let’s grab a coffee.
    You deserve a business that runs because of the system, not because of you.

  • Execution Slows Down Between 50 and 150 Employees

    Execution Slows Down Between 50 and 150 Employees

    I don’t think most business owners talk about it out loud,
    but there’s this strange moment in growth where things just… stop making sense.
    It doesn’t happen all at once.
    You don’t wake up and say, “Ah yes, today we entered the complexity phase.”
    But you start to feel it.
    Things that used to be simple start taking longer.
    Decisions stall.
    Roles blur.
    The team is bigger, the tools are better—but somehow, execution feels heavier.
    The business isn’t broken.
    It’s just no longer built for how it actually runs.

    Growth Adds Complexity—But Not Always Clarity

    Somewhere between 50 and 150 employees, most companies hit an invisible wall.
    The wall doesn’t look like a crisis. It looks like friction.
    People start stepping on each other’s toes.
    Managers get stuck in meetings while real work slows down.
    You add more structure, hoping to fix the chaos… and somehow, things feel even slower.
    What was once a fast-moving team becomes a layered organization.
    But without the right clarity in place, those layers absorb speed instead of amplifying it.

    The Old Systems Stop Working

    At this point, most businesses are still running on the same operating habits they had at 20 or 30 people…just with more people and more problems.
    The job descriptions don’t match reality.
    The org chart exists, but no one’s sure who actually owns what.
    You build more process, but it doesn’t fix the execution gap.
    Traditional management systems: roles, reporting lines, task lists…start to break down right here.
    Not because they were wrong.
    But because they weren’t built for what the company is becoming.

    Decisions Get Stuck in the Middle

    One of the first signs is decision drag.
    You start noticing that things bounce around.
    Teams “collaborate” on decisions, but no one owns the outcome.
    You ask a question and get five different answers from five smart people.
    So you step in.
    And then you do it again.
    And now you’re the system again: only this time, you’re juggling a much bigger machine.

    It’s Not a Leadership Problem

    The mistake a lot of companies make at this point is thinking they need to “develop their leaders” or “fix their culture.”
    And yes, those things matter.
    But in many cases, the issue isn’t leadership. It’s structure.
    Or more specifically, the lack of an operating structure that matches this level of complexity.
    When people aren’t clear who owns a decision, they default to caution.
    When roles aren’t clear, accountability slips.
    When talent doesn’t have a path to grow or move, energy stalls.
    It’s not because people are broken.
    It’s because the system hasn’t kept up.

    There’s a Different Way to Work

    This is the space I’ve been thinking a lot about:
    What kind of operational model helps execution speed up…not slow down…as you grow?
    One that doesn’t require a massive reorg.
    One that doesn’t depend on a few heroes to carry the weight.
    One that actually helps people do their best work because the system is built around them—not in spite of them.

    We’re calling it People OS.

    Not a program. Not a platform. Just a smarter way of running the business when you realize the old way isn’t cutting it anymore. More on that soon.

    But if you’ve ever looked around and thought, “Why does everything take so long now?”

    You’re not imagining it.

    The business has changed.
    Now the system needs to catch up.

  • What If Your People Were the System?

    What If Your People Were the System?

    The Conversation That Sparked It

    I was on a call the other day with an executive who’s running a fast-growing company—just crossed 80 employees. We weren’t talking strategy. We weren’t talking technology. We were talking about people.
    He said something that stuck with me:
    | “It feels like the more we grow, the less I know who’s doing what.”
    That landed.
    Because I’ve heard some version of that same sentence from almost every founder or leader I work with.

    We kept talking.

    He walked me through how things used to work—tight team, fast decisions, everybody rowing in the same direction. Now?

    They’re profitable, but the pressure’s building. People are bumping into each other. Decisions are slow. Managers are stuck trying to lead without the tools or clarity to do it well.
    At one point, he said, “I feel like I’m the system.”
    I paused. Then I asked:
    | “What if your people were the system?”

    The System Behind the Chaos

    He looked at me for a second like I had just asked a riddle.
    But the more we talked, the more it made sense.
    He’d been building systems for operations, for clients, for finance. But the people? They were being managed around the systems. Slotted in. Directed. Reacted to.
    And it worked—for a while.
    Until the gaps started showing.
    Until people became the bottleneck.
    Until decisions started stalling.
    Until managers got stuck firefighting.
    Until he felt alone at the center of it all.

    Here’s what I’ve seen:
    In companies between 50 and 150 employees, the way people work becomes the business. Execution, speed, culture—it’s not in the org chart. It’s in how people move.
    So when growth adds complexity, people either become the amplifier or the brake.

    Maybe the Problem Isn’t People

    Most companies don’t even realize they’re designing systems around everything but their people.
    They think the problem is tech. Or structure. Or strategy.
    But what’s missing is something simpler: a system that helps people work better.

    The Question That Won’t Go Away

    That’s the question I’ve been sitting with:
    | What if people weren’t just part of the system?
    | What if they were the system?
    Not just in theory. In how decisions get made.
    In how work gets done.
    In how strategy becomes action.
    In how managers lead.
    In how performance gets measured in real time—not just financially, but operationally, behaviorally, and humanly.

    This is the kind of conversation we need to be having.
    Not “how do we build better systems,” but:
    How do we build systems that start with people?
    Because the truth is, you don’t need another operating model layered on top of the chaos.
    You need clarity. Alignment. Execution.
    You need a way for your people to operate better—without you holding it all together.
    That’s where we’re headed.

    And if that question hits a little too close to home…good.

    Let’s talk.