Explore all emails from Wes Kao

View this post on the web at https://newsletter.weskao.com/p/in-job-interviews-keep-your-backstory 👋 Hey, it’s Wes. Welcome to my bi-weekly newsletter on managing up, leading teams, and standing out as a high performer. To level up faster, check out my intensive course on Executive Communication & Influence [ https://substack.com/redirect/01e54df9-fb62-4831-b9ae-20546f9bfdf9?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ]. UPDATE: The July cohort is 95% sold out, but a new September cohort is now open. This will be the second to last cohort of the year. Read time: 4 minutes Subscribe to read future posts (it’s free): I remember one of the last interviews I did before starting my own company. The interviewer asked, “Could you tell me about a time when you solved a problem?” What I wanted to say: “I solve problems all day. I wish there weren’t so many problems to solve. But I can’t think of one at this moment.” I can’t remember what I ended up saying. But what I can tell you, is that I have a deep distaste for behavioral interview questions. I hated them as a candidate, and I hated them on the other side as a hiring manager. I believe this type of question doesn’t tell you much except whether the candidate prepared a set of stories beforehand. But, alas, behavioral questions are still the default for many organizations. Recruiters and hiring managers will use how you answer these questions as a proxy for your effectiveness. So if you’re interviewing, it behooves you to learn how to answer them well. For example, you’ve likely heard of the classic STAR (situation, task, action, results) framework. As a hiring manager, I often got lost in candidates’ answers because they told stories that were meandering and hard to follow. I realized that candidates were using the STAR method, but accidentally spending too much time on the situation part of STAR. Backstory scope creep [ https://substack.com/redirect/12ec3a29-9e45-426d-a3ae-7570029a7e29?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] was happening. Maybe it’s because you’re getting warmed up, or because you believe describing the situation is crucial for the rest of your story to make sense. The problem is, when you spend too much time describing the situation (i.e. the context or background), you take time away from the other parts of STAR, all of which are more interesting and relevant. The situation should be a brief set up, so you can let the other parts of your STAR story really shine. Most candidates speak for too long in their initial response. I’ve been guilty of this myself. I’ve seen my interviewer’s eyes glaze over. I’ve listened to myself talking in real time, and thought, “Why am I saying this? This is boring and kind of irrelevant.” If you are ever bored by what you’re saying, don’t ignore it. Wrap up your thought, and pivot. When in doubt, aim to keep the situation part as short as possible. Aim for 2-3 sentences and 10-15 seconds, then move on to the task, action, and results. This allows you to allocate the bulk of time on what the problem was, why it mattered, what you did to solve it, and how much money you made for your company. Those are the juicy parts. Zooming out, this doesn’t only apply to interviews. I realized I have a tendency to optimize for being comprehensive, when often, the actual better goal is to be interesting. If you are the same, then switching from “I need to tell it all” to “I need to tell what’s most useful and relevant” will take practice. A lot of continuing to improve is simply realizing your own tendencies, then catching yourself and consciously choosing a different approach. In terms of getting to the root cause of where this tendency to be comprehensive comes from, I believe it’s partially because we’re afraid if we leave out a detail, we’ll be punished for it. And in the past, perhaps we were. So it feels safer to err on the side of sharing too much. On the other hand, deciding what context [ https://substack.com/redirect/48c6c955-c6c4-422e-a2dd-9627aad27c0f?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] to include requires you to have a point of view. It requires you to choose “this, not that.” Your choices might be wrong, and that feels a little stressful. But NOT making a choice, and defaulting to sharing everything with equal weight, is not the solution. You will end up overwhelming your stakeholder, in this case, the hiring manager. They want to get an accurate sense of your abilities and experience, but won’t be able to, because they’re asleep. It’s tempting to want to be thorough, even in times that don’t require it. You must fight this temptation. Keep the backstory short, so you save time for the good stuff. Further reading ✨ Course update: New September 2026 cohort is now open We’re just one week away from the upcoming cohort of Executive Communication and Influence for Senior ICs and Managers. There are a few seats left. If you’re looking to get noticed by senior leadership, earn a promotion, or improve your ability to influence without authority, I would love to see you next Thursday and Friday. Grab one of the remaining seats here [ https://substack.com/redirect/01e54df9-fb62-4831-b9ae-20546f9bfdf9?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ]. If you can’t make the July cohort, I’m opening the new September cohort today. This will be the second to last cohort of the year. With AI reshaping the way every knowledge worker does their job, I believe skills like clear thinking, having a point of view, and strong communication are more important than ever. In this latest cohort, I’ve added a new section on how I personally use AI to improve my communication. I won’t cover prompts. This is about using AI as a thought partner without turning off your own brain. If you’re curious whether the course is for you, here’s what fellow operators are saying: “Highly recommend this course for any seniority. Practical lessons and engaging exercises/homework. Ready to implement my learnings tomorrow.” - Jenna Ochoa, Sr. Manager Partner Marketing, Strategic Alliances @ Zendesk “I’ve learned a ton on this topic through intuition and experimentation, and now there’s Wes’s clear frameworks, rationale, and principles to pair it with. Along with practical exercises, I am exiting this course immediately better. This might be the first professional course I can internalize and actually apply on a daily basis.” - Celeste Ridlen, Head of Research & Insights @ Robinhood “I got a ton of value out of this course, you move fast, cover a lot. Written communication, presentation to execs, informal / verbal, etc... The exercises are where the real learning is, easy to be an armchair expert but these helped me feel where my deficiencies are.” - David Illing, Senior Data Engineer @ Credit Karma “The course shows what great communication looks like and the bar you can aim for. The exercises were very useful in determining your current level and reading through answers from different students gives a lot of different perspectives. I will be coming back again and again to review the content as I gradually build up my communication skills.” - Srihari Venkatesan, Engineering Manager @ Apple Connect with Wes Is this your first time here? Subscribe (it’s free) [ https://substack.com/redirect/7e2d3310-3325-4442-b937-63c1fc3f66d3?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] Follow me on LinkedIn [ https://substack.com/redirect/2422086b-dbe3-4225-808b-455c3e4a1a83?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] for more insights Learn more about 1:1 coaching to sharpen your executive presence [ https://substack.com/redirect/bee902a5-c72d-46d8-b23d-dbfb902723b1?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] ✨ Intensive course: Improve your ability to sell your ideas, manage up, gain buy-in, and increase your impact in a 2-day workshop. Over 2,000+ tech operators have taken this course, and every cohort has sold out. → Save your spot [ https://substack.com/redirect/01e54df9-fb62-4831-b9ae-20546f9bfdf9?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] Join 80,000+ tech operators who are growing their influence. Subscribe (it’s free): Unsubscribe https://substack.com/redirect/2/eyJlIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9uZXdzbGV0dGVyLndlc2thby5jb20vYWN0aW9uL2Rpc2FibGVfZW1haWw_dG9rZW49ZXlKMWMyVnlYMmxrSWpvME1qWTFNVFV3TkRBc0luQnZjM1JmYVdRaU9qRTNNVFF3T0RRek5pd2lhV0YwSWpveE56Z3pOVEV6TURReUxDSmxlSEFpT2pFNE1UVXdORGt3TkRJc0ltbHpjeUk2SW5CMVlpMHlPRGt5TURnaUxDSnpkV0lpT2lKa2FYTmhZbXhsWDJWdFlXbHNJbjAuTTZUVFVHNG1UX01sdU1OWDdUdklpcWFVbFhpLXA5cmlrZDE0RVZKdkROQSIsInAiOjE3MTQwODQzNiwicyI6Mjg5MjA4LCJmIjp0cnVlLCJ1Ijo0MjY1MTUwNDAsImlhdCI6MTc4MzUxMzA0MiwiZXhwIjoyMDk5MDg5MDQyLCJpc3MiOiJwdWItMCIsInN1YiI6ImxpbmstcmVkaXJlY3QifQ.cLwsQC0B-TLiqhl09ZT-AYDC6ua4n_AGx1UQ5saOmME?

View this post on the web at https://newsletter.weskao.com/p/what-being-inspiring-actually-means 👋 Hey, it’s Wes. Welcome to my bi-weekly newsletter on managing up, leading teams, and standing out as a high performer. Check out my intensive course on Executive Communication & Influence [ https://substack.com/redirect/605c8dd6-663d-44bd-880c-fdb4fdecdf82?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ]. You’ll learn alongside mid-career operators from Netflix, Google, Stripe, Meta, Anthropic, etc. → Save your spot in the July cohort [ https://substack.com/redirect/605c8dd6-663d-44bd-880c-fdb4fdecdf82?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] ⛑️ If you want to improve your executive presence, learn more about 1:1 coaching [ https://substack.com/redirect/3fa45ca0-9c6d-46fa-933a-df721f6bb97a?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ]. Read time: 6 minutes When you think of “being inspiring,” you might think of emotional appeals. The problem is, you are not Viggo Mortensen rallying men to fight Sauron. You are a product manager trying to inspire your eng team to build a feature. You are a director getting feedback about how you need to inspire senior leadership instead of being so matter-of-fact. You are a head of data science who needs to inspire your business counterparts, so you can ship by the end of Q4. This type of inspiration is different from the dramatic speeches in movies. I believe being “inspiring” in the context of the workplace is actually about sharing a point of view [ https://substack.com/redirect/38f53914-0686-472d-b3e5-39b253b6eb58?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] that gets your audience excited to take action [ https://substack.com/redirect/782b2586-3142-4d9d-9640-063c522a7c99?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ]. This is good news because being inspiring is not an entirely different skill than the day-to-day influencing you’re already doing. Most of work can be reduced to getting various people to do the thing you want them to do. And if you can build on your existing ability to influence without authority, learning to “be inspiring” is a lot less intimidating than it might seem at first. “Logical” and “emotional” are not opposites One main difference between the type of inspiration you see in media vs real life, is real-life inspiration often doesn’t look like anything major is happening. It just looks like two people having a conversation…because that is often what it is. Being inspiring is not about how passionate your delivery is. You don’t have to get up in front of everyone, or try to cosplay what a bold leader sounds like. You can sound like yourself. Perhaps the most articulate and clear-eyed version of yourself, but still yourself. Contrary to what you’ve been told, I believe being inspiring is more about how compelling your underlying argument is. While emotional appeals still play a part (you can’t look dead in the eyes when you speak), your colleagues actually care about the substance of what you’re saying. In other words, your argument has to actually make sense. If you passionately talk about an idea that doesn’t make sense, it won’t matter. No amount of great delivery can save you. At this point, a common mistake I often hear is the idea that emotion vs logic are opposites. This is the wrong mental model. When it comes to positioning your ideas, emotion and logic are not opposed. They are interconnected. There’s no need to be overly focused on whether an argument is “emotional” or “logical” though, because research shows we are pretty bad at discerning between the two [ https://substack.com/redirect/cdd203d9-6ffd-41e2-bbf3-bdb20fcb2937?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ]: “In one study, twenty-one students prepared speeches that were written from either a logical or an emotional standpoint. The speeches were presented, filmed, and then evaluated by other college students. Interestingly, there was no real consistency in the findings except that speeches bearing a message that the evaluator agreed with were rated as more rational (even if they were intended to be emotional), while those the evaluator did not agree with were considered to be more emotional (even though some of those were intended to be logical). It seemed that whether a speech was considered logical or emotional depended on the listener. Researchers also concluded that, as a general rule, people seem unable to consistently distinguish between logical and emotional.” Basically, whatever you agree with, you would claim is “logical.” And whatever you disagree with or find less compelling, you’d categorize as “emotional.” This is fascinating. It’s also why, in my experience, it’s better approach to use a completely different mental model. Instead of thinking about whether your argument is logical or emotional, think about whether your argument will trigger a visceral reaction in your recipient. Make your recipient feel something To help your audience feel inspired to change, try to frame your ideas in a way that sounds visceral. What feels visceral? Arguments that are concrete, visual, and appeal to what your recipient cares about. You might say, “But Wes, isn’t this just the classic question of ‘what’s in it for me?’” Partially. But there are many potential reasons for what’s in it for your recipient. Not all of those reasons are equally compelling. So yes, asking yourself the question matters, but it’s only the first half of the job. What matters more is how you answer that question. For example, let’s say you are a manager giving feedback to your direct report about why they should manage up [ https://substack.com/redirect/7f497ce8-e538-41f5-a076-00d9358d21ba?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ]. 🚫 “Your lack of managing up is impacting our broader team’s communication, and it’s hurting our team’s alignment and cross-functional collaboration.” Team alignment… Cross-functional collaboration… Cue polite golf applause. Intellectually, I know this rationale makes sense, but I don’t feel moved. In fact, I don’t feel anything at all. ✅ “Your lack of managing up means because you’re currently spending 3x as much time repeating yourself, addressing pushback, and answering random questions from all directions. You’re not getting recognized for your hard work because cross-functional partners can’t tell if you’ve got this project under control. If you manage expectations by sharing proactive updates on a regular basis, they’d be able to relax and trust that you’re handling it. And you’d have more freedom to operate.” Wow, okay. When I hear this, I get a visceral reaction. “You’re right. I am spending a lot of time repeating myself and addressing pushback… That’s not great.” “Hmm it’s true I don’t want to create more work for myself. I don’t want to make my own life harder.” “Yes, I want more freedom to make decisions without people breathing down my neck.” The above are arguments that are concrete, visual, and hit at a visceral level. It helps your recipient see the cost of their current behavior, and what life could be like if they acted differently. Therefore, they’re more likely to be motivated to take action [ https://substack.com/redirect/2e28e9d0-b9ab-49c2-978b-b42e5c8bcdff?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ]. When in doubt, avoid appealing to an abstract benefit like saying an initiative is “crucial for our team’s success.” Appeal to what’s raw and visceral. On a related note, I can’t tell you what to say to be inspiring. You need to assert why your audience should care [ https://substack.com/redirect/162cb78d-3ef4-4468-8589-ed110df7b73a?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] in your unique situation. But it’s encouraging to know this isn’t a minor part of the work. This is the work. There is no upper boundary to the metaphorical (and literal) riches you’ll gain by getting good at tapping into what people care about. And if you do it well, you get rewarded by moving hearts and minds. If you’re enjoying this, subscribe to get new posts Thanks for being here, and I’ll see you in two weeks on Wednesday at 8am ET. Wes PS If you want to inspire your audience, it helps to strategize what to say, role-play to build confidence, and get feedback from someone who knows what they’re doing. This is exactly what I do for my coaching clients. If you’re interested, here’s how coaching works [ https://substack.com/redirect/3fa45ca0-9c6d-46fa-933a-df721f6bb97a?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ]. ✨ Course update: July cohort is 70% full We’re about a month away from the upcoming July cohort of Executive Communication and Influence for Senior ICs and Managers [ https://substack.com/redirect/605c8dd6-663d-44bd-880c-fdb4fdecdf82?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ]. The course is two days because it’s geared toward busy operators who want to learn efficiently then start putting the principles into practice in their own work. If you’re curious and asking yourself “Is this course worth it?” check out these student reviews. “An extremely practical and valuable playbook - a must-have for anyone who wants to level up how they communicate with peers and senior leaders. Wes’ frameworks instantly changed how I write updates, pitch ideas, and give direction.” - Vinay, Senior Manager, Tech Product Management @ Amazon “I learned so much about myself and after even the first exercise, had immediately applicable actions. The investment is worth it and it’s highly recommended.” - Isaac, Lead Product Designer @ Docusign “This course was rammed with useful and practical content for all facets of work within an organisation with others. How to explain yourself more effectively, be more succinct and generally start to move with more ease through work. Wes’s take aways were so valuable that you get as a leave behind as well.” - Charlotte, Sales Account Executive @ Harvey AI “Extremely worthwhile course. The opportunity to see other students’ responses and spawn new ideas on framings / variations from one’s own typical communication style made the difference.” - Alice, Senior Staff UX Researcher @ Mozilla “I love the practical nature of this course. I can take all the learnings and apply them right away, highly recommend to anyone who is trying to up their communication game.” - Monish, Product Lead @ Gemini “This course arms you with systems that you can apply no matter what role or stage of your career you are at. Very hands-on, loved the thoughtful peer group, and tons of resources to peruse after the course ends.” - Sagar, ML Product TPM @ Meta If you’ve been thinking about joining, I hope to see you in class. See course details [ https://substack.com/redirect/605c8dd6-663d-44bd-880c-fdb4fdecdf82?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ]. Connect with Wes Is this your first time here? Subscribe (it’s free) [ https://substack.com/redirect/0eea6975-b400-4a33-907d-f2239f30eea5?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] Follow me on LinkedIn [ https://substack.com/redirect/d07023a0-f02d-4f8a-a6cd-fe4963c9e300?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] for more insights Learn more about 1:1 coaching to sharpen your executive presence [ https://substack.com/redirect/3fa45ca0-9c6d-46fa-933a-df721f6bb97a?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] ✨ Intensive course: Improve your ability to sell your ideas, manage up, gain buy-in, and increase your impact in a 2-day workshop. Over 2,000+ tech operators have taken this course, and every cohort so far has sold out. → Save your spot in the July 2026 cohort [ https://substack.com/redirect/605c8dd6-663d-44bd-880c-fdb4fdecdf82?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] Unsubscribe https://substack.com/redirect/2/eyJlIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9uZXdzbGV0dGVyLndlc2thby5jb20vYWN0aW9uL2Rpc2FibGVfZW1haWw_dG9rZW49ZXlKMWMyVnlYMmxrSWpvME1qWTFNVFV3TkRBc0luQnZjM1JmYVdRaU9qSXdNek16T1RRMU55d2lhV0YwSWpveE56Z3lNekE1TURBMUxDSmxlSEFpT2pFNE1UTTRORFV3TURVc0ltbHpjeUk2SW5CMVlpMHlPRGt5TURnaUxDSnpkV0lpT2lKa2FYTmhZbXhsWDJWdFlXbHNJbjAuSmViYXRiMVVpSG1DdkJyemkwYVp0WlM5aHVyNUNKcFFaZU5BRVlzVUJqdyIsInAiOjIwMzMzOTQ1NywicyI6Mjg5MjA4LCJmIjp0cnVlLCJ1Ijo0MjY1MTUwNDAsImlhdCI6MTc4MjMwOTAwNSwiZXhwIjoyMDk3ODg1MDA1LCJpc3MiOiJwdWItMCIsInN1YiI6ImxpbmstcmVkaXJlY3QifQ.qFIhpCP8La92JASOKZSJOD4K5AewckrJyydOg4yaP38?

View this post on the web at https://newsletter.weskao.com/p/fundamentals-how-to-share-your-point 👋 Hey, it’s Wes. Welcome to my bi-weekly newsletter on managing up, leading teams, and standing out as a high performer. For more, check out my intensive course on Executive Communication & Influence for Senior ICs and Managers [ https://substack.com/redirect/d440a6dc-b98c-48f9-b5ef-87cc963f9abe?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ]. Read time: 2 minutes Did a friend forward this to you? Subscribe to get my posts directly in your inbox: Fundamentals is a series that highlights my core concepts in communication, leadership, and influence. This week's fundamental principle: How to share your point of view (even if you're afraid of being wrong). If you stay silent, you’ll never be noticed. You’ll never contribute the way you could if folks heard your voice. You’re actually robbing your organization of your insights. It took time to unlearn my “stay silent and be safe” mentality. Luckily, you can build the muscle of speaking up and sharing your point of view. Here are 6 principles that helped me: The more controversial the idea, the higher the burden of proof. Update your assumptions about how you add value. Share where your hunch is coming from because it’s coming from somewhere. Describe why the problem matters, so people understand why you’re speaking up. Don’t rely on your credentials. Your idea should make sense on its own. Use language that accurately reflects your level of certainty Check out the full article that expands one each of these points. Updated reflections on how to share your point of view Since writing the original post, I’ve noticed junior folks often don’t speak up because they’re worried they’re wrong, or that their perspective isn’t worth much. I believe this is a huge missed opportunity for you and your organization. Regardless of your seniority, if you are working deeply on a problem, you likely have useful insights rooted in evidence. You might be the ONLY person with this level of proximity to that problem. You are exposed to context, details, and dots that perhaps only you can connect. Therefore, if you are junior: Don’t only document facts, but let interpret what those facts mean for the business Don’t only share what happened, but hold back on sharing the “so what” Don’t only summarize data, but hold back your insights You might think you are doing “your part” in the relay race, then passing the baton to others. But “your part” actually INCLUDES sharing your perspective. Your team wants (needs) to hear your point of view. I posted about this on social, and got some thoughtful replies. Here are some highlights: Read the full article → [ https://substack.com/redirect/d2b78a84-d514-4c4e-a3eb-60557770971e?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] Do this today After you read the article [ https://substack.com/redirect/d2b78a84-d514-4c4e-a3eb-60557770971e?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ], reflect on these questions: Think about a recent meeting where you held back from sharing your perspective. What kept you silent? In hindsight, was the risk of speaking up as high as you thought it would be? Consider a hunch you’ve had recently about work. What specific data points, experiences, or patterns is that hunch based on? Practice articulating where your instinct is coming from. What’s something you’re working on where you could practice explaining why the problem matters before jumping to your recommendation? Thanks for being here, and I'll see you in two weeks on Wednesday at 8am ET. Wes Course update: New student reviews Below are new student reviews from the cohort last month. You might be asking yourself, “Is the course worth it?” Check out what other tech operators are saying: “I absolutely loved this course! I learned a lot of tools and frameworks that I started implementing immediately, even in routine communications at work and at home. I loved the energy in the room, and I’m very grateful to Wes, her team, and the amazing group of people who took this course.” - Masha Vasilenko, Senior Data Scientist @ Hims & Hers “With 2 immersive days, I got to practice and internalize frameworks. Wes coached a lot, carrying life-long learnings to benefit my career growth and communication. Definitely worth the time and effort to unplug from day-to-day work and dive in.” - Yuanzheng Liu, Engineering Manager @ DoorDash “Highly recommend this course for any seniority. Practical lessons and engaging exercises/homework. Ready to implement my learnings tomorrow.” - Jenna Ochoa, Sr. Manager Partner Marketing, Strategic Alliances @ Zendesk “Wow. Loved this course. So many useful tips that I started to implement immediately, even before the course finished. It’s incredible how the little changes can make a big difference. I strongly recommend this course for anyone looking to be a more well-rounded and successful communicator.” - Mike Rios, People Architect and Change Catalyst @ Google X “Cannot believe this course was only two days. Both felt like it flew by but also delivered an absolutely goldmine of information in that little time. I recently moved into a new work where I am constantly communicating with and interfacing with executives and leaders, and while my communication skills have served me extremely well getting to this point, I have been feeling like someone who has been playing soccer their whole life who got thrown in a pool and told to play water polo. I am an athlete, I am fit, so why am I drowning? Wes’ tips, tricks, principles, and instructions have made me confident to start practicing the new behaviors and developing new skills that are critical to my success. I felt so stuck two days ago and now I feel empowered and hopeful.” - Mackenzie Guinon, Experience Researcher/Research Program Manager @ Asana If you’ve been thinking about joining, I’d love to see you in class. Check out course details here [ https://substack.com/redirect/d440a6dc-b98c-48f9-b5ef-87cc963f9abe?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ]. Connect with Wes Is this your first time here? Subscribe (it’s free) [ https://substack.com/redirect/a6a0679c-bd7f-4019-a2c1-84cb64145f06?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] Follow me on LinkedIn [ https://substack.com/redirect/29c80161-9879-460d-a121-d5622dc41b1b?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] for more insights Learn more about 1:1 coaching to sharpen your executive presence [ https://substack.com/redirect/f6cae87e-ccf9-4227-be54-e873037bb243?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] ✨ Course: Improve your ability to sell your ideas, manage up, gain buy-in, and increase your impact in a 2-day workshop. Over 2,000 tech operators have taken this course, and every cohort so far has sold out. → Save your spot in the July cohort [ https://substack.com/redirect/d440a6dc-b98c-48f9-b5ef-87cc963f9abe?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] Unsubscribe https://substack.com/redirect/2/eyJlIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9uZXdzbGV0dGVyLndlc2thby5jb20vYWN0aW9uL2Rpc2FibGVfZW1haWw_dG9rZW49ZXlKMWMyVnlYMmxrSWpvME1qWTFNVFV3TkRBc0luQnZjM1JmYVdRaU9qRTNNemMyTkRJeE55d2lhV0YwSWpveE56Z3hNRGt6TXpFMUxDSmxlSEFpT2pFNE1USTJNamt6TVRVc0ltbHpjeUk2SW5CMVlpMHlPRGt5TURnaUxDSnpkV0lpT2lKa2FYTmhZbXhsWDJWdFlXbHNJbjAuLWhFbThrQmtmOHdvTUNzNXRXYUFBZVRPSE9YZjY2cUNWOV9FcW8xRUhESSIsInAiOjE3Mzc2NDIxNywicyI6Mjg5MjA4LCJmIjp0cnVlLCJ1Ijo0MjY1MTUwNDAsImlhdCI6MTc4MTA5MzMxNSwiZXhwIjoyMDk2NjY5MzE1LCJpc3MiOiJwdWItMCIsInN1YiI6ImxpbmstcmVkaXJlY3QifQ.Lpl62DRFt40gWTo903OFcF1BTf8XMoECr3bGpmoFKoU?

View this post on the web at https://newsletter.weskao.com/p/eq-is-not-just-about-what-you-say 👋 Hey, it’s Wes. Welcome to my bi-weekly newsletter on managing up, leading teams, and standing out as a high performer. To level up faster, check out my intensive course on Executive Communication & Influence [ https://substack.com/redirect/1f775983-c1a3-45c8-8d0f-e1f38c2b255c?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ]. You’ll learn alongside mid-career operators from orgs like Netflix, Stripe, Meta, Anthropic, etc. → Save your spot [ https://substack.com/redirect/1f775983-c1a3-45c8-8d0f-e1f38c2b255c?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] ⛑️ If you want to improve your executive presence, learn more about 1:1 coaching [ https://substack.com/redirect/51e92723-17b7-41b3-94a7-4ea2cddca4ad?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ]. I originally published a version of this essay in March 2020. Enjoy. Read time: 4 minutes If this is your first time here, sign up and be the first to read future posts. Some people have a great poker face. You and I probably aren’t one of them. The other day, I was having a tough conversation with someone who probably thought they had a poker face. The conversation went something like this: Their words: “Yes, I totally understand. Please continue.” Their face: “ARE YOU KIDDING ME? THIS IS BS. I HATE YOU, WES.” Every day, we have dozens of conversations. Each one is an opportunity to build trust with the people you work with. Your message isn’t just the content of what you say. When your facial expressions and body language don’t match your message, you diminish your ability to convey your point. The impact is you might come across as insincere [ https://substack.com/redirect/bc5358a9-4ca9-4d2d-b615-c6c0adfe3e8b?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ]. When you’re mindful of your body language, you help set the emotional tone [ https://substack.com/redirect/20e56b9f-299e-45c9-bab5-0bbd0ccdf412?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ], which leads to more productive conversations. 1. Understand your “tells.” In poker, a tell is a change in someone’s behavior when people are nervous or confident. Often it’s unconscious, meaning the person doesn’t know they’re giving themselves away. Here’s a starter list of potential tells: Eyes widening and not blinking Nostrils doing a slight flare Pressing your lips together into a line Stretching your mouth downward every so slightly Raising eyebrows For example, you might clench your jaw in stressful conversations. Watch for the physical changes in your body when you’re nervous or stressed [ https://substack.com/redirect/a2c31077-aee3-4b9f-baf6-dfb9921abb5f?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ]. Noticing is half the battle. Once you notice, you can learn to shift your body language. 2. Send the right signals. If you’re giving hard news and want to show you’re empathetic... It doesn’t help to scowl and sit back with your arms crossed. Soften your tone. Speak slower. Match your face to your message. Think about your most loving friend. How does their face look when you’re baring your soul? Channel that person. On the other hand, if you want to appear authoritative [ https://substack.com/redirect/9c257c99-4fa1-453b-9fa6-9ab2663dbd1c?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ], you can give fewer facial expressions altogether. Facial expressions are a clue. If you’re the most powerful person in the room, you don’t have to give other people clues. The idea is you’re sitting back waiting for them to please you. Think about the most senior person in a room [ https://substack.com/redirect/6f1ca5f2-49e6-4a3d-b9e4-db640d87988f?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] when others are pitching them. Channel how their face looks. Important note: When I say to “channel someone,” I don’t mean to mimic entirely. You should take inspiration, but be mindful not to overstep. You might accidentally insult someone more senior than you, so don’t overplay your hand. More on power dynamics here [ https://substack.com/redirect/2db3d72d-5ee8-4ebf-91ba-f7cfac2588ee?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ]. If you want to show you’re listening, try raising your eyebrows a little to make your face more “open” and leaning forward. Or furrow your brows a bit and nod as you listen. Think about the last time you probably talked longer than you should have, because your audience looked interested. Channel how that person looks. 3. Create psychological safety and encourage people to tell the truth. If you look horrified as your colleague is sharing feedback with you [ https://substack.com/redirect/84fe00db-656a-44c2-a8e3-2573f76267ad?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ], of course they’ll clam up or backtrack. They’re probably thinking, “Oh god, I shouldn’t have mentioned this.” Your facial expressions and body language might prevent the person from finishing what they were saying. Or it might reveal that you’re skeptical, judgmental, or annoyed, which shifts the direction of the conversation. When you’re mindful of your facial expressions and body language, you can prevent your brain from jumping to extremes. Your body stays calm, so your brain thinks, “Hmm, things are okay. We can figure this out.” You’ll set a positive emotional tone [ https://substack.com/redirect/ca001c02-0d70-4a4c-a4a7-3f8f4f1d9d4b?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] for the conversation. This means the other person is more likely to be honest because they feel safe to speak freely. 4. Keep your head straight (literally). Keeping your head straight makes you look more serious and authoritative. This should be your default head position. Try this exercise this week: Notice your head and whether you’re holding it straight. When I first did this, I was surprised at how my head would default tilt to the side. I see this more in women because we’re trained to make others feel comfortable. If you want to appear more powerful, keep your head straight. If you want to show that you’re non-threatening, tilt your head a bit. Cocking your head ever so slightly to the side, and leaning a bit forward, shows interest in the other person. It shows you are interested in listening. 5. Slow your breathing. This automatically calms you down. Whether you believe in meditation or not, the simple act of slowing your breathing physically reminds you to calm down. When you stay calm, you create space for a productive conversation. You create space for people to express themselves. You can be more persuasive when you align your content (words) with your body language and facial expressions. In short, you can better translate your intent, so the other person feels it. To recap: Understand your “tells.” Send the right signals. Create psychological safety and encourage people to tell the truth. Keep your head straight (literally). Slow your breathing. The next time you’re in a high-stakes situation, be mindful of your facial expressions and body language. Do they match your message and intentions? Join 80,000+ tech leaders who are growing their influence. Subscribe (it’s free): Thanks for being here, and I’ll see you in two weeks on Wednesday at 8am ET. Wes ✨ Course update: Student reviews from the May cohort We wrapped up an amazing cohort two weeks ago. Here are the latest student reviews: “This course was exactly what I was looking for: deeply insightful with takeaways that can be put into practice right away. I look forward to applying this wealth of knowledge to all areas of my life.” - Sorina Arapu, Senior Tracking Engineer @ Paramount + “Stellar course. Yes, you should take it. Beyond Wes’s expertise: course design and delivery was stand out. Expect crafted principles and well-considered exercises.” - Mark Simithraaratchy, Founding Engineering Manager, Search AI @ Squarespace “This was a great course that gave me examples and ideas on ways I can shift and change my communication style that I’m excited to immediately implement. I would highly recommend this course to anyone that wants to level up in how they communicate to anyone in their organization.” - Joseph Ver, Manager, Data Solutions @ DailyPay “I am so happy with what I got out of this course. The activity based learning was really helpful. Hearing decisive guidance from a communicator who goes against the grain of AI slop and concision to a fault was really refreshing. I feel much better equipped to communicate in a way that is authentic, thoughtful, and powerful.” - Mira El Hussein, Product Operations Manager @ 1Password “This was a great course. Really digging into the relationship between managing up and communication connected a lot of dots for me, and the course as a whole had a few ‘a ha’ moments calling out things I was doing that aren’t effective. 10/10.” - Jason Showman, Senior Internal Communications Manager @ Webflow “All I can say is wow. Worth every penny. Instead of dropping a bunch of theory, Wes walks you through real, tangible ways to improve your communication that you can put into practice immediately.” - Rachel Sadacca, Demand Generation Lead @ Lattice Over 2,000 tech operators have taken this course, and every cohort so far has sold out. If you’ve been thinking about joining, check out course details [ https://substack.com/redirect/1f775983-c1a3-45c8-8d0f-e1f38c2b255c?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ]. Connect with Wes Is this your first time here? Subscribe (it’s free) [ https://substack.com/redirect/cea4d4e3-7aa4-4cb0-afdd-b3b5e328950c?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] Follow me on LinkedIn [ https://substack.com/redirect/6a4bb505-41af-4e36-bff1-47062df4f829?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] for more insights Learn more about 1:1 coaching to sharpen your executive presence [ https://substack.com/redirect/51e92723-17b7-41b3-94a7-4ea2cddca4ad?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] ✨ Course: Improve your ability to sell your ideas, manage up, gain buy-in, and increase your impact in a 2-day workshop. → Save your spot on the July cohort [ https://substack.com/redirect/1f775983-c1a3-45c8-8d0f-e1f38c2b255c?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] Unsubscribe https://substack.com/redirect/2/eyJlIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9uZXdzbGV0dGVyLndlc2thby5jb20vYWN0aW9uL2Rpc2FibGVfZW1haWw_dG9rZW49ZXlKMWMyVnlYMmxrSWpvME1qWTFNVFV3TkRBc0luQnZjM1JmYVdRaU9qRTNNekl4Tmpnd09Dd2lhV0YwSWpveE56YzVPRGd6T0RReUxDSmxlSEFpT2pFNE1URTBNVGs0TkRJc0ltbHpjeUk2SW5CMVlpMHlPRGt5TURnaUxDSnpkV0lpT2lKa2FYTmhZbXhsWDJWdFlXbHNJbjAuQjJpc3QtQnBhRTRPeVNTaEhncEd4ZF83NzFuZ0xvNzBuWWxVSnZkcFdoRSIsInAiOjE3MzIxNjgwOCwicyI6Mjg5MjA4LCJmIjp0cnVlLCJ1Ijo0MjY1MTUwNDAsImlhdCI6MTc3OTg4Mzg0MiwiZXhwIjoyMDk1NDU5ODQyLCJpc3MiOiJwdWItMCIsInN1YiI6ImxpbmstcmVkaXJlY3QifQ.9G1fBlyC23D24t6fn4QbYXCmUPg1CPw_oM7Z9Nr0sVA?

View this post on the web at https://newsletter.weskao.com/p/detail-oriented 👋 Hey, it’s Wes. Welcome to my bi-weekly newsletter on managing up, leading teams, and standing out as a high performer. To level up faster, check out my intensive course on Executive Communication & Influence [ https://substack.com/redirect/ea75714f-fccc-454f-91bf-a7b338d1c103?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ]. You’ll learn alongside mid-career operators from orgs like Netflix, Stripe, OpenAI, Meta, Anthropic, etc. → Save your spot [ https://substack.com/redirect/ea75714f-fccc-454f-91bf-a7b338d1c103?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] ⛑️ If you’re looking to dramatically improve your communication and leadership, learn more about my coaching approach [ https://substack.com/redirect/d182da23-c0f2-4a20-9f60-46c955051062?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ]. Read time: 4 minutes Subscribe and be the first to read future posts: I once had a direct report, we’ll call him Matt, who kept submitting work with errors, typos, weird formatting, and bad [ https://substack.com/redirect/febb7eda-0af3-447e-83d2-493e721757cd?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] writing [ https://substack.com/redirect/4219295f-cd6b-4693-9b64-6c568e3ac760?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] that increased cognitive load [ https://substack.com/redirect/c41450ea-7c05-4f67-8d5d-c4d7d4af1764?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] for customers. I would repeatedly remind him to use the clear text feature in Google Docs/Gmail, which, if this is the first time you’re hearing about it, is a game-changer. That little Tx button has saved me from sending emails where the “Hi First Name” looks obviously copied/pasted because the font was size 14 in Verdana when the rest of the email was size 12 in Arial. This isn’t even the point of the story, but I think more people would benefit from cleaning up their email formatting, so here’s how you do it: One day, I sat him down and said, “Matt, I need you to pretend like your reputation is on the line when you send work to me. I am judging you for this work. I know this isn’t your best. Even though you are signing these emails under our organization’s name, I need you to pretend you’re signing it as Matt, and sending this email to 50,000 of your friends and the public." Your work is the average of what you ship [ https://substack.com/redirect/67747e33-9040-494e-8031-e48ec4627cac?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ]. If you’re not proud of it, consider investing in improving your craft, finding a function that’s a better fit, or whatever else you think will allow you to show how good [ https://substack.com/redirect/0f8ce41b-d23f-4327-8be4-3b2e01e336ee?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] you really are [ https://substack.com/redirect/0ce93d6d-240f-4b75-8058-1e3c42153695?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ]. A tiny percentage of you might say, “Wes, I would publish work with typos and bad grammar under my own name. I don’t mind.” First of all, this: Second, you might not mind, but your organization does. Sloppiness reflects poorly on your brand, distracts from your message, and erodes trust. If you’re going to do 90% of the work, you might as well do the last 10% to give it another read and put your stamp of approval on it. Ask yourself: If I were signing off with my name, would I make this better? Is there sloppiness that might reflect poorly on me or my company? Am I passing the burden to others to fix my errors? Does the work I’m shipping represent my ability? Improve your weaknesses so they’re not a blocker If you’re saying, “I just can’t be detail oriented and don’t want to try,” I will say, “Cool, I will hire someone who is or can be, because the details matter in this job.” For most knowledge worker roles, being able to produce work that’s error-free most of the time is a prerequisite. I’m not saying you need to be in the 95th percentile of detail orientation. You may be surprised to find that I’m not even that bothered by typos, and think they’re the least egregious type of error. I’m saying if you want to be trusted with more responsibility, you need to be able to produce work that is generally error-free because your manager can’t always be your safety net [ https://substack.com/redirect/045f2f9f-8876-41dd-818d-4fa4999f80f9?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ]. Back to the story of my direct report Matt. Matt admitted that he felt like I’d always catch his errors, so he felt more lax about it. I get that. You might say, “Wes, you enabled him to be less detailed.” Perhaps I did. But this quip is not as clever as you think. Because what’s the alternative? Let him send an email to 50,000 customers and make them suffer? Andy Grove, co-founder and former CEO of Intel, said it well: “The responsibility for teaching the subordinate must be assumed by his supervisor, and not paid for by the customers of his organization, internal or external.” The idea of “let the person fail and they’ll learn” makes sense in theory, but in reality, it’s not worth sacrificing brand credibility and taxing your customers for an employee to learn a lesson. Don’t make your manager or customers pay for your weaknesses. You don’t and probably can’t turn weaknesses into strengths, but you can and should reflect on which weaknesses you want to improve on enough so they aren’t a blocker for you. I’ll end with a story that should gives you hope: Most people assume I was always good with details. The truth, is I used to be super disorganized. For example, in junior high school, I missed assignments because I forgot about them, or jotted it in one of many notebooks, then forgot which one. In my sophomore year of college, I did an internship at a tech PR firm. One of the senior leaders chewed me out because he asked me to organize an Excel spreadsheet, and when I turned in my finished work, he rightfully pointed out all the ways the spreadsheet was messy with random font sizes, centered vs left justified text, etc. I didn’t see it until he pointed it out. But from that day on, I knew what to look for and trained my eye to notice formatting. Even to this day, I have myriad systems in place (checklists, calendaring, alarms before meetings, and yes, still using the clear formatting Tx button in Gmail) to make sure I don’t let a lack of detail orientation screw me over. Most skills are learnable and you can make many mistakes, but don’t get stuck in a loop repeating the same mistakes over and over. Ideally, you graduate to making better, smarter mistakes, and you improve enough so your weaknesses don’t become prohibitive. Join 80,000+ tech operators and subscribe below (it’s free): Thanks for being here, and I’ll see you in two weeks on Wednesday at 8am ET. Wes ✨ Course update: What engineers are saying about “Executive Communication & Influence” The May cohort is now sold out, but I opened a new July cohort [ https://substack.com/redirect/ea75714f-fccc-454f-91bf-a7b338d1c103?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] with the dates of July 16th and 17th. The cohort opened last week and there are already operators from Figma, Amazon, Mozilla, Grammarly, Stripe, OpenAI, etc signed up. In my private coaching practice [ https://substack.com/redirect/d182da23-c0f2-4a20-9f60-46c955051062?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ], about 1/3 of my clients are technical. My clients include eng managers, staff engineers, startup CTOs, technical founders, VPs of data science, etc. And engineers make up the second largest function in my course: Technical people can be hard to please. They’re usually hyper rational, logical, and have a low tolerance for hand-waviness. This is probably why engineers like my course so much. I built this course because I was frustrated that most communication resources were too basic or too vague. My course treats communication as a skill, one where there are underlying principles and a bell curve for the quality of your execution. My goal is to help you see differently, so you notice what you can improve in your own speaking and writing. Then you can build intuition over time, so communicating well becomes faster and more instinctive. The question you might be asking is, “Is the course worth it?” Here’s what engineers are saying: “[Wes’ course] provides a great foundation to level-up your comms, and practical tools which you can use in nearly any scenario.” - Samuel Kramer, Forward Deployed Software Engineer, OpenAI “I wish I had taken this course earlier. Wes shared some incredibly practical tools that, if applied, can meaningfully uplevel the way you work and communicate.” - Manohar Sripada, Engineering Manager, Meta “The course shows what great communication looks like and bar that you can aim for. The exercises were very useful in determining your current level and reading through answers from different students gives a lot of different perspectives. I will be coming back again and again to review the content as I gradually build up by communication skills.” - Srihari Venkatesan, Engineering Manager, Apple “Great course that summarizes foundational wisdom, principles, and actionable steps for effective communication.” - Alexei Koulikov, Engineering Manager, Shopify “I got a ton of value out of this course, you move fast, cover a lot. Written communication, presentation to execs, informal / verbal, etc... The exercises are where the real learning is at, easy to be an armchair expert but these helped me feel where my deficiencies are” - David Illing, Senior Data Engineer, Credit Karma “Great course overall. Lots of great actionable advice and insight into what it means to execute at the next level.” - Oscar Funes, Senior Staff Engineer, PayPal “Lots of communication and influence is super abstract. This course was a really great way to structure things tangibly. I am excited to try out these ideas and convey them to peers/reports.” - Suvir Jain, Engineering Manager, Stripe I hope to see you in class. If you’ve been thinking about joining, check out course details [ https://substack.com/redirect/ea75714f-fccc-454f-91bf-a7b338d1c103?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ]. Connect with Wes Is this your first time here? Subscribe (it’s free) [ https://substack.com/redirect/a75e8c9e-1b2d-4cfd-852a-1b57ae1a575e?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] Follow me on LinkedIn [ https://substack.com/redirect/a1d368a3-c5b3-4b50-88d5-d1bb1a3a79b2?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] for more insights Learn more about 1:1 coaching to sharpen your executive presence [ https://substack.com/redirect/d182da23-c0f2-4a20-9f60-46c955051062?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] ✨ Course: Improve your ability to sell your ideas, manage up, gain buy-in, and increase your impact in a 2-day workshop. Over 2,000 tech operators have taken this course, and every cohort so far has sold out. → Join the July cohort [ https://substack.com/redirect/ea75714f-fccc-454f-91bf-a7b338d1c103?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] Unsubscribe https://substack.com/redirect/2/eyJlIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9uZXdzbGV0dGVyLndlc2thby5jb20vYWN0aW9uL2Rpc2FibGVfZW1haWw_dG9rZW49ZXlKMWMyVnlYMmxrSWpvME1qWTFNVFV3TkRBc0luQnZjM1JmYVdRaU9qRTNNemN3TkRNd01Dd2lhV0YwSWpveE56YzROamMwTURrNExDSmxlSEFpT2pFNE1UQXlNVEF3T1Rnc0ltbHpjeUk2SW5CMVlpMHlPRGt5TURnaUxDSnpkV0lpT2lKa2FYTmhZbXhsWDJWdFlXbHNJbjAuQXp0OFlKYVBFVjQ5ODlhR0hfWkhuQVBzQTFBNlN2aXFfck9NWXBzVXVXSSIsInAiOjE3MzcwNDMwMCwicyI6Mjg5MjA4LCJmIjp0cnVlLCJ1Ijo0MjY1MTUwNDAsImlhdCI6MTc3ODY3NDA5OCwiZXhwIjoyMDk0MjUwMDk4LCJpc3MiOiJwdWItMCIsInN1YiI6ImxpbmstcmVkaXJlY3QifQ.OhAs1jMBnfxjBi0CbDWLN_l1YUbQJYscBN0_oW5lUPI?

View this post on the web at https://newsletter.weskao.com/p/speak-in-the-affirmative-do-this 👋 Hey, it’s Wes. Welcome to my newsletter on managing up, leading teams, and standing out as a high performer. To level up faster, check out my 2-day course on Executive Communication & Influence [ https://substack.com/redirect/9da81d9e-d80f-41ea-80c6-0607fd7c2115?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ]. You’ll learn alongside mid-career operators from orgs like Netflix, Stripe, Figma, Anthropic, etc. → Save your spot in the July cohort [ https://substack.com/redirect/9da81d9e-d80f-41ea-80c6-0607fd7c2115?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] I originally published a version of this essay in September 2015, and have since expanded it. Enjoy. Read time: 4 minutes Did a friend forward this to you? Subscribe to get my posts directly in your inbox: It’s to your benefit to be as clear as possible when you speak or write, because clear communication helps you get what you need. One way to do this is to speak in the affirmative, rather than the negative. If you speak in negatives, your recipient has to take an extra mental step. To understand “Don’t do that”.... you have to think about “that,” then reverse it to do the opposite. A better way is to say, “Do this.” If you can save your recipient a mental step, you’re doing a kind thing. Most people have too much they need to mentally process, so avoid adding more friction than you have to. Reducing cognitive load [ https://substack.com/redirect/0b657c45-4f29-473a-a976-b40c6cdb22b0?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] applies in UX design, marketing call-to-actions, or requests to your coworkers. Speak in affirmatives when giving feedback A diving coach might say, “Don’t flex your feet,” which can be confusing when you’re mid-air doing a reverse double-somersault tuck into the water. If they phrased in the affirmative, they would say, “Point your toes.” Saying don’t can sound reprimanding with a finger-wagging undertone. This makes you seem unnecessarily negative, even if you're justified in what you’re saying. This is a practical issue. If the person you’re giving feedback to starts to get defensive [ https://substack.com/redirect/eed79a51-e0a7-43bc-a127-17735eca1aea?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ], they’ll stop hearing what you’re trying to say. Yes, the person receiving feedback [ https://substack.com/redirect/f68c180b-2d0e-4775-b392-49999ecdba2f?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] should stay open-minded and remember to listen. But as the person giving [ https://substack.com/redirect/387b348f-669c-430e-952a-6a03b7d81b44?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] feedback [ https://substack.com/redirect/387b348f-669c-430e-952a-6a03b7d81b44?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ], it’s also your responsibility to think about how you’re sharing the information. This is a much larger topic, but stating things in the affirmative is a simple way to improve both the clarity of what you’re saying and the emotional tone. Let’s say you’re giving a junior team member feedback on how to present to your CEO [ https://substack.com/redirect/cae0b609-f318-4a4f-b260-6772655de698?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ]. 🚫 “For a 30 minute call, don’t spend 25 minutes on backstory. Don’t delay getting to the meat of what you want to discuss.” ✅ “For a 30 minute call, spend 2-3 minutes on backstory. Then focus on the meat of what you want to discuss.” In the “before” example, the focus is on spending the majority of time on backstory, [ https://substack.com/redirect/8d4b7b6f-9245-41c4-b069-af9317906c1f?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] which is not what you want your recipient to think about. The focus is also on what they’re doing wrong. You want your team member to visualize themselves doing things right. We’re applying the power of visualization to workplace scenarios. Encourage people to imagine going in the direction you want them to go in. Remember: what you give airtime to will expand [ https://substack.com/redirect/d3eb7930-3d28-43f8-b612-ce755e129387?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] in your recipient’s mind. Fill the void There may be times when you have to address the negatives. Don’t do mental gymnastics to avoid saying the negative thing. Instead, say what you don’t want the person to do, then say what you want them to do. 🚫 “Don’t disappear for three weeks then show the final product.” ✅ “Don’t disappear for three weeks then show the final product. Share what you have in a few days, so we can make sure we’re aligned.” If you only say what not to do, you end up leaving a void. A void begs to be filled, and your recipient might fill it with an idea you disagree with. Always fill the void with what you want your recipient to think. You’ll sound confident, instead of apologetic Speaking in the affirmative applies to stating what you’re able to do. Let's deconstruct these two statements: 🚫 “I can only meet between 11-3pm.” ✅ “I can meet between 11-3pm.” When you say “I can only...” it sounds like you THINK you should be more available. Or that your counterpart has a right to want you to be more available. This puts you in an unnecessarily weak position. If you can meet between 11-2pm, own it. If the person pushes back, you can explain further, but there’s no need to start off with insecure vibes [ https://substack.com/redirect/f77da9ad-1d81-47f7-b253-abc12c710224?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ]. Try this today Notice the next time you start phrasing an idea using a negating sentence structure of “Don’t do X” or “I can’t do X.” Spend an extra few seconds to see if you can flip it around to say the same thing in the affirmative. If you’re enjoying this, subscribe to get new posts (it’s free): Thanks for being here, and I’ll see you in two weeks on Wednesday at 8am ET. Wes PS For further reading, check out how to avoid incepting negative ideas. [ https://substack.com/redirect/99bf93fe-38ed-431e-b728-fbe424f5bd73?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] ✨ Course update: May cohort is sold out The May cohort is sold out, but good news: A new July cohort is now open for enrollment. The course dates are July 16 -17, 2026. If you’re wondering “Is this for me?” check out these student reviews from last month’s cohort: “Extremely worthwhile course. The opportunity to see other students’ responses and spawn new ideas on framings / variations from one’s own typical communication style made the difference.” - Alice Rhee, Sr. Staff UX Researcher @ Mozilla “I knew this course would be valuable for my day-to-day work and for how I want to grow in my career, and it did not disappoint. The frameworks around executive communication and influence immediately changed how I think about structuring ideas and driving alignment. The additional material provided is a gold mine. I can already see myself coming back to it for years to come.” - Denny Beeler, Software Engineer @ Progressive “Excellently structured, detailed, and thoughtful course with a wealth of actionable insights. I enjoyed the hands-on approach: deliver exercises quickly then review each other’s, and learn from each other’s strengths and weaknesses together. The course was energizing and I feel confident in taking action on what I learned.” - Daniella Latham, Principal Product Marketing Manager @ Atlassian “This course was a fantastic use of my time as a cross-functional communicator and leader. Not only was it packed full of extremely useful takeaways, but it was also very efficiently run. Wes is a fantastic communicator and her application of best practices was digestible and relatable to my day to day. I look forward to putting the many things I learned here into practice.” - Anna Mumford, Director, PMO @ Hims & Hers “This course was rammed with useful and practical content for all facets of work within an organization with others. How to explain yourself more effectively, be more succinct, and generally start to move with more ease through work.” - Charlotte Hilton, Sales Account Executive @ Harvey AI If you’ve been thinking about joining, I hope to see you in class. Learn more about the course [ https://substack.com/redirect/9da81d9e-d80f-41ea-80c6-0607fd7c2115?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ]. Connect with Wes Is this your first time here? Subscribe (it’s free) [ https://substack.com/redirect/73bb65e7-764e-4931-ade7-69169cdc28b5?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] Follow me on LinkedIn [ https://substack.com/redirect/b85b5349-fcb7-4e3a-98f1-9985efca925f?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] for more insights Learn more about 1:1 coaching to sharpen your executive presence [ https://substack.com/redirect/05c1c1a3-baaa-4c4b-96d3-4e7d58d558f5?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] ✨ Intensive course: Improve your ability to sell your ideas, manage up, gain buy-in, and increase your impact in a 2-day workshop. Over 2,000+ tech operators have taken this course, and every cohort so far has sold out. → Save your spot in the July 2026 cohort [ https://substack.com/redirect/9da81d9e-d80f-41ea-80c6-0607fd7c2115?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] Unsubscribe https://substack.com/redirect/2/eyJlIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9uZXdzbGV0dGVyLndlc2thby5jb20vYWN0aW9uL2Rpc2FibGVfZW1haWw_dG9rZW49ZXlKMWMyVnlYMmxrSWpvME1qWTFNVFV3TkRBc0luQnZjM1JmYVdRaU9qRTNNamd4TmpVeU5pd2lhV0YwSWpveE56YzNORFkwTkRZMExDSmxlSEFpT2pFNE1Ea3dNREEwTmpRc0ltbHpjeUk2SW5CMVlpMHlPRGt5TURnaUxDSnpkV0lpT2lKa2FYTmhZbXhsWDJWdFlXbHNJbjAuY2F6REZudm84cjMxa0JUTVhzcURNSER0Y19CYjBQQzRLenZ6S19DaTU3SSIsInAiOjE3MjgxNjUyNiwicyI6Mjg5MjA4LCJmIjp0cnVlLCJ1Ijo0MjY1MTUwNDAsImlhdCI6MTc3NzQ2NDQ2NCwiZXhwIjoyMDkzMDQwNDY0LCJpc3MiOiJwdWItMCIsInN1YiI6ImxpbmstcmVkaXJlY3QifQ.h4qSQFus3E7zVFl1IwpNGrZ4rc9_zB8WGi88HGBR7jY?

View this post on the web at https://newsletter.weskao.com/p/fundamentals-signposting 👋 Hey, it’s Wes. Welcome to my bi-weekly newsletter on managing up, leading teams, and standing out as a high performer. Check out my intensive course on Executive Communication & Influence [ https://substack.com/redirect/496a6488-99d1-4d08-9e8d-dc00c9767a8b?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ]. You’ll learn alongside mid-career operators from Netflix, Stripe, Meta, Figma, Anthropic, etc. → Join the May 2026 cohort [ https://substack.com/redirect/496a6488-99d1-4d08-9e8d-dc00c9767a8b?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] ⛑️ If you’re looking to dramatically improve your communication and leadership, learn more about 1:1 coaching [ https://substack.com/redirect/ceda023a-20c7-49fc-8d9c-c3d2c5704589?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ]. Read time: 3 minutes Did a friend forward this? Subscribe to get my posts directly in your inbox: Fundamentals is a new series that highlights my core concepts in communication, leadership, and influence. Even as my newsletter has grown to 80,000+ subscribers, I often find myself referencing these principles with clients and in my own work. Whether you're new here or a longtime reader, this concept deserves a spot in your toolbox. This week’s fundamental principle: Signposting: How to reduce cognitive load for your reader Updated thoughts Since writing this, I’ve realized that starting a sentence with a signposting phrase is even more useful than I thought. I didn’t realize how I had trained myself to speak and write this way because it’s become my default. Basically, when you start with a signposting phrase, you’re giving your reader a preview of what’s to come. ^ This is why kicking off a sentence with “The most important part to keep in mind is [this piece of info]” is infinitely easier to skim, than “[This piece of info] is the most important part to keep in mind.” If you start with “this piece of info,” your reader doesn’t know what to focus on until the back half of your sentence. I wrote signposting with written communication in mind, but it’s just as effective for verbal communication. It might actually be even MORE useful with verbal communication because your listener can’t read ahead. They have to listen to you reveal one word at a time. ^ For example, I love when I’m in a meeting and hear the speaker say, “The surprising thing is…” or “The biggest takeaway was…” My attention might have drifted, but hearing them say that signposting phrase allows me to snap back into focus and listen to what they have to say next. One common misunderstanding or misapplication of signposting, is readers thinking that simply adding headers is good enough. Headers, subheaders, toggles, paragraphs, etc are a type of signposting, but these formatting elements alone are not enough. I’ve read MANY docs that looked well-organized in Notion or Google Docs, but the content itself was weak, poorly argued, or generic. See this related post on how good design (or formatting) can hide poor logic [ https://substack.com/redirect/eed0b067-84cb-490b-aada-802da80da191?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ]. I posted about signposting on LinkedIn. Here are some highlights on which signposting phrases folks found most helpful: Read the full article → [ https://substack.com/redirect/a2fbf54e-03cb-433d-ae6e-f214b2d6d582?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] Do this today After you read the article [ https://substack.com/redirect/a2fbf54e-03cb-433d-ae6e-f214b2d6d582?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ], reflect on these prompts: Look at the last long-ish memo you wrote. What signposting words could you use to make the flow better? Think about a recent presentation where your audience seemed confused or asked lots of clarifying questions [ https://substack.com/redirect/612af3af-a2dd-4d0f-9e64-e8f7d2c8b387?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ]. How could you have used verbal signposting (“First... Second... The reason this matters is...”) to guide your audience? Pick a meeting where you’ll need to communicate complex information. What signposting phrases could you use to help add structure to what you’re saying? Thanks for being here, and I'll see you in two weeks on Wednesday at 8am ET. Wes Course update: The May cohort is 75% full, plus new student reviews The upcoming May cohort is currently 75% full. In the past week alone, operators Etsy, Amazon, Rakuten, PayPal, GoFundMe, Clay, DoorDash, etc have signed up. Here are reviews from students who took the course last month: “Wes discusses several issues which come up in work situations where you can improve your chances of getting what you want. Very clear tips on how you might be sabotaging yourself, how to communicate at the right level and how to be focused on the recipient, have logic and reduce cognitive load.” - Rajesh Shenoy, Senior Staff Software Engineer/Engineering Manager (L7) @ Meta “A masterclass in high-leverage communication. Wes provides incredibly tactical frameworks that teach you how to stop asking for permission and start driving outcomes. Essential for anyone operating in a fast-paced, asynchronous tech environment. 10/10.” - Galit Alon, Engineering Manager @ GitLab “Great sessions. I really appreciate Wes walking us through each topic and sharing clear examples to drive each home. I love the approach of making most of the exercises written, especially with a time limit. Helped train me to quickly comprehend and execute within minutes.” - MD, Senior Manager, Technical Program Management @ Squarespace “A course that is well-paced, engaging, and filled with thoughtfully-designed concepts and frameworks that are easy to immediately action upon. I walked away with several new communication tools in my toolbelt. Thank you, Wes!” - Ruth Corson, Director of Global Digital Marketing, Basketball @ Nike “This course is packed with valuable and actionable information. The flow and the quality of the information and the way that Wes presented the material kept my mind engaged the entire time. I am very energized by this course and can’t wait to start implementing my learnings. Must-do for everyone.” - Anoush Kabalyan, Director of Growth Analytics @ Salesforce If you’ve been thinking about joining, I hope to see you in class. Learn more about the course [ https://substack.com/redirect/496a6488-99d1-4d08-9e8d-dc00c9767a8b?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ]. Connect with Wes Is this your first time here? Subscribe (it’s free) [ https://substack.com/redirect/c1ded0f1-bada-4cef-98de-4d60bba6ff63?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] Follow me on LinkedIn [ https://substack.com/redirect/8f75eb26-5b11-4486-88da-f064b3b2f0b2?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] for more insights Learn more about 1:1 coaching to sharpen your executive presence [ https://substack.com/redirect/ceda023a-20c7-49fc-8d9c-c3d2c5704589?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] ✨ Improve your ability to sell your ideas, manage up, gain buy-in, and increase your impact in a 2-day workshop. Over 1,500 tech operators have taken this course, and every cohort so far has sold out. NOTE: The May cohort is 75% full and will fill up in the next few weeks. → Save your spot [ https://substack.com/redirect/496a6488-99d1-4d08-9e8d-dc00c9767a8b?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] Unsubscribe https://substack.com/redirect/2/eyJlIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9uZXdzbGV0dGVyLndlc2thby5jb20vYWN0aW9uL2Rpc2FibGVfZW1haWw_dG9rZW49ZXlKMWMyVnlYMmxrSWpvME1qWTFNVFV3TkRBc0luQnZjM1JmYVdRaU9qRTNNemN3TlRnMU5Dd2lhV0YwSWpveE56YzJNalUwT0RJNExDSmxlSEFpT2pFNE1EYzNPVEE0TWpnc0ltbHpjeUk2SW5CMVlpMHlPRGt5TURnaUxDSnpkV0lpT2lKa2FYTmhZbXhsWDJWdFlXbHNJbjAubU1QRFRKUlZyWDVaUlZxWUMzTUMwU0djeWthV1V4bGhLQTlianBUSmJDMCIsInAiOjE3MzcwNTg1NCwicyI6Mjg5MjA4LCJmIjp0cnVlLCJ1Ijo0MjY1MTUwNDAsImlhdCI6MTc3NjI1NDgyOCwiZXhwIjoyMDkxODMwODI4LCJpc3MiOiJwdWItMCIsInN1YiI6ImxpbmstcmVkaXJlY3QifQ.mMW56UtbHSjzC0JK2qn05b7E3Awza77OKKA20W0h2wc?

View this post on the web at https://newsletter.weskao.com/p/im-an-introvert-this-is-how-i-get-myself-to-speak-up 👋 Hey, it’s Wes. Welcome to my bi-weekly newsletter on managing up, leading teams, and standing out as a high performer. Check out my intensive course on Executive Communication & Influence [ https://substack.com/redirect/03b1b960-a8c0-425a-95aa-dead9a56222e?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ]. You’ll learn alongside mid-career operators from Netflix, Stripe, Meta, Figma, Anthropic, etc. → Join the May 2026 cohort [ https://substack.com/redirect/03b1b960-a8c0-425a-95aa-dead9a56222e?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] ⛑️ If you’re looking to dramatically improve your communication and leadership, learn more about 1:1 coaching [ https://substack.com/redirect/a04561a6-2571-4388-bea5-6f3308b89b6c?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ]. Read time: 6 minutes Subscribe and be the first to read future posts: I often get readers who ask, “Wes, if I’m not naturally loud, how do I speak up or talk about my accomplishments? How do I gain more visibility, either internally in my company or externally online?” As a fellow introvert, I can relate. No joke, in elementary school, I was so shy I used to not raise my hand to use the bathroom during class because I didn’t want 30 of my classmates to look up when I came back into the classroom. That’s right, I chose physical discomfort to avoid drawing attention to myself. So I’ve come a long way over the years, as a founder who’s been on ~50 podcasts (including Lenny’s Podcast [ https://substack.com/redirect/d6d350bf-4dd9-4eb3-a3da-40d09f77c213?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ]), spoken at SXSW twice, taught as a guest lecturer at top 10 MBA programs, in addition to leading countless internal team meetings, speaking at all-hands, sharing business updates, etc. Here are a few ways I get myself to speak up and share more. 1. Decide to speak before the meeting starts. Tell me if this sounds familiar: You: “Hmm I don’t know if I agree with what Joe just said. Should I say something? I’m not sure. What if I don’t explain myself well? What if people disagree with me? Okay, I should speak. No I shouldn’t. Okay yes, I should. Oh no, the group has already moved on.” Is this you? This was me too. If you try to decide during the meeting, you’re going to miss your window. Decide BEFOREHAND that you’ll share your point of view [ https://substack.com/redirect/c884f7d3-e3e1-4b95-aa56-8eb53a7ac649?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] and speak at least once during the meeting. This way, you’re not debating whether to speak, you’re looking for an opening of when to do it. 2. Try to speak early on in a meeting. I’ve worked with many coworkers who were naturally extroverted. They didn’t overthink, and they felt comfortable speaking up when they were 60% confident they were right. It’s hard to compete with colleagues who don’t rehearse what to say in their mind before saying it. This is why I try to speak first in big meetings. I try to get it out of the way and prevent someone else from saying what I wanted to say. Is this at odds with the advice of “leaders should speak last”? I would say no. The variable here is power dynamics. If you are nervous about not being able to speak up, presumably it’s because you’re not the most senior person in the room. Many managers are confident speaking to their direct reports or folks more junior, but get self-conscious when presenting to senior leadership, peers, or the entire company. This is very normal. So when you are among peers and higher ups, it’s fine if you speak first, especially if waiting to speak means you might end up not speaking at all. 3. Share more in writing. Not all “speaking up” has to happen verbally. Another way to speak up more is to share more in writing. A well-written doc can get circulated in your organization and get shared in rooms you’re not in, with leaders much more senior than you. Some docs even outlive the person who wrote them. If you have an idea that’s hard to describe in 45 seconds to an impatient audience, I recommend drafting a doc that’s easy to read and pitches your idea. In your doc, you can describe the problem, cost of inaction, potential solutions, etc. When you make a business case [ https://substack.com/redirect/80f32f0e-58eb-455b-87bc-3a4a58cef8c9?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] and share an evidence-backed point of view [ https://substack.com/redirect/548c82a1-194b-48ac-9093-176c5cc621a8?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ], you show good judgment. If you show that X problem is costing your company money, you may get senior leaders’ ears to perk up. When you write, you create an artifact. You create a concrete record of yourself contributing useful solutions, which builds your credibility. In terms of sharing ideas externally, writing a newsletter/blog or sharing on LinkedIn is great too. I started my blog in 2010, where I shared teardowns of ad campaigns (like my analysis of this Airbnb ad [ https://substack.com/redirect/67f639c3-9704-4ca4-9ffb-0a2a595adf56?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ]), marketing insights, etc. Writing regularly helped sharpen my thinking back then, and still does every week. It shows you’re passionate about your craft and actively thinking [ https://substack.com/redirect/548c82a1-194b-48ac-9093-176c5cc621a8?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] about the world around you. More on how to speak up, even if you’re afraid of being wrong [ https://substack.com/redirect/8bcef81b-62ee-451c-8360-40234981c788?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ]. 4. Prepare go-to phrases to insert yourself. When you're armed with a few go-to phrases, you’ll be able to jump in before the moment passes. So get ready to unmute yourself on Zoom and say: “Yes, to add some color on that...” “That's a great point. My POV on this is...” “I love that you brought that up. The thing we need to remember is…” The other benefit of having go-to phrases: you buy yourself time. Even an extra second can help give yourself a beat to think of how you want to articulate your idea. 5. Look more authoritative on Zoom. I find it a lot easier to chime in on Zoom than in IRL meetings. If you work remotely, use this to your advantage. Sit higher in your chair so you don’t look short on camera. Get a $50 box light on Amazon so you’re well lit. Try to have a good “shoulder line” so your shoulders look defined against your background. When you fill the frame and look good, you'll feel powerful and remind yourself you have a lot to share. I actually think Zoom meetings are amazing for introverts. In an IRL meeting, it’s easy to get nervous if you see 10 or 15 or 20 people sitting around a table. But in Zoom, everyone is in a one inch box on your screen--this can help reduce anxiety from a public speaking perspective. More on how to prevent insecure vibes [ https://substack.com/redirect/75ff80b0-2cc7-4adc-8653-45df4b871031?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ]. 6. Ask a colleague to keep you accountable. One of my direct reports wanted to practice speaking up more in meetings. I asked how I could best support her, and here’s what we agreed on: If we were in meetings together, I would send her a Zoom chat DM saying, “Hey I think you could share something on this. No pressure.” Then she would often unmute herself to chime in. If you aren’t in a position to ask your manager for help, do this with a trusted colleague. Give each other a gentle nudge and help boost each other up. If you’re enjoying this, join 80,000+ tech operators & subscribe (it’s free): To recap, here are the tactics you can try: Decide to speak before the meeting starts. Try to speak first, or early on. Share more in writing. Prepare go-to phrases to insert yourself in meetings. Look more authoritative on Zoom. Ask a colleague to keep you accountable. Thanks for being here, and I’ll see you in two weeks on Wednesday at 8am ET. Wes Course update: May 2026 cohort is now 55% full I just wrapped up an incredible March cohort two weeks ago. Every time I run the course [ https://substack.com/redirect/03b1b960-a8c0-425a-95aa-dead9a56222e?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ], I’m humbled by the talented operators who join and learn together. Of the 1,700+ tech operators who have taken the course so far, there’s a wide range of functions represented, with the largest groups from product, engineering, and marketing: New student reviews from this month’s cohort are rolling in. Here’s what folks are saying: “At the risk of being hyperbolic, spending these 6 hours in the course may have been some of the most insightful and impactful hours of my career. The course was concise and extremely tactical, and illuminated countless improvements I can make to communicate more effectively with leaders, and be seen as a leader myself.” - Cadence Greenberg, Senior Research Manager @ The New York Times “I was skeptical with the value the training can bring in such a short time, but Wes managed to change my perspective on multiple concepts in minutes. The bonus material also gives me things to read and implement in the coming weeks and months.” - Barbara Bihari, Senior Integration Manager, Strategic Partnerships @ Kayak “This course is packed with frameworks and insights, and delivered in a way that is digestible and immediately actionable. I feel equipped with the right tools to out into the world and put this new information into practice. Wes is an engaging presenter and makes a large Zoom feel very communal. It’s also really well-paced for the amount of content we move through. Highly recommend.” - Kaela Chandrasekaran, Staff User Researcher @ Asana “This course is a gold mine and worth every penny. I’ve struggled with communicating my ideas, being concise, and ensuring I’m giving the right amount of context depending on my audience. Everything in this course was super actionable and I’ve already put some of these learnings into practice.” - Beth Saunders, Senior Community Manager @ Amplitude “I wish I had taken this course earlier. Wes shared some incredibly practical tools that, if applied, can meaningfully uplevel the way you work and communicate.” - Manohar Sripada, Engineering Manager @ Meta The upcoming May cohort is already 55% full. So far, the cohort includes operators from Adobe, Experian, OpenTable, Webflow, Visa, Google, Robinhood, Discord, Hims & Hers, Zendesk, Yelp, 1Password, Shopify, etc. If you’ve been thinking about joining, I hope to see you in class. Learn more about the course [ https://substack.com/redirect/03b1b960-a8c0-425a-95aa-dead9a56222e?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ]. Connect with Wes Is this your first time here? Subscribe (it’s free) [ https://substack.com/redirect/75cee140-9963-4ddb-9726-a639f0c54f96?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] Follow me on LinkedIn [ https://substack.com/redirect/57b4b80e-07c7-4478-b72e-36dffeaaf758?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] for more insights Learn more about 1:1 coaching to sharpen your executive presence [ https://substack.com/redirect/a04561a6-2571-4388-bea5-6f3308b89b6c?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] Improve your ability to sell your ideas, manage up, gain buy-in, and increase your impact in a 2-day workshop. Over 1,700 tech operators have taken this course, and every cohort so far has sold out. → Save your spot [ https://substack.com/redirect/03b1b960-a8c0-425a-95aa-dead9a56222e?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] Unsubscribe https://substack.com/redirect/2/eyJlIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9uZXdzbGV0dGVyLndlc2thby5jb20vYWN0aW9uL2Rpc2FibGVfZW1haWw_dG9rZW49ZXlKMWMyVnlYMmxrSWpvME1qWTFNVFV3TkRBc0luQnZjM1JmYVdRaU9qRTNNamd4T0Rnd09Td2lhV0YwSWpveE56YzFNRFEwT1RVMUxDSmxlSEFpT2pFNE1EWTFPREE1TlRVc0ltbHpjeUk2SW5CMVlpMHlPRGt5TURnaUxDSnpkV0lpT2lKa2FYTmhZbXhsWDJWdFlXbHNJbjAubXpfWFpDYXJTaktPUDQtNGNtRG1rNnFlMU5sNEFHYUNGMGdKd3d6RmQ2YyIsInAiOjE3MjgxODgwOSwicyI6Mjg5MjA4LCJmIjp0cnVlLCJ1Ijo0MjY1MTUwNDAsImlhdCI6MTc3NTA0NDk1NSwiZXhwIjoyMDkwNjIwOTU1LCJpc3MiOiJwdWItMCIsInN1YiI6ImxpbmstcmVkaXJlY3QifQ._UwWerqVhncRLlgvQBRKKlhDJXj7jQrAZETCaMjUNw0?

View this post on the web at https://newsletter.weskao.com/p/technical-leaders-make-these-4-common 👋 Hey, it’s Wes. Welcome to my bi-weekly newsletter on managing up, leading teams, and standing out as a high performer. For more, check out my 2-day course on Executive Communication & Influence [ https://substack.com/redirect/5d5e43d2-07d2-4a77-9155-78012205ac0b?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] → The May cohort [ https://substack.com/redirect/5d5e43d2-07d2-4a77-9155-78012205ac0b?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] is now open ⛑️ If you’re looking to dramatically improve your communication and leadership, learn more about my coaching approach [ https://substack.com/redirect/84cc2fab-f269-4725-8ee7-c5388c8cf6dc?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ]. I originally published a version of this essay in September 2018, and have since expanded on the topic. Enjoy. Read time: 5 minutes Did a friend forward this to you? Subscribe to get my posts directly in your inbox: I give a talk called “Storytelling for Technical Leaders,” where I share how technical founders and operators can tell better stories and be more compelling to their audiences. About 1/3 of my private coaching clients are technical (eng managers, staff engineers, startup CTOs, VPs of data science, etc). From working with dozens of technical leaders, here are the most common storytelling mistakes I see: 1. Over-reliance on technical details Real-life is non-linear, but stories are linear. Therefore, stories are always a simplification. Read that again. Stories are always a simplification. In order to simplify, you as the presenter will need to decide which details to include and exclude. Many technical folks are afraid their audience will call them out for not being comprehensive enough. The paranoia is real and I’ve felt it myself. But the solution is not to be extremely comprehensive all the time, and to treat all details as weighted equally. Your audience doesn’t want a story weighed down by caveats and technicalities in every other sentence. Your audience wants to be wooed, entertained, and taken on a journey — in addition to learning about your project and vision. If you lose your audience because they’re asleep, they won’t appreciate all the context and details you’re sharing anyway. What about fellow technical folks or subject matter experts who have questions about specific details? They’ll ask. And you’ll be ready to answer and impress them with your depth. Anytime you feel the urge to say, “Well, technically…,” you’re about to kill a good story. Remember: What gets someone in the door isn’t necessarily what gets them to stay. For example, think about J.Crew. The front of the store has tables with a rainbow assortment of t-shirts in fun patterns and neon yellow. Nine times out of ten, I walk in…and buy a neutral color (white, black, navy, grey). Most customers do this , which is why retailers plan the inventory accordingly and have stockrooms full of basic SKUs. But if they put only the most basic stuff on display, you would keep walking and never enter the store. Hook your audience so you get them in the door. If your audience is eager to hear more, you’ll earn the opportunity to share details. Ask yourself: Can I simplify my story to make it even more powerful? Can I remove tangential comments, so I can focus on my main point? Am I spending precious time describing context of secondary importance that I could share later? More on the importance of sales, then logistics [ https://substack.com/redirect/d0b18e9b-0e70-42ff-ae2e-10097d4c7a1d?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ]. 2. Trying to remember too many tactics When you are in the moment, don’t try to remember a list of storytelling tips and strategies. This is more likely to make you anxious and worsen your performance. By all means, practice your pitch. But once you’re out in the wild (in front of a room of colleagues, prospective customers, or at a networking event), let go of the laundry list of things you learned in preparation for telling your story. Don’t feel pressure to stick with word-for-word scripts. Instead, stay present and focus on eliciting emotion: “How can I make this person’s eyes light up [ https://substack.com/redirect/fd2c7fc8-4320-4b75-b484-cace08f005ea?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ]?” I call it “ELU” for short. ELU is the moment when your audience gets emotionally invested. We all know when people are listening to us to be polite. And you can tell when someone suddenly wakes up during the conversation and wants to hear more. It’s hard to anticipate what will resonate with your audiences, so experiment with what you say   and look for that spark. Ask yourself: How can I stay present, enjoy telling this story, and look for moments when my audience leans in with excitement? More on Eyes Light Up [ https://substack.com/redirect/fd2c7fc8-4320-4b75-b484-cace08f005ea?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ]. 3. Too much backstory If you’re telling a story about your camping trip, don’t start when you were brainstorming options for tents and carpooling. Start right before you almost get eaten by a bear on a 13 mile hike. I constantly remind myself to cut backstory, and am usually glad for it. Backstory can easily take up the majority of the time you have during an introductory call or meeting, so be mindful to avoid backstory scope creep [ https://substack.com/redirect/0357550e-5307-4e79-bb5a-8e1693491961?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ]. Ask yourself: Can I cut out more of the backstory? Does my audience really need to know this part? What’s the bare minimum I need to set the context, so I can spend time on the juicy stuff? 4. Trying to tell a story that’s too long Your colleagues do not have time to listen to a full hero’s journey story in a quarterly business review meeting. Seriously, do not attempt to do a 12 step (some say 17 step!) hero’s journey type of story. Your business or project does not warrant this, and everyone will be catatonic by the time you finish. Am I against long stories? No. Am I against boring, pointless, wtf are we talking about stories? Yes. Long stories can be good IF you are a good storyteller. Most of us (technical or not) aren’t in this bucket. In order for storytelling to work, the story needs to hit a certain threshold of quality, and that bad is higher than people realize. Therefore, storytelling is not as practical of a tool for most people who don’t have time to invest in getting good at it. It’s like tango. I’ve heard it takes a minimum of ten years for one to look even remotely passable doing tango. Compare that to lindy hop: it’s a forgiving dance. There are obviously professionals who are next level, but amateurs don’t look terrible and they still have fun. Most founders and leaders should tell short stories where the narrative arc is a few minutes long at most. I might not even call them stories. I’d call this using evocative vocabulary or sharing a quick anecdote, where you use visual language to paint a picture for your audience. This, you can easily do in as little 5-15 seconds. I did this often on Maven sales calls and internally when coaching my direct reports, and it led to the same positive outcome of telling stories but was much faster and easier to do well. — As usual, it’s not complicated . It’s just hard. There are hundreds of permutations and combinations of ways to tell your story, so it’s part art and part science. If it feels unnatural for you at first, it’s totally normal. Developing your muscle memory with storytelling is part of the process. Join 80,000+ tech leaders who are growing their influence. Subscribe (it’s free): Thanks for being here, and I’ll see you in two weeks on Wednesday at 8am ET. Wes Connect with Wes Is this your first time here? Subscribe (it’s free) [ https://substack.com/redirect/e72cac32-1883-4c0f-a093-ec7b71d4a4d7?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] Follow me on LinkedIn [ https://substack.com/redirect/156347eb-b2e4-4ce3-87dd-8e746219f6a3?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] for more insights Learn more about 1:1 coaching to sharpen your storytelling and executive presence [ https://substack.com/redirect/84cc2fab-f269-4725-8ee7-c5388c8cf6dc?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] ✨ Improve your ability to manage up, gain buy-in, and increase your impact in a 2-day workshop. Over 1,700 students have taken the course and rated it 4.6/5 stars. → Save your spot in the May cohort [ https://substack.com/redirect/5d5e43d2-07d2-4a77-9155-78012205ac0b?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] Unsubscribe https://substack.com/redirect/2/eyJlIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9uZXdzbGV0dGVyLndlc2thby5jb20vYWN0aW9uL2Rpc2FibGVfZW1haWw_dG9rZW49ZXlKMWMyVnlYMmxrSWpvME1qWTFNVFV3TkRBc0luQnZjM1JmYVdRaU9qRTNNVFF3T1RBd05Td2lhV0YwSWpveE56Y3pPRE0xT0RNd0xDSmxlSEFpT2pFNE1EVXpOekU0TXpBc0ltbHpjeUk2SW5CMVlpMHlPRGt5TURnaUxDSnpkV0lpT2lKa2FYTmhZbXhsWDJWdFlXbHNJbjAuNlJQZkFSa25mV2lNRnNscTJYa2J3enk3VHJoblI4Z01Ka3NLemJobGJiYyIsInAiOjE3MTQwOTAwNSwicyI6Mjg5MjA4LCJmIjp0cnVlLCJ1Ijo0MjY1MTUwNDAsImlhdCI6MTc3MzgzNTgzMCwiZXhwIjoyMDg5NDExODMwLCJpc3MiOiJwdWItMCIsInN1YiI6ImxpbmstcmVkaXJlY3QifQ.krgOa6fnPftpVJQTD1ydBmCHahzbsbMIFwLlWRV9E_w?

View this post on the web at https://newsletter.weskao.com/p/fundamentals-question-behind-the 👋 Hey, it’s Wes. Welcome to my bi-weekly newsletter on managing up, leading teams, and standing out as a high performer. For more, check out my intensive course on Executive Communication & Influence for Senior ICs and Managers [ https://substack.com/redirect/697b659e-a72d-42bc-96c5-8f58b10f48a9?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ]. Over 1,500 operators from Netflix, Anthropic, OpenAI, Figma, etc have taken the course. ✨ UPDATE: The March cohort is sold out, but the new May 2026 cohort [ https://substack.com/redirect/697b659e-a72d-42bc-96c5-8f58b10f48a9?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] is now open. → Save your spot [ https://substack.com/redirect/697b659e-a72d-42bc-96c5-8f58b10f48a9?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] Read time: 4 minutes Fundamentals is a new series that highlights my core concepts in communication, leadership, and influence. Even as my newsletter has grown to 75,000+ subscribers, I often find myself referencing these principles with clients and in my own work. Whether you’re new here or a longtime reader, this concept deserves a spot in your toolbox. This week’s fundamental principle: Question behind the question Updated thoughts Before you launch into an answer that is overly tactical or too in the weeds, consider the QBQ. This will help you answer at the right altitude. (Practicing how to answer at the right altitude is a concept I teach in my live course [ https://substack.com/redirect/697b659e-a72d-42bc-96c5-8f58b10f48a9?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ].) Thinking about the question-behind-the-question might feel like an extra step, but once it becomes part of your muscle memory, it only takes a few extra seconds. It becomes second nature. Many times, I don’t even actively think about the QBQ because my brain naturally goes there. Some readers ask, “Can we just straight up ask ‘what’s the question behind the question?’” Personally, I don’t like doing this because it can sound a bit aggressive. I don’t want to risk insinuating that my recipient is being coy. Instead, I like probing to get a bit more context, or even better: asserting my interpretation [ https://substack.com/redirect/341d172a-9f14-4f4a-b979-af743a7954a8?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] and asking them to correct me if I’m wrong. Most people are very happy to tell you if you’re wrong. Iff a journalist asks me a question, their underlying QBQ might be: “What is newsworthy and quotable here?” So I try to answer questions in punchy sound-bites that highlight what’s new/interesting. This gives the journalist what they want and is win-win. If a senior exec asks you a question, the underlying QBQ might be, “How does this impact the business?” Execs are further removed from your work, and they usually care about driving revenue or saving on costs. Avoid diving straight into logistics [ https://substack.com/redirect/4f5a813a-0b90-4592-a8ff-580f2456a1d3?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ]. If a prospect/customer asks you a question, they might not be able to articulate what’s really gnawing at them. I’ve noticed the best salespeople answer my tactical surface question AND go deeper to get at the root of the issue. Here are a few reader comments I want to highlight: “Earlier in my career, my instinct was to answer as fast as possible to show I was on top of it. Taking a moment to consider the question behind the question was something I had to learn and practice. Not an easy skill but important to learn. I have found that taking a quick pause before answering gives me a chance to gather my thoughts and decide what approach to take.” - Josh “I’m familiar with the QBQ and I’ve [been] practicing a lot… especially this part: ‘Your question-asker might not know why they feel skeptical, so you're trying to hit a moving target,’ made me realize that I too often take for granted that people know and have clear what they want to ask. Which is rarely the case. This will definitely help me not get stuck in never-ending back-and-forth as I often do, moved by my goodwill.” - Concetta Cucchiarelli Read the full article → [ https://substack.com/redirect/be0db934-c570-4478-8494-2157d5926b90?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] Do this today After you read the article [ https://substack.com/redirect/be0db934-c570-4478-8494-2157d5926b90?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ], reflect on these prompts: Think about a recent situation where you felt like you kept repeating yourself or getting random follow-up questions. What signs did you notice that suggested there was a deeper question you weren’t addressing? Consider the colleagues you interact with regularly. What are their typical underlying concerns or priorities? How can you proactively address these issues? Watch out for the next time someone asks you a question you don’t feel like you have enough context to answer. Use this script to uncover their true concern:“Great question. If you could share a bit of context on what's top of mind for you, it’ll help me get a sense of what’s most relevant to share.” Thanks for being here, and I’ll see you in two weeks on Wednesday at 8am ET. Wes Connect with Wes Is this your first time here? Subscribe (it’s free) [ https://substack.com/redirect/7cfd3b20-7100-4e82-85d9-39c26a18c0a8?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] Follow me on LinkedIn [ https://substack.com/redirect/45ecb17e-d79e-40b5-b2d2-f5a1d7393910?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] for more insights Learn more about 1:1 coaching to sharpen your executive presence [ https://substack.com/redirect/57f5c591-b6ba-45bc-a457-6420ab91c144?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] ✨ Course: The March cohort has sold out. The new May 2026 cohort is now open. Improve your ability to sell your ideas, manage up, gain buy-in, and increase your impact in a 2-day workshop. Over 1,500 tech operators have taken this course. → Save your spot [ https://substack.com/redirect/697b659e-a72d-42bc-96c5-8f58b10f48a9?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] Unsubscribe https://substack.com/redirect/2/eyJlIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9uZXdzbGV0dGVyLndlc2thby5jb20vYWN0aW9uL2Rpc2FibGVfZW1haWw_dG9rZW49ZXlKMWMyVnlYMmxrSWpvME1qWTFNVFV3TkRBc0luQnZjM1JmYVdRaU9qRTNNamd5TURFMU1pd2lhV0YwSWpveE56Y3hOREU1T1RnNUxDSmxlSEFpT2pFNE1ESTVOVFU1T0Rrc0ltbHpjeUk2SW5CMVlpMHlPRGt5TURnaUxDSnpkV0lpT2lKa2FYTmhZbXhsWDJWdFlXbHNJbjAuaEdaRXFhNm5jbUxpTXFXZHQ1LTlaVmtOT3hLSVJyUnctLWIxd1daWDBDcyIsInAiOjE3MjgyMDE1MiwicyI6Mjg5MjA4LCJmIjp0cnVlLCJ1Ijo0MjY1MTUwNDAsImlhdCI6MTc3MTQxOTk4OSwiZXhwIjoyMDg2OTk1OTg5LCJpc3MiOiJwdWItMCIsInN1YiI6ImxpbmstcmVkaXJlY3QifQ.jswFnQgwvPD9mVhJTGM1Nj1Ck_cIc-UjGwB4m8zhcWw?

View this post on the web at https://newsletter.weskao.com/p/how-to-coach-your-team-without-making 👋 Hey, it’s Wes. Welcome to my bi-weekly newsletter on managing up, leading teams, and standing out as a high performer. ⛑️ If you’re looking for 1:1 coaching, I work with tech leaders on managing up, advocating for your ideas, and strengthening your executive presence. Clients include operators at Amazon, Meta, DoorDash, Atlassian, OpenAI, etc. Learn more about my coaching approach [ https://substack.com/redirect/562bb3c9-4a40-42e0-8a54-bd6328ed7205?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ]. Read time: 4 minutes Did a friend forward this to you? Subscribe to get my posts directly in your inbox: I once knew a CEO who had a habit of telling people, “I know you better than you know yourself.” They’re reaction was, “You don’t know me. GTFO.” The thing is, the CEO often had good insights about his team. But folks were too busy feeling unfairly labeled to listen. If you try to tell people how they are, their natural reaction will be to push back. The solution: Avoid overly broad claims. Stick to facts of what you are able to observe. And frame your ideas as what they are: observations. For example: 🚫 “You are X.” ✅ “You come across as X.” ✅ “You might come across as X.” ✅ “You seem X.” This language is intentional because I don’t want to trigger people to argue with me. It is harder to argue with me if I say, “You come across as X” vs proposing that I somehow have special insight into who you are deep down. As a manager, I only see a slice of who you are. I don’t presume to know who you are at your core—I only know how you show up at work, and how you come across based on how you behave and what you say. So my feedback will be rooted in that. Why you do not want to trigger people to debate you Sometimes a debate is healthy and exactly what you’re looking for. Other times, a debate is a distraction. You have a point, but your recipient is too hung up on some other comment you made, that they can’t focus on your main point. I’m hyper-rational, and many of my coaching clients are tech operators who are hyper-rational [ https://substack.com/redirect/15b8485a-c755-484a-b517-9333e06844ac?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] too. If they sense BS, they will call you out on it. They will want to debate you. They will want to show how you are making a logical leap, and how you don’t actually have the grounds to be making such a sweeping claim. This is not productive. I do not want to trigger someone to debate me, especially if I’m pretty sure about my point and I want them to focus on my point. Therefore, it’s to your benefit NOT to over-reach. Don’t give your counterpart anything to get distracted by. Speak accurately Many problems can be avoided if you simply speak accurately [ https://substack.com/redirect/059564ba-b33c-4cf2-8460-5731a1608d95?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ]. For example, see these two statements: “X will Y.” “X tends to Y.” These two statements are not the same. The first implies complete certainty. The second implies that X generally does Y, but not always. [Note: Don’t be too literal here. I’m not saying to never say “X will Y.” The context matters. If you are writing a strategy doc, you might say: “Investing in this channel will lead to more users.” The context itself implies that this is an assertion. Your reader likely knows that you can’t guarantee that this channel will lead to more users. In this case, the sentence structure is a reflection of your high conviction that this is the right path.] Here’s an example of an overly-broad claim vs a narrower, more right-sized claim: 🚫 “You lack emotional regulation.” ^ This is a broad sweeping statement that assumes the person always lacks emotional regulation. Even if this is true, they are likely to feel threatened by this and want to prove how I’m wrong. ✅ “When you do X specific thing, you seem like you lack emotional regulation.” ^ This is a narrower claim. It’s more accurate and more objective. I point to the specific thing that leads me to believe the person could lack emotional regulation. There is a difference in positioning, and it impacts whether your recipient hears you. It’s not only semantics. If I say you lack emotional regulation, you might say, “Well Wes, I regulate myself plenty well in 90% of situations” and start debating me on this point. If I say you SEEM like you lack emotional regulation, well, there’s not much you can debate there. I’m sharing how I’m interpreting your actions, and I’m clear that this is my interpretation, which might be how others see you, too. Most people are glad to hear how they might be viewed by other people. More on the importance of speaking accurately [ https://substack.com/redirect/8848130f-3914-45b8-aa00-fe5d5af68900?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ]. By phrasing your feedback more thoughtfully (which takes two seconds, as shown in the examples above), you can increase the chances your team actually listens without getting defensive. Join 75,000+ tech leaders who are growing their influence. Subscribe (it’s free): Thanks for being here, and I’ll see you in two weeks on Wednesday at 8am ET. Wes PS Related reading for managers: Connect with Wes Is this your first time here? Subscribe (it’s free) [ https://substack.com/redirect/b2f802e1-ae35-4164-8980-2c1e8c4c282b?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] Follow me on LinkedIn [ https://substack.com/redirect/257ee9ef-f214-4d62-9d0b-60cb507e6774?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] for more insights Learn more about 1:1 coaching to sharpen your executive presence [ https://substack.com/redirect/562bb3c9-4a40-42e0-8a54-bd6328ed7205?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] ✨ Course: Improve your ability to sell your ideas, manage up, gain buy-in, and increase your impact in a 2-day workshop. Over 1,500 tech operators have taken this course, and every cohort so far has sold out. → Save your spot [ https://substack.com/redirect/0e40b680-9446-4302-aa15-9a804ca5cffd?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] Unsubscribe https://substack.com/redirect/2/eyJlIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9uZXdzbGV0dGVyLndlc2thby5jb20vYWN0aW9uL2Rpc2FibGVfZW1haWw_dG9rZW49ZXlKMWMyVnlYMmxrSWpvME1qWTFNVFV3TkRBc0luQnZjM1JmYVdRaU9qRTNNekk0TVRRMk9Dd2lhV0YwSWpveE56Y3dNakV3TWpZekxDSmxlSEFpT2pFNE1ERTNORFl5TmpNc0ltbHpjeUk2SW5CMVlpMHlPRGt5TURnaUxDSnpkV0lpT2lKa2FYTmhZbXhsWDJWdFlXbHNJbjAuM0FydUx2M2tqWU9Xay1XYjNNeGNLX0FFX3RCSXYydHdGSnY3UEhJdm92cyIsInAiOjE3MzI4MTQ2OCwicyI6Mjg5MjA4LCJmIjp0cnVlLCJ1Ijo0MjY1MTUwNDAsImlhdCI6MTc3MDIxMDI2MywiZXhwIjoyMDg1Nzg2MjYzLCJpc3MiOiJwdWItMCIsInN1YiI6ImxpbmstcmVkaXJlY3QifQ.Y7ZDd3zF_ToD39j4AbB2hXIgUbmBe7pY7BAWe_SNQrg?

View this post on the web at https://newsletter.weskao.com/p/avoid-asap-and-high-strung-words 👋 Hey, it’s Wes. Welcome to my bi-weekly newsletter on managing up, leading teams, and standing out as a high performer. For more, check out my intensive course on Executive Communication & Influence for Senior ICs and Managers [ https://substack.com/redirect/c2684aab-feaf-4243-b67a-619ee85914f3?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ]. NOTE: The upcoming March cohort is 90% full. If you’re interested, I’d love to see you in class. ⛑️ If you’re looking for 1:1 coaching, I typically work with leaders at companies like Amazon, Meta, Atlassian, DoorDash, Anthropic, etc. Learn more about my coaching approach [ https://substack.com/redirect/f2f5df85-0b75-4b1b-8b5a-e1b6c914c1a6?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ]. Read time: 4 minutes Did a friend forward this to you? Subscribe to get my posts directly in your inbox: Let’s say I send you a Slack DM that says, “Hey, this is a priority.” What do you think I mean? You should prioritize this over all other projects for the rest of Q1. Focus on this over other projects if you’re on the fence. This must be done by end of week. This must be done by end of day. Drop everything and do this in the next hour. Trick question, because there’s no way to know. To be clear, I like the word “priority” and use it myself. There’s nothing inherently wrong with the word, and I am not saying you should never use it. What I am saying is: Vague language can have a large (negative) blast radius when used haphazardly. It can create anything from avoidable anxiety to hours spent going in the wrong direction due to miscommunication. Yet, it’s surprisingly common in the workplace. Most of us have used vague language at work, and have been on the receiving end of it. Over time, I’ve realized it’s not helpful to say “ASAP” (and similar phrases like “time-sensitive” or “priority”) without additional context. So how do you convey time-sensitivity in a more productive way? Move from the abstract to the concrete Instead of talking about urgency in a vague sense, do these two things: Talk about the sequence Clearly define the timeline By doing this, we move from an abstract sense of “yikes this is important and time-sensitive” to a concrete sense of what to do about it. Here’s are scripts of what this looks like in action: 1. “Do this first. Then do this second, then this third.” I’ve used this with more junior team members, and they’ve shared feedback that being so clear and explicit was helpful. The benefit here is you show the stack rank of priorities. You reiterate the hierarchy of what to do, which is particularly useful if you have multiple tasks on the docket. 2. “By x date/time…” For example: “By tomorrow…” “By Thursday EOD…” I always say that “over-communicating” is usually the right amount of communication. This is especially applicable when working with new team members, junior staff, external vendors, contractors, etc. It’s even helpful with mid-level and senior folks: 🚫 “This strategy doc is a priority so we should review it soon.” ✅ “Let’s plan to review an initial draft of your strategy doc at our 1:1 on Thursday.” This approach is helpful when delegating too. (Here’s more on how to delegate while maintaining high standards [ https://substack.com/redirect/599647a5-2e8e-4622-8763-14400ad7c26f?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ]). 3. “If you only have time to do one thing…” “If you only have time to do one of these tasks--do this one.” “If you were to prioritize one goal this week, make it this one.” This helps elevate one project/task over all others. This is useful if you want to emphasize one thing and really get your point across. 4. Mention what doesn’t have to get done yet “I’m going to leave this here for you. You don’t have to do it immediately, but can you handle it by today at 3pm?” “I need X today by EOW. Items 2, 3, 4 can wait until next month.” There are many things that aren’t hugely urgent, but still have to get done. It’s good to be clear on what can wait. Above, I show two different styles of communicating what doesn’t have to get done right away. The first is a bit more collaborative and the latter is more concise. I’ve used both styles depending on the person and project. For related reading, here’s more on how to be concise [ https://substack.com/redirect/63a80c39-a06c-4874-bcd3-6531d63b9dc3?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ]. 5. Default is moving forward* “Here’s what I’m going to do if I don’t hear from you by 5pm …” You should use this approach with judgment and finesse [ https://substack.com/redirect/9fb147fa-8ffb-4707-9be1-48bc5491a54b?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] because it can be easy to overstep. Use this approach for lower-risk items, like smaller/tactical decisions, tasks your manager has approved before, or ideas where you’re already generally aligned. 🚫 “Hey manager, if you don’t approve my proposal by EOW, I’m going to assume you’re on board with shutting down our current operations and launching this new business unit and having me lead it.” ✅ “Hey manager, if you don’t approve my email reply to our vendor by 5pm, I’m going to assume you’re good with it.” You may think, “Am I at risk of being too specific? Is this being too detailed?” Maybe. But I think both managers and direct reports can generally benefit from being more specific. As a direct report, you often to need to “assign” tasks to your manager as part of managing up [ https://substack.com/redirect/7f188d9a-cef7-4086-8953-5da5a27bc175?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ]. I loved when my direct reports were clear in sharing exactly what they needed from me, by when, and why. I could get back to them much sooner and remove myself from their critical path. I might say “I can’t do that,” but I at least knew what they needed from me without a doubt. As a direct report, I appreciated when my managers understood that I can’t read their mind. Being more concrete [ https://substack.com/redirect/5f930f53-de88-4cc3-9201-a75c7f10d5bb?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] allowed us to have more productive conversations and allowed me to allocate my bandwidth accordingly. In closing: You can use words like ASAP, time-sensitive, and priority. But don’t ONLY say that and expect your recipient to read your mind. Make sure to add more context by using the scripts above. If you’re enjoying this, join 75,000+ tech operators & subscribe (it’s free): Thanks for being here, and I’ll see you in two weeks on Wednesday at 8am ET. Wes Connect with Wes Is this your first time here? Subscribe (it’s free) [ https://substack.com/redirect/c62ca42a-790b-4267-9353-dc9c767b9c4a?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] Follow me on LinkedIn [ https://substack.com/redirect/a60b0de4-2125-4475-b4dd-6a81de82f51a?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] for more insights Learn more about 1:1 coaching to sharpen your executive presence [ https://substack.com/redirect/f2f5df85-0b75-4b1b-8b5a-e1b6c914c1a6?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] ✨ Improve your ability to sell your ideas, manage up, gain buy-in, and increase your impact in a 2-day workshop. Over 1,500 tech operators have taken this course, and every cohort so far has sold out. NOTE: The upcoming March cohort is 90% full. → Save your spot [ https://substack.com/redirect/c2684aab-feaf-4243-b67a-619ee85914f3?j=eyJ1IjoiNzF4cDQwIn0.VLQsNiiAawz-DS2VtWTrcrG2IFeLIxnWNFcK9akSjpY ] Unsubscribe https://substack.com/redirect/2/eyJlIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9uZXdzbGV0dGVyLndlc2thby5jb20vYWN0aW9uL2Rpc2FibGVfZW1haWw_dG9rZW49ZXlKMWMyVnlYMmxrSWpvME1qWTFNVFV3TkRBc0luQnZjM1JmYVdRaU9qRTNNVFE1TkRneE1Td2lhV0YwSWpveE56WTVNREF3TmpFNUxDSmxlSEFpT2pFNE1EQTFNelkyTVRrc0ltbHpjeUk2SW5CMVlpMHlPRGt5TURnaUxDSnpkV0lpT2lKa2FYTmhZbXhsWDJWdFlXbHNJbjAuY1dXTzI3WGl1UWZLYlZKQ1hnWmhHekpVdjFrbGtqZG91Q3NnWmR2dmhBUSIsInAiOjE3MTQ5NDgxMSwicyI6Mjg5MjA4LCJmIjp0cnVlLCJ1Ijo0MjY1MTUwNDAsImlhdCI6MTc2OTAwMDYxOSwiZXhwIjoyMDg0NTc2NjE5LCJpc3MiOiJwdWItMCIsInN1YiI6ImxpbmstcmVkaXJlY3QifQ.lhwUzfK_rx6RqagL349kp1XhvyD2zDnTcz7oZvwuHzw?

[https://eotrx.substackcdn.com/open?token=eyJtIjoiPDIwMjUxMjE3MjIyMDUyLjMuM2QyYzhmOTMwMDJmOTQ2Yi52dnVrdXRtbkBtZy1kMC5zdWJzdGFjay5jb20-IiwidSI6NDI2NTE1MDQwLCJyIjoiYkBlbWFpbC5nb21vZHVsci5jb20iLCJkIjoibWctZDAuc3Vic3RhY2suY29tIiwicCI6bnVsbCwidCI6bnVsbCwiYSI6bnVsbCwicyI6Mjg5MjA4LCJjIjoiZnJlZS13ZWxjb21lIiwiZiI6dHJ1ZSwicG9zaXRpb24iOiJ0b3AiLCJpYXQiOjE3NjYwMTAwNTIsImV4cCI6MTc2ODYwMjA1MiwiaXNzIjoicHViLTAiLCJzdWIiOiJlbyJ9.W2hMGjKtFAAvqkTA77ts24Fnc0NUQf-Pek78qu9XjK0] Thank you for subscribing to Wes Kao's Newsletter ͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­͏     ­ Wes Kao's Newsletter [https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!QSDv!,w_80,h_80,c_fill,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep,g_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1b53bd7d-121d-45b5-8b63-77c9cc08ffbd_1280x1280.png] Hey, it’s Wes [https://email.mg-d0.substack.com/c/eJxUkLsOozAQRb8Gd0HDgA0ULrbhN5CxB2LhR-RHUP5-RdLstjO65x5drQodMX3knogeFzkdPTEjRa92bhjJbhQCOgCOjLyybj0oUFKFzKrKP1-OyJ6S98PEhxmQxkmIfoRxRjOaeRRdNymOzEoE5B12IyICx7Zve4N62uceAPd5EFv7ftezFh-aAfzxMNDmuuWi9Nnq6JnN6-16u8iSKjEnn6W8ctP_aXBpcLmuq3U2nGRsuBMNLjbcd8qnig0u7FW3VUfva7Dls1JQmyPzg73q5qxWxcawWiNxmhEmluTWDPDtbI_oo6kufWVy3Uz0ygb5o7Py_5A1U7o5AwrecRiAvSX-DQAA___FeHem]. Welcome to my bi-weekly newsletter where I share my best frameworks for becoming a sharper operator, rooted in my experience as an a16z-backed founder. It’s good to have you here. My goal with this newsletter is to: 1. Dissect deceivingly basic topics most operators overlook 2. Give you the words to describe ideas that have felt fuzzy in your mind until now 3. Share no-BS insights that you can apply to your own work By encouraging you to question your defaults, you’ll be able to see with more nuance and make stronger, more intentional decisions in your work. SOME HOUSEKEEPING You will start receiving updates here in your inbox. You can access 50+ previous posts in my resource library at newsletter.weskao.com [https://email.mg-d0.substack.com/c/eJxUkD0O4yAQRk9juljDYBy7oNgm17AwDA4KPxE_iXL7lZNmtx7Ne0-f0Y2OXD7KFaLLm4LJkZhVs9BOWkaKX-cZOIBERlH7sB2UqOhGdtPtn6tEZHdFTq5WIOdaSC6uNDsHC62EtBiwEphXCCg58isigsRRjMKiWdwqANCt07yPr1d_9BbTMEE8LhbG2vfatHmMJkfm63a2ni2qlU4sqHtrzzqIPwPeBrwletdArVEZ31QfOp9vA97Ys--byTH25Ntno6T3QPbHePY9eKObz2nzVuGyIiysqH2Y4Ksajxyz7aF8G2rfbY7aJ_UzsPb_fr1SOTkTzpJLmIC9FP4NAAD__36Cdpk]. My posts are evergreen, so you can refer to them at any time. To make sure you get the emails, please mark this email as 'not spam’ and drag it to your ‘Primary’ inbox to make sure you get future updates. WHO IS THIS FOR? This newsletter is for individual contributors, managers, founders, and leaders. This is especially for you if: * You are on a lean team punching above your weight class * You believe there’s no upper boundary to how good you can be at your craft [https://email.mg-d0.substack.com/c/eJxU0LvOozAQBeCnwR1oGDAkhYtt8hrIl4FY8QXZ40R5-xX_3-zWoznn07Ga6cjlq_ZC1H8o2BxJOLVMepdOkBrXZYERQKKgqH3YDkpUNJPbNP9zlYjiqXa8m1Vau-hlhVnjCjjBPuKE0yhvoxFeIaAccVwRESQO0zA5tLf9PgHgfp8XM7zf7dU4pm6GePQOhtpMZW1fg81R-Lpd1suiuDQSQT2Zz9pNfzp8dPhI9KmBmKkMH6ovna-3Dh9nhw9uJfl09Lr_Ugj509czc-8T556f1NeWxNnMZnOMLXn-bpS0CeR-m85mgreafU6bdwpvd4SbKMp0M_yAhiPH7FooP9LajMtR-6R-HYL_X7lVKlfOjIscJcwg3gr_BgAA__-L8YP4] * You care about quality, rigorous thinking, and setting a high bar [https://email.mg-d0.substack.com/c/eJxUkD2OgzAQRk-DO9AwGAcKF9twDeSfgVjBNvJPotx-RdLs1qN57-kzqtAe01tuiah90WGiJ2alGNQ2WkayvwkBPcCIjLxyx7pToKQK2VWVP9cRkd0lV2ISiP1MXOnJCmOBepqIWyKwdmNOIuDYY39DRBixG7rBopm2eQDAbeZCd89nfdTiQ8PB762FLledizKPzkTPXF6v1qtFllSJHfJeypmb4afBpcEl0CsfVAql7kX5oeL11uByNrgk5TK15U6tVomdVa8mel-DK--VgtIH2S_0rPpwRhUXw-qsxGlGmFiSuuHwcXd79NHWI32ictU2euWC_CpZ-T9ozZQuDkcx9iNwYE-JvwEAAP__UGx9SQ] I’m fascinated by topics that are deceivingly basic. Topics that seem tactical or minor on the surface, but underneath there’s more nuance than most people realize. Almost every category and function is getting increasingly competitive. I believe by unpacking what’s usually taken at face value, you’ll have a more accurate mental model of the world and gain an advantage by pulling levers other people don’t even know exist. I also care a lot about judgment. As you advance in your career, variables like your hard skills, background, and years of experience matter less—and your judgment matters more. Judgment can be contextual, subjective, and hard to learn. So with every essay, I try to break down the “why” behind my observations and assertions, so you can better form your own perspective. IF YOU WANT TO BINGE READ, START HERE I recommend starting with these popular posts below: 15 principles for managing up [https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!P3cz!,w_140,h_140,c_fill,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep,g_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd1293893-cae2-43b7-b6bc-84804a847604_1142x1142.png]https://email.mg-d0.substack.com/c/eJxU0EkOozAQBdDT4B3ILmOGhRe94RrIQ0GseEAeEuX2LZJN97pU_z99oyqeKX_kkRH7N3qTAhIrJ64OYQlKNk8TZZQKIBiU8_uJEbOqaHdV_7kKAPKQo5jWg8184oyN1i6wGL0yPduVMyP0SpwECoIBmwGAChj4wC2Y5Vg5pXCs46SH16s9Ww2xG2k4e0uH0nSpyjwHkwJxZb-tt0XW3JB4-aj1Kh3_08HWwRbxXTzWinl4Y3mqdL91sF0dbEz0V3bRuMtj6Y-U-6CiOl08-3aRq-ndpBBadPWzY1Tao_2VXE17Z1R1Ke7OSlhWoAvJUncj_VqGM4Vkm89fZGnapqBclD8Cqf8P3ArmO2eESTBBR0peEv4GAAD__-2ageA 15 PRINCIPLES FOR MANAGING UP [https://email.mg-d0.substack.com/c/eJxU0EkOozAQBdDT4B3ILmOGhRe94RrIQ0GseEAeEuX2LZJN97pU_z99oyqeKX_kkRH7N3qTAhIrJ64OYQlKNk8TZZQKIBiU8_uJEbOqaHdV_7kKAPKQo5jWg8184oyN1i6wGL0yPduVMyP0SpwECoIBmwGAChj4wC2Y5Vg5pXCs46SH16s9Ww2xG2k4e0uH0nSpyjwHkwJxZb-tt0XW3JB4-aj1Kh3_08HWwRbxXTzWinl4Y3mqdL91sF0dbEz0V3bRuMtj6Y-U-6CiOl08-3aRq-ndpBBadPWzY1Tao_2VXE17Z1R1Ke7OSlhWoAvJUncj_VqGM4Vkm89fZGnapqBclD8Cqf8P3ArmO2eESTBBR0peEv4GAAD__-2ageA] Wes Kao [https://email.mg-d0.substack.com/c/eJxUkM2OgyAUhZ9GdprrFbAuWMzG1zAIV0sKYvhp07ef2Nl01ufkO1-O0YX2mN5qS0Tti7yJgZhVctCbsIxUP0oJPYBARkE7v-x0UNKF7KLLVyoQ2V1JYXAbOe_BDpxwMqQRQW40SDkJw5lTCCh67EdEBIHd0A0WzW2bBgDcJi7X7vmsj1rC0XAIe2uhy3XNRZtHZ2JgLi-X6-WiSqrEvLqXcuZm-GlwbnD-bjc4nyluzlODMwcQYy_aF-X2oSM767qYGEI9XHkvdOjVk_1jnnX1zuji4rE4q_A2IdxYUmvD4TPd7TFEW336OOW62hi0O9SL8oUu__-smdLF4ShFL4ADeyr8DQAA___SmHpq] · October 25, 2023 Read full story [https://email.mg-d0.substack.com/c/eJxU0EkOozAQBdDT4B3ILmOGhRe94RrIQ0GseEAeEuX2LZJN97pU_z99oyqeKX_kkRH7N3qTAhIrJ64OYQlKNk8TZZQKIBiU8_uJEbOqaHdV_7kKAPKQo5jWg8184oyN1i6wGL0yPduVMyP0SpwECoIBmwGAChj4wC2Y5Vg5pXCs46SH16s9Ww2xG2k4e0uH0nSpyjwHkwJxZb-tt0XW3JB4-aj1Kh3_08HWwRbxXTzWinl4Y3mqdL91sF0dbEz0V3bRuMtj6Y-U-6CiOl08-3aRq-ndpBBadPWzY1Tao_2VXE17Z1R1Ke7OSlhWoAvJUncj_VqGM4Vkm89fZGnapqBclD8Cqf8P3ArmO2eESTBBR0peEv4GAAD__-2ageA] Rigorous thinking: No lazy thinking [https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!z492!,w_140,h_140,c_fill,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep,g_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F533ee17f-93f4-4bdb-bb7d-aa30fc460f49_1024x1024.png]https://email.mg-d0.substack.com/c/eJxUkM0OqyAQRp9GdjU4ij8LFnfjaxh-BksUMDC06dvf2G7uXU_mnJPPKMI95Y90GfHxxtOkgMzKsVdOWIaym8aRd5wLYBiUP7cdI2ZFaDdF_1wFAHvKaURneLeo2YHoJuOUVsZoAYNywi0z8xI4iA66CQC4gLZvewtmdkvPObhlGHX7etWjUojNwMP-sLwtVRdS5mhNCsyX7W69WyTliuyUT6KrNP2fBtYG1ojvciIR5vaN5VDpfmtgvRpYs99TTrU86Onj4ePOrqo3k0Ko0dNnw6j0ifYHvqo-vVHkU9y8lTAvwGeWpW4G_vW3ewrJ1jN_w0rVNgXlo_xpGf0_ai2Yb84Ao-gEHzh7SfgbAAD__7TDf2o RIGOROUS THINKING: NO LAZY THINKING [https://email.mg-d0.substack.com/c/eJxUkM0OqyAQRp9GdjU4ij8LFnfjaxh-BksUMDC06dvf2G7uXU_mnJPPKMI95Y90GfHxxtOkgMzKsVdOWIaym8aRd5wLYBiUP7cdI2ZFaDdF_1wFAHvKaURneLeo2YHoJuOUVsZoAYNywi0z8xI4iA66CQC4gLZvewtmdkvPObhlGHX7etWjUojNwMP-sLwtVRdS5mhNCsyX7W69WyTliuyUT6KrNP2fBtYG1ojvciIR5vaN5VDpfmtgvRpYs99TTrU86Onj4ePOrqo3k0Ko0dNnw6j0ifYHvqo-vVHkU9y8lTAvwGeWpW4G_vW3ewrJ1jN_w0rVNgXlo_xpGf0_ai2Yb84Ao-gEHzh7SfgbAAD__7TDf2o] Wes Kao [https://email.mg-d0.substack.com/c/eJxUkM2OgyAUhZ9GdprrFbAuWMzG1zAIV0sKYvhp07ef2Nl01ufkO1-O0YX2mN5qS0Tti7yJgZhVctCbsIxUP0oJPYBARkE7v-x0UNKF7KLLVyoQ2V1JYXAbOe_BDpxwMqQRQW40SDkJw5lTCCh67EdEBIHd0A0WzW2bBgDcJi7X7vmsj1rC0XAIe2uhy3XNRZtHZ2JgLi-X6-WiSqrEvLqXcuZm-GlwbnD-bjc4nyluzlODMwcQYy_aF-X2oSM767qYGEI9XHkvdOjVk_1jnnX1zuji4rE4q_A2IdxYUmvD4TPd7TFEW336OOW62hi0O9SL8oUu__-smdLF4ShFL4ADeyr8DQAA___SmHpq] · November 1, 2023 Read full story [https://email.mg-d0.substack.com/c/eJxUkM0OqyAQRp9GdjU4ij8LFnfjaxh-BksUMDC06dvf2G7uXU_mnJPPKMI95Y90GfHxxtOkgMzKsVdOWIaym8aRd5wLYBiUP7cdI2ZFaDdF_1wFAHvKaURneLeo2YHoJuOUVsZoAYNywi0z8xI4iA66CQC4gLZvewtmdkvPObhlGHX7etWjUojNwMP-sLwtVRdS5mhNCsyX7W69WyTliuyUT6KrNP2fBtYG1ojvciIR5vaN5VDpfmtgvRpYs99TTrU86Onj4ePOrqo3k0Ko0dNnw6j0ifYHvqo-vVHkU9y8lTAvwGeWpW4G_vW3ewrJ1jN_w0rVNgXlo_xpGf0_ai2Yb84Ao-gEHzh7SfgbAAD__7TDf2o] How to be more concise [https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!NWx5!,w_140,h_140,c_fill,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep,g_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fadc0fe78-05b7-4529-bb64-27ce9b0a1825_1944x857.png]https://email.mg-d0.substack.com/c/eJxUkE2OhCAQRk8jOw2W4s-CxWy8himgtEkLGH7a9O0ndm9m1pV67-XTmGkP8S23SFRfdOjgiBk5dLgJw0i24zDwlnMBjBzaY93JU8RMZsX85yoA2EOiUrPgXGiD2A-t7rEbjNkmYUY0oyZmJXAQLbQjAHABTdd0BvS0zR3nsM39oJrXqzxLdr7qudtrw5tUVMqon40Ojtm03q13i8yxEDvkI-czVd1PBUsFi6crHZQzxeai9MRwv1WwnBUsj3DVOdSKah28tonYWdSqg3PF2_xeyaM6yHzBZ1GH1Zht8Ks1EqYZ-MSiVFXPP_5mDy6YcsRPWCrKBIfWy6-W5f-jlkTx5vQwiFbwnrOXhN8AAAD__4GGfus HOW TO BE MORE CONCISE [https://email.mg-d0.substack.com/c/eJxUkE2OhCAQRk8jOw2W4s-CxWy8himgtEkLGH7a9O0ndm9m1pV67-XTmGkP8S23SFRfdOjgiBk5dLgJw0i24zDwlnMBjBzaY93JU8RMZsX85yoA2EOiUrPgXGiD2A-t7rEbjNkmYUY0oyZmJXAQLbQjAHABTdd0BvS0zR3nsM39oJrXqzxLdr7qudtrw5tUVMqon40Ojtm03q13i8yxEDvkI-czVd1PBUsFi6crHZQzxeai9MRwv1WwnBUsj3DVOdSKah28tonYWdSqg3PF2_xeyaM6yHzBZ1GH1Zht8Ks1EqYZ-MSiVFXPP_5mDy6YcsRPWCrKBIfWy6-W5f-jlkTx5vQwiFbwnrOXhN8AAAD__4GGfus] Wes Kao [https://email.mg-d0.substack.com/c/eJxUkM2OgyAUhZ9GdprrFbAuWMzG1zAIV0sKYvhp07ef2Nl01ufkO1-O0YX2mN5qS0Tti7yJgZhVctCbsIxUP0oJPYBARkE7v-x0UNKF7KLLVyoQ2V1JYXAbOe_BDpxwMqQRQW40SDkJw5lTCCh67EdEBIHd0A0WzW2bBgDcJi7X7vmsj1rC0XAIe2uhy3XNRZtHZ2JgLi-X6-WiSqrEvLqXcuZm-GlwbnD-bjc4nyluzlODMwcQYy_aF-X2oSM767qYGEI9XHkvdOjVk_1jnnX1zuji4rE4q_A2IdxYUmvD4TPd7TFEW336OOW62hi0O9SL8oUu__-smdLF4ShFL4ADeyr8DQAA___SmHpq] · August 7, 2024 Read full story [https://email.mg-d0.substack.com/c/eJxUkE2OhCAQRk8jOw2W4s-CxWy8himgtEkLGH7a9O0ndm9m1pV67-XTmGkP8S23SFRfdOjgiBk5dLgJw0i24zDwlnMBjBzaY93JU8RMZsX85yoA2EOiUrPgXGiD2A-t7rEbjNkmYUY0oyZmJXAQLbQjAHABTdd0BvS0zR3nsM39oJrXqzxLdr7qudtrw5tUVMqon40Ojtm03q13i8yxEDvkI-czVd1PBUsFi6crHZQzxeai9MRwv1WwnBUsj3DVOdSKah28tonYWdSqg3PF2_xeyaM6yHzBZ1GH1Zht8Ks1EqYZ-MSiVFXPP_5mDy6YcsRPWCrKBIfWy6-W5f-jlkTx5vQwiFbwnrOXhN8AAAD__4GGfus] WHAT’S NEXT? Every other week, I’ll share practical insights, tools, and scripts you can use immediately. I only share what I’ve personally tried and have seen work well with my own team and clients. New issues are published bi-weekly on Wednesday mornings at 8am ET (because I love a good alliteration re: Wes on Wednesdays). It’s fun to be good at your job. I’m hoping this newsletter will help you get even better at what you do. Wes PS If you’ve faced a day of decision fatigue and can’t think of what to say, hit reply and use an emoji you’ve been wanting to use. I will reply with an emoji, and we will have a wonderfully wordless exchange. PPS If you want to go deeper on the topics covered here, over 1,500+ operators have taken my highly-rated, 2-day intensive course on Executive Communication & Influence for Senior ICs and Managers [https://email.mg-d0.substack.com/c/eJxU0LmypCAUBuCnkUwLjuASEEzia1gsR5tSoIvFnn77KXs6uDf-z_LVb1TBPaa33BJi-8LTRI_EyqFXm7AEJRuHgTJKBRD0yp3rjgGTKmhXVX6kAoA8JHCuxGQ0m5hlfNJmBDaNFNggFOKsiZNAQTBgIwBQAV3f9RbMtM09pbDNfNDdddWjFh8aTv3eWtrlqnNR5uhM9MTl9bbeFllSRXLKRynP3PR_GlgaWLy6MNyjDSwvzO2hYgML_kVTi7uwNdH7GpxRxcXQurCdFYNB8qx6_WblvWJQ-kT7_8Wz6vO7sDorYZqBTiRJ3XD6kXR79NHWM32IuWobvXJBvjAfKpLyu96aMd13OAyCCcopuST8CwAA__9eVYHv]. Or, learn more about 1:1 executive coaching [https://email.mg-d0.substack.com/c/eJxUkD2OgzAQRk-Du1jjARMoXGyTayD_DMQKtiP_BOX2K5Jmt57Re0-f1ZW2lN9qzUSXg3abAjGnxl6v0jFS4jqOIAAkMgra78tGkbKu5BZd_1wlIrsrQGElaOhnMjOBI4OzJaLJgHBiROYVAkqB4oqIIJH3vHdop3XuAXCdh9Hw16s9Wg2xGyBsFwe8NFOqtg9uU2C-LGfr2aJqbsR2da_1Wbr-p8Nbh7fjOPhB5aHT-d_hzSZt7z5u7NnMYlMILfr6Xihqs5P7Qp7N7N7q6lNcvFM4zQgTy8p0A3xcfEshubbnT0RpxqWgfVRfE6v_B2yF8skZcJRCwgDspfA3AAD__zQmdzU] to strengthen your executive presence. © 2025 Wes Kao 1049 El Monte Ave, Suite C #592, Mountain View, CA 94040 Unsubscribe [https://email.mg-d0.substack.com/c/eJxU0sFuqzoQBuCngV2RGWMKCxZpI1qiS6LetkmbDTK2IQYbR9iEJk9_RLo5Zz2aX_98GkadaM14zZpRiIdZKGa08HkWY9oQ7ossfIxjFCJEwBeaSlW1YhAjdYJX1P01JQD-KeMkCXH8KDBg3uCExA0jBIe4jjkAwdSXGSAgIYSPAIAIBDjAHFjSpBghaNIoroPLZeonpwcvQrp94CiwU20dZX3AjPalrZauS5fMjZPwVXZy7mw9vPIg9yAfxGyVcE6MwSxsT82y5kFOmZNm8CDn0tJaieqe4eHcmV4MHl6L6yZksL9-geqLzqCy-w7Lj895u17ZYni6MPx_Qw9vcqdJWL_MttDqxJ-LuPxgsO1WP-V6FZZylsev01x05md76_H24w3K9ef1v-fNmeFS7uRm5ofClV1Lym4VFXKWDO9l0Rl5fFG378PGHvepqg_5uX7epMF7JFKav6r3_Y0d8GqX3F5Q3uqnXcqHV8fctj9Ccpls37T-eaorZrSeBumulRiWK_kv0nmqlWR0EagkzyBJASX-mNVehO4OQWu04ZMa78h2qrnRVA7ZL6Hv_n2QyYpxyYkgJiFBEfIvGfwJAAD__3a_wy4] Get the app [https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!IzGP!,w_262,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack.com%2Fimg%2Femail%2Fgeneric-app-button%402x.png]https://email.mg-d0.substack.com/c/eJxUkcFu7CAMRb8GdomICZlkweJJ1fxGZMBJ0QSIiJmqf_8000278eZeHR_LHpn2Ur_tVom6Lzp8SSSDnTRuJkiyw22a1KCUAUkJ47HulKkiU1iRf6UGQH5atanppmEEh2oe1IwLDvq2eeO9WQZCGS0oMAMMNwBQBnrd6wB-3hatFGzLOLn--WyPximLUaW9C6q_mrsY_aP3Jcl4rS_Xl4vl2kge9pP5vIT-J-Au4P67LeCO5_kzu4tLpa5SiJU8C31vnFaP6cS4Z6E_Xp2E9UEc8y5gesclM2UW-uO9sdtKYaqda8wly7O51ZeUWo78vVJGd1D4sTqbO6JHjiWvMViYF1CzrNaJUb1R_V5SCe2o76uu5kJJGLP9ouuBRfLfj7SL6oszwmQGo0Ylnxb-BwAA__9NX5RtStart writing [https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!LkrL!,w_270,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack.com%2Fimg%2Femail%2Fpublish-button%402x.png]https://email.mg-d0.substack.com/c/eJxskU2O3CAQhU8Du7ZwgbG9YBHJ6QvkABaGsge1AYufnsztI3syUUeaJY-nr75SGV1wi-lDrQnx9o67iR6pVZLrtbMUVdtLyVrGOqDotdvnDQMmXdDOurz8dgD0TYleiBb50o9cSDC2Hawxg2BgpGR81NQpYNC10PYAwDpoeMMtmGEdOWOwjkIuzfNZH7X4QATz282yJtclF20ejYmeujyfrqeLKqki3dVbKUcm_AeBO4H7a_t8ui3Ug_B7LX7OsSaDhE9fJQLyzD1aVz3h08X9G5oYCoZC-LTGWDB9xdof2m2B8EnXEle372hv_yqn3K9r5s-LxaeFCHZxmy36aOuePtVkInzq29-HYPSoy2yi9zW48jFj0MuO9nO_oy67M7q4GGZnFQwjsIEm9T2W5rrY6LUL6h3zQ0da_r9tzZhOjgDZtR0TjD4V_AkAAP__4WetFw [https://eotrx.substackcdn.com/open?token=eyJtIjoiPDIwMjUxMjE3MjIyMDUyLjMuM2QyYzhmOTMwMDJmOTQ2Yi52dnVrdXRtbkBtZy1kMC5zdWJzdGFjay5jb20-IiwidSI6NDI2NTE1MDQwLCJyIjoiYkBlbWFpbC5nb21vZHVsci5jb20iLCJkIjoibWctZDAuc3Vic3RhY2suY29tIiwicCI6bnVsbCwidCI6bnVsbCwiYSI6bnVsbCwicyI6Mjg5MjA4LCJjIjoiZnJlZS13ZWxjb21lIiwiZiI6dHJ1ZSwicG9zaXRpb24iOiJib3R0b20iLCJpYXQiOjE3NjYwMTAwNTIsImV4cCI6MTc2ODYwMjA1MiwiaXNzIjoicHViLTAiLCJzdWIiOiJlbyJ9.tExYWZQzWVG_IS_aRwmb1kzvVT6_EJO_PTdXwvi4hKo][https://email.mg-d0.substack.com/o/eJxU0EtuwyAUheHVhFms6ws4ZsBaEI-Li2Kg4pEou6-SQdWOj_Tp1_F20FHbS8dGdH3S6WsmFvTGbZSBkV5v2wYrgERG2abTHFSo2UHB2PFnlYjsS7sIat1JWL47IooucIUoduIR8KYkSxoB5YrrDRFB4sIXHtDvUXEAjEpsbnk85n2OXC4C8nENsPTp-rD-vviaWerm3fpu0aNNYt_TGV9zniWNl6Fi3UnhdzqTtyPVYlLQuCuEnTXtLgI-wnLUXMM824fu04WabSr6Sf1uKxv_b5md2tsRuMlVggD20PgTAAD__yjhaO0]