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Vaugan Nayagar
Vaugan Nayagar

The Unexpected Leader

+3

The Unexpected Leader | Ep2: The Doubt That Follows

Oct 26, 2026

•

2 min read

The Unexpected Leader | Ep2: The Doubt That Follows

Thandi meets the team. Their silence leaves her wondering.

Vaugan Nayagar
Vaugan Nayagar

The Unexpected Leader

+3

The Unexpected Leader | Ep1: What are you really accepting?

Oct 19, 2026

•

4 min read

The Unexpected Leader | Ep1: What are you really accepting?

The opportunity can be real. So can the questions you need answered before saying yes.

Vaugan Nayagar
Vaugan Nayagar

Project Heisenberg

+3

Project Heisenberg | Ep5: What did the project actually change?

Oct 12, 2026

•

4 min read

Project Heisenberg | Ep5: What did the project actually change?

The first experiment has shown the benefit. Richard has a wider platform migration to get moving.

Vaugan Nayagar
Vaugan Nayagar

Project Heisenberg

+4

Project Heisenberg | Ep4: Can AI speed this up? What has to wait?

Oct 5, 2026

•

4 min read

Project Heisenberg | Ep4: Can AI speed this up? What has to wait?

The engineers who could test the shortcut are already needed for the release.

Vaugan Nayagar
Vaugan Nayagar

Project Heisenberg

+3

Project Heisenberg | Ep3: I gave them a date I couldn't defend

Sep 28, 2026

•

4 min read

Project Heisenberg | Ep3: I gave them a date I couldn't defend

An estimate went into the room. A commitment came out.

Vaugan Nayagar
Vaugan Nayagar

Project Heisenberg

+4

Project Heisenberg | Ep2: Is technology the thing holding us back?

Sep 21, 2026

•

4 min read

Project Heisenberg | Ep2: Is technology the thing holding us back?

Anand brings Richard his findings after two weeks. They don't all point to the same fix.

Vaugan Nayagar
Vaugan Nayagar
Project Heisenberg | Ep1: What are we buying, and why now?

Sep 14, 2026

•

5 min read

Project Heisenberg | Ep1: What are we buying, and why now?

Richard wants to protect today's commitments. Anand needs him to see what the company would keep paying for.

Vaugan Nayagar
Vaugan Nayagar

Leadership

+3

Project Heisenberg | Trailer: The Decisions Behind a Major Project

Sep 7, 2026

•

4 min read

Project Heisenberg | Trailer: The Decisions Behind a Major Project

Richard and Anand know why the platform must change. The harder question is what the company should commit to.

Vaugan Nayagar
Vaugan Nayagar
Heart Surgery Didn’t Change Me the Way I Expected

Aug 31, 2026

•

4 min read

Heart Surgery Didn’t Change Me the Way I Expected

Eighty-one days later, the old patterns are still here. What changed is that I can see them now.

Vaugan Nayagar
Vaugan Nayagar
The List, Again

Aug 24, 2026

•

2 min read

The List, Again

Seventy-four days ago I wrote down what mattered. Today, item two has a birthday.

Vaugan Nayagar
Vaugan Nayagar

AI

+2

Builders Workshop | Ep5 : The Builder

Aug 17, 2026

•

5 min read

Builders Workshop | Ep5 : The Builder

Keep your attention on the build.

Vaugan Nayagar
Vaugan Nayagar
Builders Workshop | Ep4 : The Crew

Aug 10, 2026

•

5 min read

Builders Workshop | Ep4 : The Crew

How I Split AI Work Into Different Roles. Seven job descriptions, one book, and a useful bit of disagreement.

Vaugan Nayagar
Vaugan Nayagar
Builders Workshop | Ep3 : The Shelves

Aug 3, 2026

•

5 min read

Builders Workshop | Ep3 : The Shelves

The missing context is the judgment, exceptions and instincts you’ve built through actual work.

Vaugan Nayagar
Vaugan Nayagar
Builders Workshop | Ep2 : The Bench

Jul 27, 2026

•

5 min read

Builders Workshop | Ep2 : The Bench

How to Actually Build With AI. Start with one folder and one useful piece of work worth keeping.

Vaugan Nayagar
Vaugan Nayagar
Builders Workshop | Ep1 : The Door

Jul 20, 2026

•

5 min read

Builders Workshop | Ep1 : The Door

You Were a Builder Before Building Got Expensive

Vaugan Nayagar
Vaugan Nayagar
So Long Fable 5. It was good while it lasted.

Jul 13, 2026

•

5 min read

So Long Fable 5. It was good while it lasted.

What Fable 5 taught me about building bigger projects, managing cost, and starting before you feel ready

Vaugan Nayagar
Vaugan Nayagar
Builders Workshop | Trailer: The Future Belongs to the Builders

Jul 6, 2026

•

4 min read

Builders Workshop | Trailer: The Future Belongs to the Builders

From my dad's workshop in the 80s to the AI editorial engine I'm building now — why building just got cheap again.

Vaugan Nayagar
Vaugan Nayagar
Reflections: Confronting my mortality

Jun 29, 2026

•

4 min read

Reflections: Confronting my mortality

June 2026 was the toughest month of my life. This is what went through my mind when I woke up.

Vaugan Nayagar
Vaugan Nayagar
Forces Behind The Leader | Ep5: Thandi, The Integrator

Jun 22, 2026

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5 min read

Forces Behind The Leader | Ep5: Thandi, The Integrator

What Can You Honestly Promise?

Vaugan Nayagar
Vaugan Nayagar
Forces Behind The Leader | Ep4: Richard, The Consequence

Jun 15, 2026

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3 min read

Forces Behind The Leader | Ep4: Richard, The Consequence

How Confident Are You?

Vaugan Nayagar
Vaugan Nayagar
Forces Behind The Leader | Ep3: Werner, The System

Jun 8, 2026

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5 min read

Forces Behind The Leader | Ep3: Werner, The System

What Happens If You’re Not Here?

Vaugan Nayagar
Vaugan Nayagar
What's next for Scary Management?

Jun 1, 2026

•

2 min read

What's next for Scary Management?

It's time to build our own world

Vaugan Nayagar
Vaugan Nayagar
The Season That Found Me at Post 100

May 25, 2026

•

4 min read

The Season That Found Me at Post 100

I almost didn't write this one.

Vaugan Nayagar
Vaugan Nayagar

The Playbook

Forces Behind The Leader | Ep2: Lebo, The Self

May 18, 2026

•

3 min read

Forces Behind The Leader | Ep2: Lebo, The Self

When You Stop Sounding Like Yourself

Vaugan Nayagar
Vaugan Nayagar

The Playbook

Forces Behind the Leader | Ep1: Anand, The Standard

May 11, 2026

•

3 min read

Forces Behind the Leader | Ep1: Anand, The Standard

The best mentors don't hand you their certainty.

Vaugan Nayagar
Vaugan Nayagar

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