Thinkers' principles

Official · updated Nov 4, 2026 · v1.0.1

Audits a manager's week against Andy Grove's output view of management: whose output each activity raises, what to delegate or teach, can't versus won't, one-on-ones, and output-based key results.

When to use it

• A manager is busy but the team's results don't move
• A newly promoted manager still does most of the hands-on work
• Planning where a manager's time should go next quarter

What you give it

• One or two weeks of the manager's calendar with hours
• The team: who owns what and for how long
• Neighbouring teams the manager affects
• Current goals or key results and any performance gaps

What you get

A week table labelled by whose output each activity raises, own work to delegate or teach, performance gaps as can't or won't hypotheses, training and one-on-one gaps, a measures check, and three changes.

Changelog

• v1.0.1 · Nov 4, 2026 · Example output now opens with the attribution and not-affiliated lines, as the skill's own checks require.
• v1.0.0 · Nov 4, 2026 · First release.

Sources

1. Ben Horowitz, foreword to High Output Management (a16z, 2015) (2026-11-04)
2. OKR meaning, definition and history - What Matters (2026-11-04)
3. Inputs vs. outputs with OKRs - What Matters (2026-11-04)
4. Committed vs. aspirational OKRs - What Matters (2026-11-04)

Related skills

• 1:1 prep for managers Prepares a manager's 1:1: the report's agenda first, last time's commitments, one win, one SBI feedback, a growth question, and blockers.
• Quarterly OKRs from a strategy Drafts quarterly OKRs: 1 to 3 objectives, measurable key results with baseline, target and owner, and a check that no KR is a task.
• Delegation brief Writes a brief to hand off a task: outcome, why it matters, constraints, decision rights by delegation level, check-ins, and done criteria.
• Team charter Drafts a team charter: mission, customers, what the team owns and doesn't, roles, working agreements, rituals, decisions, and metrics.
• Performance review draft Drafts a performance review from the manager's evidence, per expectation with examples and impact, then checks it for rating bias and vague words.

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