Playing the Background is Dave's mailing list for leaders and strategic thinkers (like you) who want to improve how they work the work.
In the grand game of product work, we highlight five types of product problem. They are evergreen: problems that continue to appear and reappear, so long as the organization is changing and growing.
- Clarity and Specificity
- Traction and Motion
- Direction and Alignment
- Operational Adaptation
- Anticipation and Influence
The goal is to help you see the structure behind these problems in your own work, and give you the tools to play with them. You will learn, I hope, to see the game you’re already playing and make your moves with new skill and strategic sensibility.
You can get it straight to your inbox:
Through early 2026, the mailing list was titled "Loops and Cycles," named for this article. You'll find previous updates titled with [LC##] in your inbox or here on the site.
