Day 193 - Get Out of the Clams

Core Idea Miscommunication often comes from speaking at different levels of abstraction Key Framework: Altitude Levels Cloud → High-level vision or strategy Kite → Major processes or capabilities Sea → User-level goals (ideal for most discussions) Fish → Supporting tasks or sub-functions Clam → Detailed implementation (lowest level) Key Points Teams frequently talk past each other without realizing it One person may be focused on strategy while another is deep in details This mismatch creates confusion, not necessarily disagreement Naming the level of conversation helps realign communication Adjusting “altitude” improves clarity and efficiency Takeaways Before solving a problem, align on the level of discussion Most productive conversations happen at the “sea” level Avoid jumping into “clams” (details) too early Awareness of abstraction levels reduces friction Notable Lines / Concepts “Teams often talk past each other.” “Name the altitude to change the conversation.” “Get out of the clams.”