Powering Gemba Walks with Artificial Intelligence | Follow for posts on Continuous Improvement and Innovation

Hi - I'm Ivan, an industrial engineer with 7+ years of experience in Operations Management and Kaizen.

I serve two main groups of people:

1. Executives tired of broken processes burning money - I show them how to fix it and recapture 15-30% in Muda

2. Founders in Continuous Improvement who know their stuff but can't crack LinkedIn - I show them how to turn it into a legit revenue channel

(send me a direct message for more info)

I started writing on LinkedIn in October 2023. Since then, I have been sharing actionable, educational, and entertaining content to support LinkedIn community members in their Kaizen journey. It helped me grow my audience from 9,000 to 100,000 followers in 2024.

I have been posting around:

	• Continuous Improvement
	• Lean Manufacturing
	• Growth Mindset
	• Innovation

Including insights on 5S, Value Stream Mapping, Leadership, Industry 4.0, and Problem Solving. 

Now I'm building Gemba Walk AI to make every Gemba Walk part of a learning system, where collective insights drive faster, better decisions than any single expert could achieve.

For free weekly tips, subscribe to The Kaizen Geek newsletter.

Ivan Carillo

You've got the organizational pyramid upside down.
 
Most organizations look like this:
 
-CEO 
-VPs
-Managers 
-Supervisors
-Frontline Workers
 
But successful Kaizen companies flip it:
 
+Frontline Workers
+Supervisors
+Managers
+VPs
+CEO
 
Why does this matter?
 
Traditional Thinking:
"Management knows best"
 
Kaizen Thinking:
"Those doing the work know best"
 
In the flipped pyramid:
 
+Decisions flow UP from the Gemba
+Leadership serves those who serve customers
+Managers become obstacle removers, not order givers

Powering Gemba Walks with Artificial Intelligence

If your processes are broken, stop blaming people.

(do this instead)

To solve a problem, 
you must first become aware of it.

Here's yours: your standardization sucks.

Taiichi Ohno once said:
"Without standards, there can be no Kaizen."

Yet most "standards" are..

→ 47-page documents nobody reads
→ Outdated procedures from 2019
→ Tribal knowledge in someone's head

Standardization is something different.

I learned this watching a subway crew in Asia last year:

→ 9 minutes to clean an entire train.
→ 50+ people doing it identically.
→ Zero supervision needed.

Their secret?

Visual standards everywhere.

→ Floor marks for equipment placement
→ Colour codes for cleaning sequences
→ Shadow boards for every tool

Not robots.
Empowered humans with solid methods.

When problems occur, they ask:

"How did the standard fail?"
Not "Who failed?"

P.S. Can a new employee follow your standards on day one?

If not, you don't have standards.

undefined undefined

Founder

Advisor

Writer

Amazon

Junior Research Assistant

Powering Gemba Walks with Artificial Intelligence  | Follow for posts on Continuous Improvement and Innovation

English

Italian

Don't overcomplicate things.
Choose Wisely.
Build Simple.
Think Lean.

Never invent rules from the Ivory Tower. 

Go to the Gemba instead.

When British colonizers faced a cobra problem in Delhi, they had a 'brilliant' idea: 

Pay people for every dead cobra.

It worked. At first.

Then someone realized: 
Why hunt cobras when you can farm them?

Cobra farms sprouted up. 
The government stopped the bounty. 

The farmers released their snakes. 
Delhi ended up with MORE cobras than before.

This is the Cobra Effect. And it happens in your plant too.

You create a metric. 
Your team hits the target. 
The real problem gets worse.

Why? 

People game bad metrics instead of solving problems.

I've seen it hundreds of times on the Gemba:

-operators hiding defects to hit quality targets
-teams rushing through audits to meet completion rates
-supervisors closing tickets without fixing root causes

PS: What's the worst metric gaming you've seen?

Kaizen vs. Innovation 

Both are essential, but they serve different purposes. 

Kaizen:  

+Incremental improvement  
+Low risk  
+High involvement  
+Low investment  
+Immediate results  
+Continuous process 

Innovation:  

+Breakthrough change  
+Higher risk  
+Specialized teams  
+Larger investment  
+Delayed results  
+Periodic events 

Best companies don't choose between them. 

They use Kaizen to optimize current operations  
and Innovation to create new value. 

Kaizen builds the foundation that makes Innovation possible. 
Innovation creates the leap that Kaizen then refines. 

Together, they form a powerful system for sustainable growth.

Do you wanna start your Continuous Improvement journey?

Learn to see the 3M's of Lean.

Most leaders can't see waste.
Because they don't know the 3M's:

The 3M's of Lean refer to  

+Muda
+Mura
+Muri

Three Japanese terms used in the Toyota Production System (TPS).

These concepts are key to identifying why your processes are broken:

1/ Muda → Waste

What customers won't pay for.

Muda can be further classified into:

→ Type I: Muda which cannot be eliminated immediately
→ Type II: Muda which can be eliminated quickly through Kaizen

Example: 

I watched a nurse walk 2.7 miles per shift.
Not caring for patients. Just fetching supplies.

That's Muda.

***
2/ Mura → Unevenness

Mura can be seen as variation in quality, cost, or delivery.

It often leads to Muri and Muda.

Example:

Monday: Skeleton crew drowning
Friday: Full staff standing idle

Creating both overtime costs AND wasted wages.
That's Mura.

***
3/ Muri → Overburden

Unreasonable stress or burden placed 
on workers and processes.

Muri often results in safety and quality issues.

Example:

Expecting 60 minutes of work
in 45-minute windows.

Guaranteeing mistakes and burnout.
That's Muri.

P.S. Which M is killing your operation?

Look closer. It's all three.

Companies waste millions on complex automation while ignoring 5S. 

(which could solve 80% of their efficiency problems) 

This doesn't mean automation is wrong. 
But it should build upon, not replace, solid 5S basics. 

5S is a systematic method for workplace organization. 
It uses 5 principles starting with 'S':  

1/ SEIRI (Sort) 
 ↳ Remove unnecessary items 
 ↳ Keep only what's needed 
 ↳ Eliminate clutter 

2/ SEITON (Set in Order) 
 ↳ Organize remaining items 
 ↳ "A place for everything" 
 ↳ Label and mark locations 

3/ SEISO (Shine) 
 ↳ Clean thoroughly 
 ↳ Regular maintenance 
 ↳ Inspect while cleaning 

4/ SEIKETSU (Standardize) 
 ↳ Create consistent procedures 
 ↳ Document best practices 
 ↳ Visual management 

5/ SHITSUKE (Sustain) 
 ↳ Maintain the system 
 ↳ Regular audits 
 ↳ Make it habitual 

Most teams stop at Shine.

Clean up. Celebrate. Move on.

But without standards, there's no way to maintain it. 
Without discipline, it's just another "program."

Programs come and go. 
5S should be daily practice.

Most people are standing in the wrong line.

Look at this image ↓

Where do you stand when change hits?

Five doors. 
Five lines.
Five responses to change.

Two are packed: resist and complain. 
These lines never get shorter.

Acceptance? A few people. 
Advocacy? Even fewer.
Leadership? Nearly empty.

This is about human nature.

We gather where it feels safe.
But impact lives in the empty lines.

Fast, Cheap, Good - Pick two.

(trade-offs are inevitable)

"We need it fast, under budget, and perfect."

Everyone knows it's impossible. Nobody says it.

Three months later: 

The project is late, over budget, or broken.

You can't have everything.

The worst project managers? 

They promise all three. 
Then they blame the team when it doesn't work.

The most common tendency? Falling into the blame trap. But Deming proved this decades ago:


85% of performance problems come from broken systems and processes. Only 15% stem from workers themselves.

Yet when something goes wrong, we immediately ask: "Who messed up?" Wrong question.

The right question: "What in our process allowed this to happen?"

When you blame people for system failures, you fix nothing. You destroy morale and ensure the same problem happens again.

Your people want to do good work. Give them a process that makes it possible.

PS. Gemba Walks make processes visible. 

I wrote Gemba Moonwalker, a 55-page ebook that can help you build your Kaizen culture (one walk at a time).

Download it here, it's free: https://lnkd.in/dj8wmpQS

Data already shows what is about to break, but you are too distracted to look elsewhere (and that's why same problems keep coming back)

Credit to Oleksandr Khimiak (give him a follow)

Problems keep coming back because your team members ignore what the data is already showing them.

Your machines send five signals before problems escalate:

1/ Sequence deviations

The cycle completes, but the order or timing shifts. This is your earliest warning of instability.

2/ Rising servo power draw

Load increases slowly. No alarm trips. Then suddenly you're firefighting.

3/ Micro-stops

60 seconds here, 30 seconds there. Over a shift, you've lost hours in performance loss.

4/ Parameters drifting inside tolerance

Everything stays "in spec." But quality gradually drops, or throughput falls.

5/ Manual interventions

Every workaround leaves a fingerprint in your process, even when operators don't write it down.

This data exists in your systems right now. But teams stay in reactive mode. 

They lack tools to turn signals into insights. So they rely on opinions in root-cause meetings. 

PS. What signals is your team missing?

47 times I walked past it. Third week at the plant. Same operator, same station same routine. Everything looked "normal." Then my mentor asked:


"What do you see?"

"An operator doing his job well."

He smiled. "Count the steps."

That's when it hit me:

Worker picking up part → 3 steps
Getting tool → 7 steps
Processing part → 0 steps (machine does the work)
Returning tool → 7 steps
Placing finished part → 5 steps

22 steps total. 
Only 1 activity added value.

So, obviously, this layout sucks.

PS. What waste are you walking past every day?

Think about this morning. How much time did you spend searching for your phone, a file, or a tool? That's Muda.

Looking for things adds no value. It wastes skills and creative potential. Every minute searching creates frustration and dissatisfaction.

Now multiply one person's search time by the number of people who search and how often they search. By every day of the year.

That's the real cost of disorganization.
Every minute searching: 
→ Adds zero value 
→ Wastes talent 
→ Creates frustration

And it's costing you more than you think.

Disorganization costs you money, talent, and opportunity every single day. Your team wastes hours that could solve real problems instead.

PS. What did you spend 10 minutes looking for today?

Everyone wants to jump straight to solutions. But you can't improve what you don't understand. Before building your continuous improvement culture, answer this:


Where exactly are you now?

Rate your organization (0-10) on:

→ "We" vs "Me" mindset
→ Accountability vs Blame
→ Continuous Learning vs Know-It-All
→ Standardization vs Chaos
→ Prevention vs Fire-Fighting
→ Data-Driven vs Gut-Feel

The gaps you find are your roadmap.

PLEASE
 
Stop providing vague or no feedback. 
 
That's hurting your team.

Image credit to Edoardo Pallaro (give him a follow)
 
Yeah, ‘you need to improve’ or ‘Great job’ isn't enough.
It never actually was.
 
According to Zippia, 72% of people find their work
more satisfying if their company have a feedback culture. 
 
What’s the difference?
 
Vague:
 
"You need to be more creative with your proposal."
 
Actionable Feedback:
 
"Try adding diagrams in your proposal. It will add more appeal."
 
Here are 5 ways you can give actionable feedback:
 
1/ Be Specific. And Clear
 
 ↳ Avoid vague statements 
 ↳ Use clear, and objective language 
 ↳ Clearly outline the actionable steps
 
2/ Focus on Behaviours
 
 ↳ Use non-judgemental language to make your point
 ↳ Separate the individual from the action
 
3/ Offer a Path Forward
 
↳ Encourage them to develop a growth mindset 
↳ Rather than being stuck on wrong, give them a way to move forward 
 
4/ Create a Safe Space
 
↳ Be transparent. And talk openly
↳ Demand the same from them 
 
5/ Keep It Regular
 
↳ Integrate actionable feedback into your people management style
↳ Schedule 1:1 meetings to address key concerns.
  
P.S: What’s your approach to feedback?

KISS emphasizes simplicity over complexity. Here is the core idea: 


Simpler solutions are more robust, easier to understand, and less prone to errors.

Simplicity should be your key design goal. This means prioritizing essential features and avoiding over-engineering.

Use KISS in problem-solving, software engineering, product design, and beyond. 

Remember:

Straightforward approaches consistently outperform complex ones.

Innovation isn't a way to justify your salary. Listen to your customers. Identify their real pain points. Then solve their problems. Here's how:
  

Start with what your customers actually need. Don't innovate for the sake of novelty. Turn customer input into innovation instead. 

Here are the main steps I suggest you follow:

Listen first → Talk to customers before building anything new.

Solve real problems → Focus on what's broken or missing. 

Use what work → Don't rebuild from scratch when proven solutions exist.

Hire expertise → Bring in people who've already solved similar problems.

Innovation is about making things work better for the people who use them.

PS. You have another way besides Innovation to improve:

Kaizen →  Small improvements through ongoing human effort, teamwork, and training.

If you like Kaizen, you'll enjoy my weekly newsletter.

Join here: ivancarillo.com

You can order sushi by menu
 
Or you can say “I trust you”.
 
Credit to Marco Zima Simonella (give him a follow)
 
Original post below:
 
My family loves sushi.
Even my kids scream “sushiii” every Friday.
It’s our little tradition.
 
This week we shifted it to yesterday.
You can skip a Friday.
But not a full week.
 
Especially after we spent the Christmas week in Sicily without sushi!
 
We ordered delivery and I picked the different sushi types for the whole family.
 
And it made me think of omakase.
The classic Japanese way to eat sushi.
 
It politely says:
I trust you.
 
That trust is not just handed out.
Sushi chefs spend 10s of years mastering the skills and earning it.
 
Promotions work the same way.
You can get the title but trust comes later.
You earn it by mastering the skills of leadership.
 
Until people can finally say:
I trust you.

Turning product managers into leaders in conflict and ambiguity | Global Product Leader

The future belongs to community builders who understand that value comes from real connections between people. Here are the communities I will be part of in 2026:
 

We're heading toward a world flooded with low-quality AI content. As more people spend time with synthetic chat that feels human (but isn't quite), the ability to be in a virtual space and in real life with other human beings is only getting more valuable. Especially people who are on the same path.
 
With every new person who joins a community of people on the same path, new stories emerge. Things they've tried, things they've done that could be incredibly valuable to you. That is only possible when human beings come together with human beings.
 
These are the communities I am betting on to strengthen my new identity in 2026:
 
Nomads.com → I travel a lot since I left my corporate career. I realised that I like to travel slowly so that I can establish new habits where I am and make local friends. They call it slowmading. Pieter Levels' community is interesting. The guy has a way of looking at life that I like, so I hope to find more people here who vibe the way I do.
 
Modern Maker → My friend Jacob Pegs excudes incredible energy, and the people who interact with him know it.  I have been part of his community for over a year now, but not very actively in 2025. When I went back to read their conversations, I was really impressed. I will be more present this year (https://lnkd.in/dDdTUa7Y)
 
MicroConf Connect → Rob Walling books are the best I have found on the subject of bootstrapped SaaS. It feels natural to me to become part of his community. I haven't signed up yet, but I'm sure I'll find some good vibes there.
 
Kaizen Community → I plan to build my community in 2026. I want to give leaders who are building a Kaizen culture the opportunity to share their experiences. I haven't set anything up yet, but you can express your interest in joining here: https://tally.so/r/VLGV5E
 
PS. You can still stand out with content, but you'll by being more human.

Kevin Kelly, founding executive editor of Wired magazine, distilled decades of wisdom into his book 'Excellent Advice for Living'. Here are my favourite pieces of advice from him:
 
1/ Prototype your life. Try stuff instead of making grand plans.
 
I walked away from my corporate life with no backup plan. I don't have all the answers to move forward, and that's ok. I am letting curiosity guide me. Every day, I do more of what I love and less of what drains me. Action beats planning. Start before you're ready. Build something real, even if it's messy. 
 
2/ Don't measure your life with someone else's ruler.
 
When I joined Amazon, I told myself: "senior manager in 7 years." I worked harder than anyone around me to hit that target. For a while, it worked. Then I realized I was following someone else's playbook. Your definition of success is the only one that matters. Stop comparing yourself to others. What brings them joy might bore you to tears. 
 
3/ A major part of travel is to leave stuff behind. The more you leave behind the further you will advance.
 
I'm minimalist, but I still struggle to let go—especially of relationships that no longer serve me. It's painful but necessary. Leave room in your bag for what you'll discover. The lighter you travel, the faster you move.
 
4/ Gratitude will unlock all other virtues and is something you can get better at.

I'll explore the science of gratitude ore in 2026, as I don't practise it enough. Most people practice gratitude wrong. Listing what you're grateful for produces weak results. The real power comes from receiving gratitude or witnessing others receive genuine thanks. Find one meaningful story where gratitude was genuinely given and received, then revisit it for 1-5 minutes regularly.
 
5/ Perhaps the most counterintuitive truth of the universe is that the more you give to others the more you’ll get. Understanding this is the beginning of wisdom.
 
I firmly believe in this. And I've experienced it directly on here. Sharing Kaizen tips created opportunities I couldn't have engineered through a conventional path. Reciprocity and contribution create returns, but often in unexpected forms and on longer timelines than pure transactions.

Create Authentic Content With AI (👇) | Helped >600 Entrepreneurs Build Personal Brands

Struggling to turn LinkedIn into real business growth? You’re not alone - most entrepreneurs are. 

In 18 months, I went from 3k to 395k followers, generated 320M+ views, and built a mid-6-figures bootstrapped business with zero CAC.

Now I help committed entrepreneurs & CXOs grow their businesses on LinkedIn.

Before posting on LinkedIn, I thought social media was a total waste of time. 

My journey: 

- 2015–2020: Investment Banking & Private Equity (Goldman Sachs, Vitruvian Partners) 
- 2020–2022: Business school - still convinced social media was all fluff 
- 2023: Built a VC-backed crypto startup and watched competitors skyrocket using social media 
- 2024: Started posting myself → grew from 3k to 395k followers (fastest-growing new LinkedIn account in the world), generated 300M+ views, built a 7-figure bootstrapped business with zero CAC (Saywhat[dot]ai) 

Since then, I’ve worked with 600+ entrepreneurs to grow their brands and businesses on LinkedIn. 

How I can help you: 

1️⃣ For solopreneurs, coaches, and consultants 

Check out Saywhat[dot]ai - our software platform & community helping 600+ entrepreneurs. 

Median user posting 5x/week sees +130% views in 90 days. 
Average user sees 800% more views in 90 days. 

For more case studies, check out the website.

2️⃣ For Founders/CXOs 

I’ll run and grow your LinkedIn end-to-end: strategy, content creation, and audience building to grow your business. 

I work exclusively with Series A+ startups or $10M+ ARR who are: 
- Committed to LinkedIn as a serious, long-term growth channel 
- Willing to invest significantly in brand building (not “testing the waters”) 

If that’s you, send me a DM to learn more.

3️⃣ For free weekly tips Subscribe to my Level Up Newsletter for LinkedIn growth tactics.

And get 120 free LinkedIn post ideas + my AI writing prompts here: https://levelupnewsletter.beehiiv.com/subscribe

4️⃣ For a bit of motivation and some tactical business building advice - just give me a follow!

Excited to support you on your journey however I can!

Will McTighe

Success isn't from knowing everything.

It's from admitting you don't.

Most people are terrified of looking stupid:
• They won't ask "dumb" questions in meetings
• They nod along pretending to understand
• They stay quiet when confused

But the most successful people have no problem looking like idiots.
For a long long time.

When they want to learn something, 
they ask others or teach themselves:

Look around:

✅ Elon taught himself how to build rockets
✅ Zuckerberg learned coding alone
✅ Jobs studied calligraphy for fun

They all had one thing in common:
They became masters of self-education.

Here's how to start teaching yourself:

1/ Pick one thing at a time.
↳ Don’t spread yourself too thin - you won’t make an impact.
↳ Focus on learning one skill for 30 days.

2/ Learn by doing.
↳ Reading, consuming alone isn’t learning.
↳ Start a small project - learn what you need as you go.

3/ Learn from someone 2 steps ahead.
↳ Learn from their mistakes - reverse engineer their success.
↳ Take notes on what they do differently.

The difference between winners and the rest?

It's not degrees anymore.
It's how fast you learn and grow. 

Stop asking for permission.
It’s yours to take.

The most important thing I wish I started building sooner?
My personal brand.

📌 Here’s the playbook that got me to >425k followers
With 120 post ideas + my AI writing prompts: https://lnkd.in/gKzZUq-b

Remember:
The most important teacher you'll ever have? It's you.

♻ Repost to help your network teach themselves.

➕ Want more? Follow me Will McTighe

LinkedIn & B2B Marketing Whisperer | Helped 600+ Founders & Execs Build Influence

7 Japanese Concepts That Will Change How You Work:

Most people feel like they're drowning in work.

But some people stay calm through chaos.

Sometimes the best answers come from ancient wisdom.
And these timeless principles still work today.

Here are 7 Japanese concepts you need to know:

1/ Wabi-Sabi: Embrace Imperfection

↳ Chase progress not perfection - ship at 70%.
↳ Share a work-in-progress update, not just polished results. Show the messy middle.

2/ Shoshin: Beginner's Mind

↳ Ask the dumb questions in meetings
↳ Say "I don't know but I'll find out" more

3/ Shokunin: Master Your Craft

↳ Pick the top up and coming skill you need in your industry. Block 30 minutes daily.
↳ DM someone great at it. Ask one question. Learn from real experience.

4/ Kaizen: Get 1% Better Everyday

↳ Every evening, write one tiny thing you'll do better tomorrow.
↳ End projects with: What worked? What didn't? What's next?

5/ Shikata ga nai: Accepting the Unchangeable

↳ Sort concerns: "My control" vs. "Not my control." Act accordingly.
↳ Use the 10-minute rule. Address it briefly, then decide.

6/ Kintsugi: Your Failures Are Your Best Stories

↳ Name three lessons from each setback. Write them down.
↳ Share lessons learned. Prevent repeat mistakes.

7/ Ikigai: Finding Your Purpose

↳ Track what energizes you. Reorganize your calendar around it.
↳ Map skills to market needs. Improve your market value.

I've seen hundreds transform their work with these principles.

I applied Shoshin when I started posting on LinkedIn 2 years ago.

You can too with 120 post ideas + my AI writing prompts: https://lnkd.in/gKzZUq-b

—

♻ Repost to help your network transform the way they work.

➕ Want more? Follow me Will McTighe

7 Japanese Concepts

Progress happens even when its not visible. 

Most people just don't wait to see it:

They quit way too soon because they don’t see results fast enough.

They:
• Try something new for 10 days
• See no growth
• Call it a failure

But the best know progress happens before it’s visible.

They follow The Bamboo Rule.

Once planted, the bamboo tree doesn’t show any growth for 5 years.
Nothing above the soil.

Then it shoots up to 70-90 feet in under 6 weeks.

Here’s how to grow like bamboo (and not burn out):

1/ Track what matters (not what looks good).

Don’t chase likes - track your actions. Focus on what moves you forward, not just what feeds your ego.

If you're building your personal brand on LinkedIn, track:
✅ Posts published per week
✅ Comments you leave daily
✅ People you engage with in DMs
✅ Quality connection requests sent - to creators, target audience

2/ Stop judging yourself too early.

Stop comparing your day 1 to someone’s day 300. It's easy to look at big accounts and think "why aren't I there yet?" Focus on staying in the game long enough to earn that compound growth.

Avoid:
❌ Deleting bad posts
❌ Copying viral formats without adding your own spin
❌ Obsessing over impressions instead of improvement

3/ Don’t grow alone.

Growth is hard. Support makes it easier. One accountability partner can make it a lot more fun. Miro Bada helped me a ton on my journey!

Try this:
✅ Share your weekly goals
✅ Set minimum activity goals
✅ Call each other out if you miss them

The difference between winners and the rest is simple:

When they set a goal,
They keep going - even when things get hard.

📌 Want to start building your personal brand on LinkedIn?
We've broken down the playbook for how in our full >50-page report.

If you want access, here's how:
1. Like this post
2. Share it with your network
3. Join the Saywhat & Creator Accelerator Webinar (January 8th 12:30pm US EST) where we'll walk you through the playbook.

You'll get:
• The full ~50-page data report
• Our complete analysis of what's changing
• Actionable strategies based on real data
• Live Q&A for your specific questions

Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/gXiUSNr5

♻ Repost to help your network do hard things.

➕ Want more? Follow me Will McTighe

Visual Inspo: Jade Bonacolta

People treat storytelling like a soft, squidgy skill. 

Not a “proper” skill like finance or coding.

But sales? That's storytelling. 
Hiring? Storytelling. 
Getting hired? Storytelling.

Most skills that matter have some element of storytelling in them.

And if you don't tell your story... someone else will make it up for you.

So here are 7 different storytelling frameworks (for different situations):

1/ Hero's Journey
• A transformation arc showing struggle, growth, and return.
• Use when: Pitching yourself in an interview or telling your founder story.

2/ The Golden Circle
• Start with Why, then How, then What. Inspire before you sell.
• Use when: Explaining your company to someone who doesn't get why it matters.

3/ The Mountain Structure
• Tension builds with each step until the final breakthrough.
• Use when: Telling a story at dinner or giving a talk with a big payoff moment.

4/ Pixar's Story Framework
• Once upon a time, every day, until one day - the ideal story arc.
• Use when: Making someone care before you ask for anything.

5/ The 3-Act Play
• Act 1: Set up. Act 2: Conflict. Act 3: Resolution.
• Use when: Writing a case study or explaining how you solved a client problem.

6/ What, So What, Now What
• Turn data and facts into insights and action.
• Use when: Presenting to execs or making a case for budget.

7/ The Problem–Agitate–Solution (PAS)
• Expose a problem, make people feel it, then fix it - the one I use for most LinkedIn posts.
• Use when: Writing a sales page, cold email, or LinkedIn post selling something.

Next time you're out for dinner and about to launch into a monologue, pause and think.

"What if I tried one of those frameworks I saw on LinkedIn?"
Then as you talk, watch peoples' reactions.
When do they get bored? When do they lean in?

Do that over and over, and watch yourself improve with only a wee bit of effort.

📌 Start telling your story one post at a time.
Here's my free email playbook: https://lnkd.in/ga7QpS8v

-

♻️ Repost to help your network tell their stories better.

➕ Follow me (Will McTighe) for more like this.

Every post has a job.

Grow your audience. Build trust. Convert.

Most people try to do all of that in one post.

Then they wonder why they're not growing their audience and driving leads.

I remember in the early days, posting a selfie about my weekend plans and wondering why it didn't grow my audience 🤣.

If you don't know your goal before you write it, don't be surprised when nothing happens.

There are 9 core post types on LinkedIn, and each one exists for a specific reason:

1/ Spectacle Posts
2/ Awareness Posts (h/o Chris Donnelly)
3/ Step By Step Carousels
4/ Breaking News Posts
5/ Educational Posts
6/ Behind The Scenes Posts
7/ Repurposed Posts
8/ Conversion Posts
9/ Lead Magnet Posts

Next time you sit down to write your content, ask yourself:
“What do I want readers to feel or do after reading this?”

Then choose the type.
Don't just post educational content and silly quotes.

Use posts 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7 to grow your audience.
Use posts 1 and 6 to build trust.
Use posts 8 and 9 to convert.

📌 Want a high res pdf of this?
Get it here: https://lnkd.in/gKzZUq-b

♻️ Repost to help your network win on LinkedIn.

➕ Follow me (Will McTighe) for more like this.

Everyone starts off with a dream: 
• A business they want to start 
• A career they want to build 
• A life they want to create

But then life gets in the way...

A demanding job. Bills to pay. Family commitments.

And so they wait.

"When things settle down..." 
"When I have more time..." 
"When I feel ready..."

But things NEVER settle down.

They just... change.

I spent 5 years sleep walking into a life that wasn't mine...
Until I finally decided enough was enough.

It was my dad's dream to work in finance.

Not mine.

And while you're waiting: 
• Dreams fade 
• Years slip by 
• Regret builds

But the perfect moment is a myth...

However, the right mindset isn't.

So start here:

1/ Embrace the chaos
2/ Take tiny steps (15 minutes count)
3/ Build momentum first
4/ Celebrate small wins
5/ Drop the "perfect"

Your mindset matters most.

Not your past. 
Not your situation. 
Not your excuses.

The only question is: 
What small step will you take today?

📌 Done waiting? 
Here's your playbook to build something of your own: https://lnkd.in/ga7QpS8v

♻️ Repost to help others break free.

➕ Follow me for more like this.

Visual inspired by Hayden Swerling !

🚨 Organic reach is down 67% from peak.

And LinkedIn has changed forever:

After spending hours pouring over the latest data, here’s what Chris Donnelly and I learned:

Impressions are down again... 12% from Q4 2024.

The gap between Top 1% content and everyone else is still huge at 149x.

Most creators are working harder for less reach.

Here’s what is actually working in Q4 2025:

1/ How To Go Viral
❌ Remote work, leadership, career development only.
✅ Niche topics like nuclear power, events, data and engineering can go viral.

2/ Best Post Length
❌ Short posts with <7 paragraphs.
✅ Conversational writing with 1.3k to 3k characters perform 31% better.

3/ Top Quote Format
❌ Billboards used to always outperform.
✅ Use paper backgrounds with highlights.

4/ Top Photo Styles
❌ Too many selfies signals low status.
✅ Surprising & behind-the-scenes moments (e.g. on stage)

5/ Best Carousel Format
❌ Listicles like “7 signs of a toxic manager”.
✅ Storytelling/contrast carousels. 7-10 slides.

6/ Comments That Matter
❌ Mass generic comments helped you grow.
✅ Comments from authority figures - CEOs/Execs/ Large, engaged accounts.

7/ Best Video Strategy
❌ Videos for followers and virality.
✅ Videos to show product demos & build trust.

8/ How To Use Links
❌ Avoiding links at all costs.
✅ Posts with 3+ helpful links perform 210% better.

9/ Best Lead Magnets
❌ Used to just be playbooks and 1-pagers. They make the reader work.
✅ GPTs are some of best-performing lead magnets. They do the work for you.

10/ Top Performing Hooks
❌ Lukewarm 2-line contrarian hooks are overdone.
✅ Proof of work hooks perform perform 4-10% better.

11/ Emojis
❌ Telltale sign of AI.
✅ Breaks up long walls of text, add color.

Old LinkedIn rewarded games.
New LinkedIn rewards humanity, quality and proof above all else.

Top 1% creators are still growing by more than 1,000 followers/week.

📌 We've broken down exactly how in our full >50-page report.
Want access?

Here's how:
1. Like this post
2. Share it with your network
3. Join the Saywhat & Creator Accelerator Webinar (January 8th 12:30pm US EST) where we'll walk you through the playbook.

https://lnkd.in/gXiUSNr5

You'll get:
• The full ~50-page data report
• Our complete analysis of what's changing
• Actionable strategies based on real data
• Live Q&A for your specific questions

♻️ Repost this to help others stay ahead on LinkedIn

➕ Follow me (Will McTighe) for more like this.

How I built my LinkedIn from scratch
(and went from 3k to 425k followers in 22 months)

Most LinkedIn™ posts die at 500 views.
But some consistently hit 100,000+.

The difference isn’t luck, it’s 100 small things done right.
Some of them so small, you barely notice.

Chris and I analysed 329,504 posts and here are some important things about winning on LinkedIn:

1/ Find Your Niche
• Pick one problem you can solve and who you’re solving it for.

2/ Profile Photo
• HD, close-up, no selfies - add a solid background.

3/ Banner
• One message. One CTA. No clutter.

4/ Write a Clear Headline
• Who you help + what you help with + proof.

5/ Finding Content Ideas
• Find the outlier posts - topic, design, format. Create a swipe file.

6/ LinkedIn Content Funnel
• Use TOFU (4x a week), MOFU (2x), BOFU (1x) posts to turn attention into leads.

7/ Writing For LinkedIn
• Longer posts with 1200-3000 characters perform 31% better. Saywhat’s Collab assistant & post previewer helps a lot.

8/ Designing For LinkedIn
• Dark text against lighter background - stick to 1–2 fonts and a set of brand colors.

9/ Repurposing Content
• Reshare top posts every 3 months with tweaks.

10/ Featured Section
• Include a lead magnet that solves a real, narrow pain for your ICP.

11/ About Section
• Focus on how you help your reader. Use bullets + scannable format.

12/ Custom Button + URL
• Link to your offer or calendar. Make it easy to click.

13/ Posting Strategy
• Post >3x/week, same time each day. Weekends = better reach.

14/ Engaging On LinkedIn
• Comment before posting, DM profile viewers after. Respond to maximum comments you get on your own post.

I ran out of space on this post, but you can get the rest by following the link below.

📌 The complete 50+ page report breaks down much more:
• How to build lead magnets
• How to design better infographics
• What the top creators doing differently

Want access? Here's how:
• Like this post
• Share it with your network
• Join the Saywhat & Creator Accelerator Webinar (January 8th 12:30pm US EST) where we'll walk you through the playbook

Here’s the link: https://lnkd.in/gXiUSNr5

-

♻ Repost to help your network win on LinkedIn.

➕ Want more? Follow me Will McTighe

Most LinkedIn™ posts die at 500 views.
But some consistently hit 100,000+.
Here’s the difference:

This gap isn’t luck, it’s 100 small things done right.
Some of them so small, you barely notice.

Chris and I analysed 329,504 posts and here’s what the data shows:

1/ Writing better content
• Outlier posts are all that matter. Create a swipe file
• Study your top 20% posts for repeatable patterns
• 1,250–3,000 characters perform 31% better
• Cut anything that doesn’t move the story forward
• Write like you speak. Use prompt: "Rewrite this like I'm explaining it to a friend over coffee. I use words like…"

2/ Improving your visuals
• Test different visual formats in your niche: carousels, infographics, pictures
• Large titles, high contrast, simple layouts win
• Pain-focused titles outperform generic “How to…”
• Ask: “Can someone take one action in 5 minutes?”
• Carousel titles need emotion and relatability: "Am I raising a brat?" beats "Signs of entitled children"
• One personal photo + one video weekly builds trust - use them.

3/ Post structure
• Hook with proof of work or proof of authority
• Use white space and emojis for visual breaks
• Make your posts easy to read - posts w/ >14 paragraphs perform 57% better
• Use simple language - posts with words that average more >5 letters perform 38% worse
• Don’t be afraid to use links - posts with 3+ links perform better because more people save them

4/ When to post and engage
• Reach is highest of Sundays and Saturdays
• Sun-Thurs: educational posts and carousels
• Fri-Sat: personal stories and BTS content
• Best time to post: 11AM–1PM GMT
• Top 1% creators respond to 286 comments/week - 741% more than avg. creators
• Include personal experiences and pictures in your comments

5/ Three things to do right now
• Use emojis intentionally - 💸 ✅ to highlight key points and examples
• Get rid of your hashtags - they scream AI
• Start posting lead magnets to grow your email list

📌 The complete report breaks down much more:
• How to build lead magnets
• How to design better infographics
• What the top creators doing differently

Want access? Here's how:
1. Like this post
2. Share it with your network
3. Join the Saywhat & Creator Accelerator Webinar (January 8th 12:30pm US EST) where we'll walk you through the playbook

You'll get:
• The full ~50-page data report
• Our complete analysis of what's changing
• Actionable strategies based on real data
• Live Q&A for your specific questions

Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/gXiUSNr5

♻️ Repost this to help others stay ahead on LinkedIn

➕ Follow me (Will McTighe) for more like this.

Most people miss the world's biggest goldmine for content ideas:

Reddit.

It is the internet's biggest focus group.

~100m daily active users
Sharing their frustrations openly - no matter the niche.

Which means:
• Endless post ideas
• Content that feels fresh, not recycled
• Higher odds of writing something people actually care about

Here’s exactly how to do it:

Step 1: Find Your Content Buckets
• Ask Saywhat: “What are the top 10 pain points of [your audience]?”

Step 2: Choose One To Explore
• Pick 1–2 pain points that feel urgent today.

Step 3: Go To Reddit
• Search the pain point on Reddit for trending topics.

Step 4: Set The Right Filters
• Switch to Top + Past Month/Week to find fresh problems.

Step 5: Find a Problem
• Pick a thread with the highest upvotes - pre-validated topics.

Step 6: Draft With Collab
• Paste the thread into Collab and ask it to write the first draft.

Step 7: Include Your Personal Experiences
• Edit the draft: add your insight, make it personal.

Step 8: Refine and Improve
• Ask for 2–3 new hooks. Choose the one that makes you feel something.

Step 9: Preview Before Publishing
• Check how the post looks on mobile.

Step 10: Publish With Confidence
• Because now it’s based on real problems people want solved.

Don’t overthink the system.
Pick one pain point today.

Run it through Reddit + Saywhat.
Post the draft tomorrow.

📌 Want more tips like this?
Get my free playbook: https://saywhat.ai/course/

♻️ Repost to help your network win on LinkedIn.

➕ Follow me (Will McTighe) for more like this

Using Reddit for LinkedIn

There are two types of reliable people.
The ones who are always available. And the ones who are always ahead.

Most people think reliability comes from responsiveness.
Reply fast. Join every call. Be “on” all the time.

And early in your career it works - what you lack in skill, you make up with responsiveness.

But later it becomes a trap.

If you spend your whole career as an “always available” type.
You’re checking Slack at dinner. You’re always responding at 11pm.

It also doesn’t work as you become more senior because your list of potential tasks becomes never-ending.

If you’re an “always ahead” type…
You are often free at the weekends. Yet never miss a deadline, never drop a ball, and keep getting promoted.

I have spent a lot of my career in the first group but now as I grow my teams, I am trying to become a member of the 2nd group. 

I use tools like Loom to help - by eliminating repetitive work and “quick” 30 min meetings.

For example, in 2025, I created 182 Looms and eliminated 842 meetings.

They even gave me a title “The Director” because of how many looms I record lol.

Here's how you can impress your boss and get ahead (without burning out):

1/ Don’t waste their time
2/ Handle things without being told to
3/ Never miss a follow-up
4/ Bring solutions, not just problems
5/ Ensure nothing breaks when you’re on holiday
6/ Make their team look good
7/ Teach others how to solve complex issues

You can still get ahead without being online at 11PM.
You just need to be three steps ahead. These habits get you there.

Try Loom to impress your boss without burning out: https://lnkd.in/g43uXVcw

♻️ Repost to help others work smarter

➕ Follow me (Will McTighe) for more like this

#AtlassianPartner

Brand partnership • LinkedIn & B2B Marketing Whisperer | Helped 600+ Founders & Execs Build Influence

6 smart ways to impress your boss

I’ve helped 600+ founders from solopreneurs to CEOs of billion dollar companies build their brands on LinkedIn. I’ll tell you what I tell them:

Building a successful brand is not about “hacking an algorithm.”
Especially if you don’t yet get the fundamentals.

Algorithms get tweaked all the time.
So at first, you’re best off focusing on the parts that stay the same…

How people think, what they trust, and whether your profile tells them your value in five seconds.

Here’s how you can do it:

1/ Find your niche
Pick one problem you can solve and exactly who you solve it for.

2/ Profile photo
Use a clear, close-up headshot that looks credible on mobile.

3/ Banner
Communicate your value simply and one clear action.

4/ Headline
Winning formula = How you help + ideal customer + dream outcome + social proof.

5/ Finding content ideas
Study posts that outperform and adapt the pattern to your niche.

6/ LinkedIn content funnel
Use a mix of TOFU, MOFU and BOFU posts…most people only use one type.

7/ Writing for LinkedIn
Use short paragraphs, simple language and one clear CTA. Avoid asking boring questions at the end.

8/ Designing for LinkedIn
Stick to readable fonts, and brand colours but experiment with style every few months (like whiteboards right now)

9/ Repurposing content
Reuse what already worked instead of starting from scratch. Change the format, update the info or try a new angle for the same topic.

10/ Featured section
Have a lead magnet that solves a narrow, painful problem in exchange for email. Consider adding a testimonial.

11/ About section
Explain how you help, make it scannable, add a link for the next step - calendar or website.

12/ Posting strategy
Post consistently at the same time each day…Sunday’s are a great day to post.

13/ Engaging on LinkedIn
Engage before posting. Respond after. Send 10 personalized DMs every day to your dream customers. That’s how you drive sales

This is how I went from 3k to 430k followers in under 2 years.
Yes, LinkedIn is always changing. Yes, there's more competition than ever.

But the fundamentals haven't changed. Treat your profile like a landing page. 

Post content that actually solves a problem. Engage like a human, not a bot.

📌 Want to high res pdf of this?
Get it here: https://lnkd.in/gKzZUq-b

♻️ Repost to help your people win on LinkedIn

➕ Follow me (Will McTighe) for more like this

In the last 2 years, I've written nearly 1,000 LinkedIn posts.

Here's the fastest way to set up your content system today:

If you've followed me for a while, you'll know that I am a HUGE believer in the power of content.

Whether that is to accelerate your career if you work in corporate or if run your own business and want to drive leads.

Building my brand and businesses on LinkedIn has been the highest leverage thing I've ever done and I will keep leaning into this in 2026 as I continue building out YouTube and my newsletter.

We all also know it is a huge pain, especially when you're getting started.

I use Notion every day and so I've teamed up with Notion (and their new Notion Agent) to help you set up your content strategy and come up with 30 days of content ideas in under 15 minutes:

1/ Open Notion Agent
Open Notion(.)so and click on the Notion AI icon

2/ Choose The Content Agent Template
Click browse templates, then select “Your Content AI Agent Template”

3/ Tell it your ideal customer, niche and writing style
Feed it your stories, voice, audience details, and writing style. More context = better output.

4/ Paste in this prompt to create your content calendar
Paste this prompt:
“Create a LinkedIn HQ for me - I want a database where each entry is one post.
Add these properties: -Topic / Theme, -Platform (LinkedIn), -Format (text, carousel, video), -Status (idea, drafting, scheduled, published), -Publish date, -Responsibility. Set it up so I can view everything in a calendar by publishing date.”

5/ Create a reusable post template
Include post draft, final post, visual inspiration and visual content.

6/ Switch to calendar view
See all posts and ideas in one place. Sort by date, format, type, theme etc.

7/ Create a list of 30 content ideas
Paste in this prompt:
“Based on my target audience and what I sell. Please create a list of 30 painful problems that my target audience has. They should be as specific and visceral as possible. Please add each as a LinkedIn post in the content calendar from Monday to Friday (no posts at the weekend) for the next month.”

8/ Write your first post
Pick any idea and paste in this prompt: “write an awareness post using the problem-agitate-solution framework on [topic]. Make it conversational - the language should be 5th-7th grade reading level but not fragmented 2-3 word sentences. End with a clear takeaway.”

This whole system takes 15 minutes to set up.

Most people will spend longer than that tomorrow morning trying to figure out what to post.

Try Notion Agent today to build your own content system: https://lnkd.in/g8qZhc8u

♻️ Repost to help your network win on LinkedIn.

#NotionPartner

Build Your Content System by Will McTighe

Failure is inevitable.
The story you attach to it is optional.

Most people don't struggle because they fail.
They struggle because of the meaning they attach to it.

One rejection becomes "I'm not good enough."
One bad interview becomes "I'm bad at interviews."
One flopped post becomes "Nobody cares what I have to say."

They skip straight from what happened to "this is who I am."

Failure becomes identity.

Well let me break it to you:

Failure does not decide who you are. 
You decide who you are.

And whatever identity you choose, you'll prove yourself right.

Here’s a better way to handle failure when it shows up:
(because it will)

1/ Strip the emotion out first.
Write down exactly what happened, not feelings, just the facts.

2/ Find the single variable you can change.
Was it preparation, clarity, repetition, or timing? Pick one thing and work on it.

3/ Adjust, then go again.
Don’t change your path because of one failure. Iterate, then try again.

People who win don’t avoid failure, they just refuse to let one moment define their whole story.

📌 Want to make it easier to fail?
Start posting online (it's pretty embarrassing but life-changing).
Here's how you can get started: https://lnkd.in/gKzZUq-b

♻️ Repost to help someone get over their fear of failure.

➕ Follow me (Will McTighe) for more like this.

What failure really means by Will McTighe

Most of us spend our whole careers stuck in one trap:


The reactive trap.

It's so easy to wake up, check Slack, respond to emails, take meetings, chase whatever lands in our inbox that day.

We end up spending our lives putting out "fires." 

Without ever stepping back to ask "Is this actually taking me where I want to go?"
“What do I actually want?”
“Next year, what would I look back on and be grateful I devoted my energy to?”

For years, I never asked these questions. 

But now, after my best year ever, here's what I’m doing:

1/ Block Time To Reflect
Take a couple hours at the weekend when your head is clearer. 
List 3 wins from last year and 3 losses. For each, write WHY it worked or failed. This helps figure out what to double down on.

2/ Limit Yourself To 3 Goals
Ask, "If only three worked, which would matter most?"

3/ Write Anti-Goals
These are boundaries that protect your goals. "In 2025, I will NOT take coffee meetings unless they relate to my 3 goals." 
Boundaries make decisions easier.

4/ Name The "Boring Daily Action"
Instead of "build a 7-figure brand," commit to writing and posting daily.
Something you can do even on terrible days.

5/ Choose Your Daily Action Framework
Pick ONE. I use the 80:20 Principle. It’s cliche but usually 20% of actions are driving 80% of your results. Cut the rest.

6/ Set A Pivot Rule
Most people either quit too early or stick with something broken for too long. 
A pivot rule takes the emotion out of it. "If after 30 sales calls I don't close 3 deals, I'll change my pitch."

Pre-decide when to adapt so you're not figuring it out on a bad day.
That’s it.

📌 Want a high-res PDF of this sheet? 
Get it here: https://lnkd.in/gKzZUq-b

-

♻️ Repost to help your network set the right goals.

➕ Follow me (Will McTighe) for more like this.

Making someone feel good doesn't make them a buyer.

You can post something that gets 500 likes from people nodding along.

And still have zero calls booked and no revenue.
The people clapping often aren't the people buying.

Why? Because that content doesn't build trust. It doesn't make you a trusted authority. 

And it doesn't make someone think of you when they're making a buying decision.

So what do you do? 
Build a content system that actually grows your business:

1/ Use the TOFU/MOFU/BOFU framework:
But aim it at actual buyers...

TOFU (60% of content) - Attract the right buyers
• Educational infographics grounded in your experience
• Example: "The hidden cost of bad hiring in tech companies"

MOFU (30% of content) - Build credibility
• Behind-the-scenes of your process
• Example: "The 3 questions I ask every CEO in our first meeting"

BOFU (10% of content) - Drive conversions
• Client results - big transformations and how you approached them
• Example: "[Jenny grew revenue by 40% in 4 weeks]"

2/ Make your offer impossible to ignore:
• What they get in plain language: "Cut your CAC by 30% in 90 days"
• Big enough to stop the scroll: "2x your pipeline with half the ad spend"
• Build trust you can deliver: Share client wins as they happen

3/ Set up your LinkedIn profile to convert:
• Headline: Who you help + The result you deliver + Proof
• Banner: One clear CTA that matches your content
• Featured: Lead magnet to capture emails (not random posts)
• About: Problem → Your solution → Social proof → Next step

Don't get me wrong, likes feel good.
But revenue feels better.

📌 Want a high-res PDF of this sheet?
Get it here: https://lnkd.in/gKzZUq-b

♻️ Repost to help your network sell more effectively.

➕ Follow me (Will McTighe) for more like this.

taplio

The Battle

Ivan Carillo

Will McTighe

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreIvan Carillo's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreWill McTighe's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Ivan Carillo

Will McTighe

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Ivan Carillo's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreWill McTighe's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreIvan Carillo's LinkedIn Performance