In the relentless rhythm of modern business, there is a pervasive myth that stopping, even for a second, is a failure of momentum. We treat our organisations like planes in mid-flight; we are so terrified of losing altitude that we refuse to adjust the engine, even when we know it’s burning fuel inefficiently. We tell ourselves that we’ll fix the process once things quiet down. But in a high-growth environment, things never truly quiet down.

The result? We stay trapped in Doing-Mode.

When an organisation operates exclusively in "doing-mode," the primary goal shifts from excellence to the mere reduction of variability. We focus on hitting the next milestone and keeping the Business As Usual (BAU) machinery grinding forward. While this keeps the lights on, it creates a dangerous paradox: the harder we work to stay on schedule, the more time we spend putting out fires caused by the very processes we’re too busy to fix.

We aren't actually moving faster; we are just chasing our tails at a higher velocity.

Controlling the clock, not obeying it

To break this cycle, we have to challenge the idea that refactoring how we work is a luxury we can’t afford. It isn't about a total system reset or a dramatic halt in delivery. Rather, it is about Normalising the Pause.

True progress requires shifting into Thinking-Mode. This is the deliberate act of "meta-work", reflecting on the how and the why rather than just the what. By slowing down the work slightly, we create the necessary friction to spark better ideas.

• Doing-Mode: Reduces variability, focuses on delivery, obeys the clock.
• Thinking-Mode: Increases options, encourages reflection, controls the clock.

Improving the plane mid-flight

The goal isn’t to transform a commercial airliner into a fighter jet while soaring at 30,000 feet. That kind of radical, high-stakes pivoting is exactly what leads to burnout and system failure.

Instead, the path forward lies in making space to reconsider and reflect with trusted partners. It is about small, incremental adjustments: identifying blind spots, drawing on collective experience, and implementing changes safely without grounding the entire operation.

When we make space for meta-work, we stop being victims of our own schedules. We move from a state of frantic reaction to one of intentional action. We don't stop the work; we simply give the work enough room to breathe, evolve, and ultimately, become better.

~ Elle

Note: The concepts in this write-up come from the book Leadership is Language by David Marquet

What’s been happening?

Blackbird Sunrise in Sydney, April 30

Sunrise is Blackbird's community event for founders and investors. As they say on the cover (website): "It’s a celebration of ambition and creativity, where Australians and Kiwis dream up the future."

We will be coming to the event, and are also sponsoring the Startup Basketball Tournament the following day, May 1st.

If you're around, we would love to catch up to see what's been going on with you.

Leading Engineering Teams workshop in June

From leadership styles, team culture, giving and receiving feedback, effective one-on-ones, mentoring, prioritisation, to balancing speed, quality, and technical debt, this workshop will provide you with the essential technical leadership skills that you can apply immediately, and will enable you to lead with empathy and confidence.

Our next workshop is scheduled for the start of June. Learn more at https://blackmill.co/coaching-training/workshops/leading-engineering-teams or book an obligation-free chat with us

Group coaching ⎼ new cohort in April

As a leader, you understand the importance of effective team performance in achieving your company's goals. However, identifying and addressing the challenges that hinder this performance can be difficult. Three of the most common challenges leaders face include unclear priorities, poor communication, and misaligned expectations. Do you experience any of these? Maybe your challenges are different. But the premise of what we suggest is still the same. We all could use support to do the the best work we can.

Our next cohort is start on April 21st. You can learn more at https://blackmill.co/coaching-training/group-coaching or book an obligation-free chat with us

What are we reading?

• Coming to terms with your dark side – Excessive egotism and low self-awareness are the psychological profiles associated with the ‘dark side’. In fact, they also tend to be linked with scandalous incidents that mar the reputations of high-profile leaders.
• How great CEOs stay in the details – Most founders lose quality as they scale. Here’s how the best ones maintain it.
• Open source gave me everything until I had nothing left to give – Open source culture celebrates intensity and prolific contributions but it requires clear boundaries so that you don't mistake it for your identity. And life outside of code matters more.
• Thinking like a strategist, not a search engine – Being well-read in the age of AI is not enough. Enter the Trivium framework.
• LinkedIn, we have to talk. – Ben Schwarz talks about Kagi's new "LinkedIn-Speak" translator tool.

What are we cooking?

Potatoes and radishes salad

Ingredients

• 3 potatoes
• 2 sweet potatoes
• Greens: lettuce or rocket leaves
• 2-3 green onions
• 5-7 radishes, chopped
• 3 tbsp vinegar
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp lemon peel
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• Salt and pepper
• Chives, finely chopped

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 200 °C
2. Layer salt on a tray, place the potatoes on top and roast for an hour. The salt acts to absorb liquids and as a heating body. Let them cool.
3. Cut the salad ingredients (lettuce, onions, radishes) into big chunks and mix them together.
4. Peel the potatoes, dice, and mix into the salad.
5. Mix the vinegar, lemon juice, lemon peel, olie oil, honey, mustard, salt, and pepper.
6. Drizzle over the salad with the chives just before serving.
7. Enjoy with someone you love.

And we’re out

Thank you for showing an interest in our newsletter and we hope that you enjoyed the read. Feel free to contact us if you have any feedback, a burning question, or just a recipe that you would like to share.

Until next time, keep learning!

Everyone at Blackmill