A long-form post is worth a thousand breathless DMs. Yet, we built a culture where value is measured by response time, not thinking time.
The problem is that we are optimizing for message management when we should be optimizing for knowledge management.
The answer isn’t a faster chat. It’s a feed for work.
The Right Tool for the Right Way to Work
A feed for work" sounds simple, but it requires a radical shift in how we view internal communication.
In a channel-based culture, you broadcast thoughts as they occur. In a feed-based culture (like Stripe, or Amazon’s 6-page memo culture), you broadcast thoughts only after they have been clarified.
This is the power of working in public, in private.
When you post to a feed, you aren't looking for a quick thumbs-up emoji. You are codifying your thinking. You are forcing yourself to slow down, structure your update, and edit your ideas.
This transforms the organization from a reactive swarm into a library of intention. Cal Newport nailed it years ago: Slack is the Right Tool for the Wrong Way to Work.
Social Media vs. Knowledge Media
When we say "feed," the fear is that we are bringing social media habits into the office. The fear is valid.
Too many tools optimize for engagement: likes, comments, dopamine loops. They turn the office into a popularity contest.
But we don't need social media at work. We need knowledge media.
We don't need a feed filled with short bursts of noise. We need a place optimized for depth.
We don't need a "For You" page that asks "What are you doing right now?" We need a utility that answers "What did we learn today?"
The Curator Economy (Internal Edition)
Gaby Goldberg and the new wave of curators have taught us that in a world of infinite noise, signal is the only asset that matters.
A feed for work creates an internal curator economy. It allows the practitioner, you, to set the record for the company. It’s not just about status updates; it’s about "curations" of work, retrospectives, and deep dives.
Patrick McKenzie (Patio11) famously called access to Stripe’s internal library of documents his favorite job perk.
Why? Because a feed allows for permissionless curiosity.
In a Slack culture, you only know what you’re tagged in. In a Feed culture, you can scroll through the brain of the company. A junior engineer can read the CEO’s strategic thinking on a Sunday afternoon. A marketer can understand the product roadmap without scheduling a 30-minute sync.
It creates a shared reality. It democratizes context. It replaces the friction of asking with the speed of finding.
Taming the Beast
Embracing a feed doesn't mean we have to be anti-chat.
Real-time messaging is still the best tool for quick coordination and social banter. We just need to stop using it for everything else.
To help shift that balance, try two simple hacks: change your navigation to Icons only and set your sidebar to unread conversations only.
It is time to share your work
A feed for work is a declaration that clarity matters more than speed.
This becomes even more important as AI agents support us more and more in our work. That work needs transparency. We cannot collaborate with black boxes.
Ultimately, if you don't share your work, did it actually happen? A feed ensures it does. It makes sure your work actually matters.