Makers & Breakers #011
Setting the Tone for 2025
Good morning, Makers & Breakers!
I hope you’re easing into this first Monday of 2025 with a hot cup of coffee and the gentle hum of a fresh start. The holiday season is always a time to recharge, reflect, and recalibrate, and as we return to our projects and passions, there’s a unique energy in the air—a sense of possibility and renewal.
The turn of the year is a symbolic reboot, an opportunity to refocus on what truly matters. It’s a chance to embrace challenges with optimism, craft audacious plans, and step into the future with intent. This week’s Curated Reads are all about alignment: aligning actions with impact, leadership with perception, and feedback with growth.
So, as you plan your week and chart your goals, let’s explore how small, deliberate adjustments can lead to outsized results.
Here’s to building with clarity, breaking barriers with courage, and making 2025 a year of meaningful progress.
Let’s dive in.
— Luka
Curated Reads
Rethinking Productivity Through Impact
Kicking off this edition is Jason Yip’s insightful piece, “Bad Idea: You Can’t Measure Productivity”—a modern reflection on Martin Fowler’s seminal 2003 article “Cannot Measure Productivity”. Yip brings a nuanced lens to Fowler’s argument, challenging the notion that productivity is inherently unmeasurable by focusing on impact over output.
Effort → Output → Outcome → Impact.
This framework shifts the conversation from how much we’re building to what value our work creates. It’s a mindset that resonates deeply in the product world, where shipping features means little unless they deliver measurable change in user behaviour and, ultimately, business outcomes.
Personal Reflections
This idea aligns with my perspective on product development. When building, it’s tempting to celebrate tangible outputs—features shipped, releases deployed. But as Yip eloquently notes, productivity isn’t about what you’ve done; it’s about what difference it makes.
The distinction between outcomes (e.g., customers adding items to shopping lists) and impact (e.g., increased purchase value) is especially powerful. While outcomes provide early indicators, they must eventually connect to long-term business value. As builders, we owe it to our teams and stakeholders to ground efforts in theories of product impact—hypotheses we rigorously test and iterate on.
A Practical Takeaway
Ask yourself: Are your metrics aligned with business value? For instance, if you’re tracking deployment frequency, are you also considering how those deployments are improving user engagement or driving revenue? Focusing on impact doesn’t negate the importance of intermediate outcomes, but it ensures the team’s work remains tied to the bigger picture.
This article is a timely reminder: Productivity is about leverage, not labour. It’s a question of how much value we can extract from every hour, every dollar, every line of code. Let’s build with that clarity in mind.
Sam Altman on Building, Leading, and Thriving
Sam Altman’s essay, “What I Wish Someone Had Told Me,” is a crash course in life, leadership, and startup wisdom. Altman distills years of experience into sharp, actionable principles that feel like a founder’s field guide to success.
Key Takeaways
The DNA of Success: Optimism, obsession, self-belief, and relationships get things started. But cohesion, urgency, and relentless commitment see things through.
Do the Hard Things: Teams rally around audacious ideas that matter; attempting the difficult is often easier than chasing the trivial.
Clear Priorities Win: Focus resources on high-conviction bets, communicate with precision, and strip away the nonessential.
Altman also underscores two underrated superpowers: incentives and iteration. He stresses how thoughtfully crafted incentives drive behaviours that align with long-term success. Meanwhile, the ability to iterate quickly makes up for missteps—plans may span decades, but execution thrives on weekly cycles.
Personal Reflections
Altman’s piece resonates with the challenges of scaling any endeavour, be it a startup or personal growth. One line struck a particular chord: “Outcomes are what count; don’t let good process excuse bad results.”
In the product and startup world, it’s easy to become enamoured with the machinery of processes. But as Altman notes, execution and impact trump everything. Clear communication, a bias toward action, and a commitment to revisiting assumptions ensure that process serves outcomes, not the other way around.
Another gem: “Scale has surprising emergent properties.” This perfectly encapsulates the unpredictable magic that happens as organisations or ideas grow. It’s a reminder that we can plan meticulously, but the most exciting breakthroughs often stem from scaling itself—where resources, ideas, and opportunities compound in surprising ways.
A Practical Takeaway
Altman’s advice feels like a manifesto for staying grounded in fast-moving, high-stakes environments:
Keep a long-term view while maintaining a cadence of weekly iterations.
Fight bureaucracy and unnecessary complexity wherever they creep in.
Take risks on people with high upside; fast learners and doers are the lifeblood of enduring success.
Altman’s essay isn’t just a guide for founders; it’s a playbook for anyone aspiring to do work that matters. The challenge he leaves us with is simple yet profound: What will you do today to move closer to that audacious vision?
The Art of Giving Feedback
James Samuel’s “How to Get Good at Giving Feedback” is a masterclass in one of the most undervalued leadership skills: effectively offering feedback. Feedback shapes growth, reinforces strengths, and aligns teams, yet it’s often mishandled due to misconceptions. Samuel debunks myths and outlines actionable steps to transform feedback from a daunting task into a powerful tool for growth.
Key Myths and Insights
Samuel starts by addressing common misconceptions:
Feedback is not just for negatives—it’s also for recognising and reinforcing positive behaviours.
Timing matters—instant feedback isn’t always ideal; emotional distance can make the delivery more constructive.
Avoid the “sandwich” method—sugarcoating dilutes the core message.
Feedback is a conversation, not a monologue—it’s a two-way dialogue that encourages understanding.
Feedback flows in all directions—not just top-down, but also peer-to-peer and bottom-up.
A Simple Framework
Samuel provides a structured approach to giving feedback:
Seek consent first: Starting with “Can I share some feedback with you?” ensures readiness and sets the tone.
Focus on behaviour, not intent: Describe specific actions without assuming motives.
Look forward: Highlight future improvements rather than harping on past mistakes.
Tie feedback to impact: Connect actions to their effects on the team, project, or organisation.
For example:
“When you took the initiative to [action], it helped the team move forward efficiently and meet deadlines [impact].”
A Practical Takeaway
Start small. The next time you notice a positive behaviour, call it out immediately. Build momentum by recognising strengths before addressing areas for growth. Over time, this balanced approach will foster trust, making constructive feedback easier to deliver and accept.
Feedback, when done right, is a superpower. It can strengthen teams, align goals, and drive continuous improvement. As Samuel reminds us: feedback is not just a skill; it’s a culture.
The Leadership Art of Impression Management
Sheril Mathews’ “Impression Management: How Effective Leaders Balance Perception and Reality” delves into a nuanced leadership skill often misunderstood or dismissed: managing how you’re perceived. Drawing from Erving Goffman’s dramaturgical theory, Mathews argues that leadership is not only about substance but also about the ability to project confidence, clarity, and alignment with values.
Key Insights
Leadership as a Performance: Leaders operate on two stages: the “front stage,” where they present a polished persona to their audience, and the “back stage,” where preparation and reflection occur. Churchill’s wartime walks through bomb-ravaged London exemplify this blend of visibility and gravitas.
Perception Shapes Reality: Effective impression management isn’t manipulation; it’s the intentional alignment of your image with your values and goals. Mathews highlights that perception management strengthens credibility and inspires trust when rooted in authenticity.
Techniques for Mastery: Leaders can use practical tools, such as emotional regulation, reframing challenges, and leading by example, to shape perceptions while staying true to their intentions. For instance, reframing a project setback as a learning opportunity can foster resilience and morale.
Personal Reflections
The idea that how you present yourself cascades through an organization is profoundly true. I’ve seen teams mirror their leaders’ composure—or lack thereof—during high-stress situations. A calm, collected leader inspires confidence; an erratic one spreads doubt.
What resonates most is Mathews’ emphasis on authenticity. Impression management isn’t about creating a false image; it’s about understanding your intentions, values, and capabilities. For example, practising self-disclosure—sharing failures alongside successes—humanizes leaders and fosters psychological safety, making teams more open and collaborative.
A Practical Takeaway
Start by auditing your “front stage.” How are your actions, tone, and presence aligning with the message you want to convey? If they don’t align, what steps can you take to refine that alignment without losing your authenticity?
Mathews reminds us that leadership is inherently performative, but it’s the leader who authentically performs that earns trust and creates lasting impact. As Goffman suggested, the best performances blur the line between acting and being, transforming impression management from a chore into a natural extension of effective leadership.
Closing Thoughts: Building with Purpose in 2025
As we enter this new year, the common thread in this week’s readings—whether it’s Sam Altman’s advice on conviction, Jason Yip’s focus on outcomes, or Sheril Mathews’ take on impression management—is intentionality.
We have 2025 to shape, but that requires clarity—clarity of purpose, action, and how we show up in the world. Success isn’t about sprinting through tasks or chasing every opportunity—it’s about aligning with what truly matters. Whether we’re giving feedback, managing perceptions, or designing impactful systems, it all comes back to focus.
So, let’s commit to building with purpose and leading with authenticity this year. Let’s reflect on the lessons we carry forward and embrace the ones we’ll learn along the way. And let’s not forget to enjoy the process—because, in the end, the journey is what makes the work worthwhile.
Here’s to an exceptional year ahead.
Let’s keep pushing forward.
– Luka