Thinking like a gardener not a builder, organizing teams like slime mold, the adjacent possible, and other unconventional product advice | Alex Komoroske (Stripe, Google) | Lenny's Podcast: Product | Growth | Career (private feed for websong16@gmail.com) | Podwise
Thinking like a gardener not a builder, organizing teams like slime mold, the adjacent possible, and other unconventional product advice | Alex Komoroske (Stripe, Google)
This episode explores the impact of Large Language Models (LLMs) and generative AI on product development and the skills needed to thrive in this evolving tech landscape. Against the backdrop of Alex Komoroske's unique note-taking and reflection practices, the conversation delves into how LLMs are disrupting traditional software development, acting as "magical duct tape" that lowers the cost of both software creation and execution. More significantly, the discussion highlights the shift from a "builder" mindset to a "gardener" mindset, emphasizing the importance of cultivating emergent properties and fostering bottom-up innovation within organizations. For instance, Komoroske advocates for prioritizing "taste" and individual distinctiveness in a world saturated with AI-generated content, suggesting that companies should focus on creating opportunities for emergence rather than strictly adhering to top-down approaches. The concept of "organizational kayfabe," where everyone pretends to believe in a shared reality that may not be entirely accurate, is also explored, illustrating the challenges of navigating large organizations. Finally, the episode emphasizes the value of incremental progress ("adjacent possible") and building high-trust environments to encourage experimentation and growth, ultimately suggesting that the future of product development lies in embracing the unpredictable nature of AI and fostering a culture of playful exploration. What this means for product managers and founders is a need to adapt, experiment, and cultivate an environment that allows for the emergence of innovative ideas.
