More clarity than a pitch deck after its fifth rewrite.

Today’s Loose Ends looks at why the “idea guy” myth refuses to die, how separating strategy from ego changes decision-making, and a genuinely strange invention that’s oddly revealing. Less posturing, more progress.

💡 The Myth (and Reality) of the “Ideas Guy”

“Everyone has ideas.”

In modern business, that phrase is usually used to dismiss anyone who isn’t executing. And it’s mostly fair. Raw ideas, on their own, are cheap.

But something more interesting is happening.

The old “ideas guy” — vague visions, no follow-through — is still worthless. The new version is different. They don’t just generate ideas. They frame problems, spot second-order effects, and connect dots across domains.

That skill has quietly gained value.

Execution is increasingly commoditised. Tools, templates, and AI have flattened the cost of doing. What hasn’t flattened is judgment — knowing what’s worth building in the first place.

Modern businesses don’t fail because they can’t ship. They fail because they ship the wrong things efficiently.

The real leverage of a good ideas person isn’t creativity. It’s selection:

That’s why strong operators now look for “taste,” not just output. Why investors talk about pattern recognition. Why strategy is making a quiet comeback.

Of course, ideas without execution are still noise.

But execution without good ideas is just expensive motion.

In a world where building is cheap and shipping is fast, the scarcest skill isn’t doing.

It’s deciding what not to do.

Alfred Sloan, the long-time CEO of General Motors, believed that decisions should survive disagreement. He famously distrusted fast consensus, seeing it as a sign that ideas hadn’t been tested properly.

🧠 Sloan’s core insight:
“If we are all in agreement on the decision, then I propose we postpone making it.”

⚠️ Why this matters for founders:

🔍 What this looks like in practice:

🛠️ Try this:
Before locking a major decision, ask someone to argue the opposite case. If it collapses easily, the decision isn’t ready.

In a tangled startup, Sloan’s lesson is clear: strong decisions aren’t unanimous—they’re resilient.

(Insight inspired by Alfred P. Sloan)

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That’s All Folks

Before you go:

Until next time,

Connor / Loose Ends