We need to treat alignment not as a prerequisite, but as a process. “Getting it” isn’t a static quality—it’s a product of access, timing, exposure, and experience.

One method is to design for shared sensemaking. That might mean narrating your mental model instead of assuming it’s obvious. It might mean making space for dissent even when time feels... See more

Having a beginner’s mind doesn’t mean being naïve. It means resisting the reflex to slot new inputs into old categories. When we approach a system—or a person—as if we already understand it, we stop noticing what doesn’t fit. Complexity gets filtered out in favor of confirmation. And then we mistake recognition for understanding.

Beginner’s mind is... See more