Star systems

Something I think about a lot: All Things D had the right model. It was early to the idea that journalists could be “influencers” and the need for business models beyond ads, particularly events. will see publishers look to build around top talent even as they make cuts overall. I map out how organizations will need to adapt to this new reality in this week’s member-only content.

Plust: avoiding the productivity trap while still being productive. 

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On productivity

We are trying a different type of episode with PvA this week. Instead of being tied to news development, we went deep on an issue we all grapple with: productivity. An excerpt from the PvA Weekender newsletter that comes out each Friday. Sign up to get it. 

For the full discussion, watch PvA on YouTube | Apple | Spotify | other podcast platforms. New episodes are released every Friday morning.

Economic growth requires productivity. Labor productivity – more outputs for similar inputs – is both critical not just to the overall economy but to raising wages. It’s lagged since the productivity boom as companies digitized from 1995 to 2005. Labor productivity grew during that period 3.2% annually, only to drop in subsequent years to 1.3%. And that’s with the advent of the smartphone, cloud computing and all the rest that were supposed productivity boons.

AI is now held out as the latest savior to productivity. One study found that AI has already made developers 26% more productive. The quest for productivity is bigger than AI, it’s become something of a secular religion. Silicon Valley is discovering its masculine energy of martial sports and extremely hard core performance cultures. YouTube is filled with productivity creators like Ali Abdal, and the 4-Hour Workweek guy moved on to the 4-Hour Body and the 4-Hour Chef. Now, he’s arrived at counseling people that they need to say No. Imagine. 

Modern productivity culture is an outgrowth of optimization obsession. We can measure more than ever, so we gravitate to squeezing out incremental gains and sometimes lose sight of the direction we want to go. My still-evolving approach to productivity:

• Measuring only outputs is problematic. Ask the Soviets. Instead focus on inputs in the form of good habits that over time lead to superior results.
• Paul O’Neill’s unorthodox approach to improving productivity at Alcoa is worth examining. He focused on the keystone habit of worker safety.
• Resist the productivity treadmill. You’ll never feel truly productive, so better accept that this is mike any other religious belief: aspiration of reaching an ideal.
• It’s important to “sit in your chamber” and focus on deep work, but do not discount the power of daydreaming if you’re in some kind of creative or creative-adjacent field. If your work involves ideas, you likely won’t get many at your desk. I’ve had very productive time at the beach, looking at cumulus clouds.
• There are Notion People. They’re often product managers. You want to find these people if you’re not a Notion person.
• Nobody is coming to save you. No AI app or YouTube goon has the secret code.
• Batch work types to avoid context switching. I divide my days between content in the morning and business in the afternoon.
• Productivity is an economic measurement, not a moral judgment. Your labor productivity isnot your self worth.

Get all of our approaches to productivity in the PvA Weekender. Send me your thoughts on productivity by hitting reply or emailing bmorrissey@therebooting.com.

As creators and influencers dominate social media and alternative media platforms, mainstream media must adapt to stay competitive. This interactive deep dive virtual event explores the latest market trends and the growing influence of creators in shaping audience behavior. Discover how traditional media can attract creators, engage new audiences, and build transformative partnerships to thrive in this dynamic environment. 

• Understand Market Trends: Explore the rise of creators and influencers on social media and alternative media platforms and their impact on audience engagement and behavior.
• Leverage Community Building: Learn how traditional media can use community-focused strategies on their own platforms to cultivate engaged and loyal audiences.
• Partner with Creators and Influencers: Discover effective approaches for attracting and collaborating with creators and influencers to stay competitive and drive growth.

Register for this event on Jan 29 at 1pmET. If you cannot make the event live, you will be sent a replay link so long as you registered. Thanks to ViaFoura for their support in making this discussion happen.

Talent, system players, glue guys, JAGs

Media businesses are talent businesses. There are no factories, little in the way of proprietary methodologies. The most successful media companies attract and retain the best talent, and critically provide them an environment and platform to succeed beyond what they’d be able to accomplish elsewhere.

What’s changed is the leverage has shifted from the institution to the individual. Mainstream media’s painful retooling of their business models has led to a hemorrhaging of top talent. It is now nearly four years since Ben Smith kicked off his New York Times media column by examining the unease at the Times to encroachment of Substack. The column holds up, as the years since has seen not a flood by a constant leak of talent, only not just to Substack, but to Beehiiv, YouTube and beyond. Substack was just a proxy for an independent path top talent can take.