Real Talk Roundup - December 31, 2025

Five recent posts on decision design, trust, and the quiet work that keeps “data-driven” from becoming theater. Each one sits where systems, standards, and leadership meet. The place where good numbers either turn into movement, or turn into reruns.

If you’re new here (welcome!) or just missed a week, here’s a curated set of the latest pieces. Short intros below… open what hits right now, bookmark the rest for when you’re ready.

1) Decision Cadence: When Direction Becomes the Operating Rhythm

Direction is not a one time call. It’s what still happens when the week gets loud.

Decision Cadence: When Direction Becomes the Operating Rhythm

Clean dashboards don’t create movement. Decision cadence does.

Brett W. Farmer | Technology Strategy for ImpactBrett W. Farmer

2) Across the Divide: When Better Becomes Muscle

The floor improves every day. The question is whether improvement survives the handoff. 

Across the Divide: When Better Becomes Muscle

The floor improves every day. The question is whether improvement survives the handoff.

Brett W. Farmer | Technology Strategy for ImpactBrett W. Farmer

3)  Decision Direction: When Data Leads to Clarity

Trust removes the argument. Decision direction removes the drift. 

Decision Direction: When Data Leads to Clarity

Trust removes the argument. Decision direction removes the drift.

Brett W. Farmer | Technology Strategy for ImpactBrett W. Farmer

4) Across the Divide: Scaling Better Without Breaking Trust

Visibility isn’t the problem. Direction is. Here’s how you scale improvement without breaking trust.

Across the Divide: Scaling Better Without Breaking Trust

Visibility isn’t the problem. Direction is. Here’s how manufacturing teams scale improvement without breaking trust.

Brett W. Farmer | Technology Strategy for ImpactBrett W. Farmer

5) Decision Trust: When Leaders Actually Believe the Numbers

Decision Design creates the decision moment. Decision Trust determines whether anyone will act inside it.

Decision Trust: When Leaders Actually Believe the Numbers

Decision Design creates the decision moment. Decision Trust determines whether anyone will act inside it.

Brett W. Farmer | Technology Strategy for ImpactBrett W. Farmer

Want the TL;DR?

• If direction doesn’t have a cadence, it turns into personality. Great when you’re in the room. Fragile when you’re not.
• “Better becomes muscle” when learning survives the handoff and becomes the default way work gets done.  
• Trust is necessary, but it’s not sufficient. Direction is the moment the metric actually authorizes action.  
• Scaling improvement is risky because every propagated change touches something people depend on. Move too fast and you break belief. Move too slow and you waste learning.  
• The simplest field test for trust: when the number shows up, does the room move into tradeoffs or reruns?  

If one idea helped, share this roundup with someone who’s stuck in reruns, rebuilding the same number, or trying to create calm before they chase speed.  

Real talk. Real strategy. Real results in digital transformation.  

— Brett