Creating structures & behavior that allows ideas and projects to grow from the bottom up is called emergence thinking.It is a different way of approaching leadership and can often be misinterpreted as being a slacker or "weirdo". This is because traditional leaders with a concrete plan are often praised for their hard work, while emergent focused leaders are seen as inefficient.<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Top-down leadership may seem effective, but it can hinder the growth of new and innovative ideas.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Emergence thinking may not be popular in large companies, but it can lead to great success if given the chance to thrive<warningtag>.</warningtag></li></ul>

The Power & Perils of Emergence Thinking

Shift from a 🏗️ builder's mindset of having a fixed plan to a 🌱 gardener's approach, allowing ideas to grow naturally.Builders are limited by their own efforts, while gardeners nurture growth and direct energy where needed.Done correctly, this method can look magical, as it involves curating and responding to emerging potential, rather than being the genius dictator micro-managing everything. Alex calls it "farming for miracles" because you are setting up the foundation to discover "magical seeds" that could have an exponential effect on growth.

Think Like a Gardener, Not a Builder

Instead of making giant leaps, explore the adjacent possible, focusing on achievable actions.This concept respects constraints, guiding realistic, impactful innovations.Consistently making small, feasible steps can lead to surprisingly large shifts over time.

The Adjacent Possible

Strict hierarchical orgs have to deal with coordination issues (how to pick the target, focus on the target etc). A small company is analogue to a sports car, allowing for speed and fast pivots. A large company can organize itself into a team of sports cars but there would be less collaboration between teams. Slime molds adapt and autonomously find solutions, which can boost creativity and innovation. They are not rigidly constraied by fixed job description or objectives, and can morph themselves into any shape needed. They operate with autonomy, exploration & creative problem-solving.

Slime Molds Organization

Strategy Salons: A collaborative, opt-in conversation environment that fosters emergence in companies.<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Only those who want to participate are accepted.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Open discussions and the sharing of diverse perspectives enhances idea generation.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Iteration and a non-judgmental space allows for a free flow of ideas.</li></ul>This open forum, with no strict objectives, is often where the best insights emerge.

Strategy Salons

The most important thing to do after planting an acorn is to keep squirrels away so they don't dig it up.
As a leader it's your duty to gain enough credibility in front of management & provide air cover for your team so they to do great work.

LLMs & Generative AI are disrupting software development and production in general. They are a "magical duck-tape" that will lower costs and enable the everybody to produce at lower costs. So your taste as a product manager is now more important than ever.Taste means to be able to differentiate from an LLM, given the same prompt. LLMs will produce the mediocre result, the wisdom of the crown. Your taste has to do with a unique perspective that you have the courage to put fwd.

How to be Creative in the Age of AI

Alex makes a great argument for emergent organization for fostering innovation and creativity. 

Alex Komoroske is a strategic leader who merges the practice, theory, and mindset necessary to tackle complex problems. He spent 13 years at Google, where he worked on Search and DoubleClick and led Chrome’s Open Web Platform. He also spearheaded Augmented Reality in Google Maps and developed toolkits to align companywide strategy from the ground up. After serving as Head of Corporate Strategy at Stripe, he is now co-founding a startup aimed at reimagining the web for the AI era. Alex created the popular “Slime Molds” deck, which offers fresh insights into organizational dynamics. He is also the author of the widely read “Bits and Bobs,” a collection of thought-provoking reflections. In our conversation, we delve into: • “Organizational kayfabe” • “Gardening” vs. “building” • How AI will soon change how we build product • How and why to embrace the adjacent possible • The power of reflection and how to build it into your workflow • How to create emergent properties in organizations • How to run effective “strategy salons” or “nerd clubs” • Much more — Brought to you by: • ⁠Eppo⁠—Run reliable, impactful experiments • ⁠Vanta⁠—Automate compliance. Simplify security • ⁠Coda⁠—The all-in-one collaborative workspace — Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/unconventional-product-advice-alex-komoroske — Where to find Alex Komoroske: • X: https://x.com/komorama • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-komoroske-6597336/ • Website: https://www.komoroske.com/ — Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ — In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Introduction to Alex (01:53) Alex’s Bits and Bobs document (06:20) The Compendium and note-taking process (10:10) The impact of AI and LLMs on product development (14:24) Skills to lean into as a product manager (19:02) How AI makes us better as individuals (23:04) Organizational kayfabe (31:48) Gardening vs. building (34:46) Emergence-oriented thinking (41:55) Slime molds and organizational structure (45:15) Identifying resonant ideas (47:05) The power of metaphors (48:02) Strategy salons and nerd clubs (52:30) Building and sustaining communities (55:59) Productivity hacks and self-control (01:01:04) Life philosophy and personal insights (01:07:52) The adjacent possible (01:15:56) Lightning round — Referenced: • Bits and Bobs Google Doc: https://groups.google.com/g/komoroske-updates/c/2rPJ9EyKVYY?pli=1 • The Compendium: https://thecompendium.cards/ • WebSim: https://websim.ai/ • Dylan Field live at Config: Intuition, simplicity, and the future of design: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/dylan-field-live-at-config • Anthropic: https://www.anthropic.com/ • Claude: https://claude.ai • Steve Jobs on Why Computers Are Like a Bicycle for the Mind (1990): https://www.themarginalian.org/2011/12/21/steve-jobs-bicycle-for-the-mind-1990/ • Kayfabe: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kayfabe • Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration: https://www.amazon.com/Creativity-Inc-Overcoming-Unseen-Inspiration/dp/0812993012 • How Perplexity builds product: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-perplexity-builds-product • Slime Molds: https://komoroske.com/slime-mold/ • Ken Stanley on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenneth-stanley-3a159b/ • Evolution through the Search for Novelty Alone: https://www.cs.swarthmore.edu/~meeden/DevelopmentalRobotics/lehman_ecj11.pdf ...References continued at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/unconventional-product-advice-alex-komoroske⁠ — Production and marketing by https://penname.co/. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email podcast@lennyrachitsky.com. — Lenny may be an investor in the companies discussed.

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Thinking like a gardener not a builder, organizing teams like slime mold, the adjacent possible, and other unconventional product advice | Alex Komoroske (Stripe, Google)