Adam
Feb 9, 2026 - May 19, 2026
7
Decisions
0
Active Todos
8
Patterns
Categories
Decisions (7)
Values framework endorsed for Adam coaching — efficient and excellent covers team-player, no stacking bodies
Bjorn surfaced an Adam culture issue in #distinguished-leaders 5/18 morning (hothead, dismissive of colleagues, will address directly. No amount of potential deals is worth poisoning the culture) and asked which CIQ value it falls under. Peter provided the framework: efficient and excellent covers being-a-team-player. Used the Apple coaching mandate as historical reference (we want you to learn to accomplish the same level of stuff you're doing now — but to do it without stacking up all the dead bodies). Extended the framing: the values are not just about Adam. If he keeps others from being efficient and excellent, he hurts the company. The wise-man-told-you-to-stack-fewer-bodies callback closed the loop.
Defer ARM64 Pro Hardened build until Core42 commits — group decision Peter endorsed
In Apr 26 Sovereign AI response review meetings, the team — with Peter participating — decided the response language to Core42 will acknowledge that Pro Hardened on ARM64 (and FIPS-143 ARM certification) is contingent on a client commitment, not unilateral CIQ investment. ARM64 build estimated weeks not months once committed; FIPS-143 ARM is ~$200k / 4-6 months and gates on a deal commitment. Peter explicitly told the room: "We are going to need Nathan to say when. I am not going to be able to say on this call."
Core42: pivot from Fuzzball sale to full-stack compliance partnership
After the Core42 Tech Dive Part 2 surfaced Core42 wants a single OS vendor for their full UAE compliance stack (NIST 800-53, BIS, IDAM, physical security) across three EOY-2026 GPU clusters, Peter immediately convened an internal Impromptu Zoom to reposition the opportunity. CIQ will propose a comprehensive partnership framing CIQ as the only group that can provide all requirements, with RLC Pro Hardened + Fuzzball + Ascender as the core stack and partners filling the remaining ~20%. Consultative play: CIQ will advise Core42 on which requirements in Eric Grundstrom's doc would cause unacceptable performance degradation vs. which can be met. Nathan to draft the proposal doc by EOD Saturday so CIQ can deliver an answer by Monday.
Set Sales Scope Discipline on Nokia Opportunity
In MPDM with Adam Jackson, Bjorn, Greg, and Jonathon, set firm boundaries on product scope for the Nokia deal. CIQ should sell what it has and is good at, not build custom solutions to close individual deals. The bar for adding new capabilities is company-level strategic pivot territory — not deal-level customization. Stated 'enough money is a LOT' and 'its not going to be for another 500k, or just to close the deal.'
Saudi training — Confirmed Dieter for May 5-6 Linux training program
Confirmed Jonathan Dieter as the trainer for Saudi Arabia Linux training program (May 5-6). Discussed in Dieter 1:1 and relayed confirmation to Adam Jackson. Pending security review.
Directed AMD inclusion in Project Odin approach document
Peter reviewed Adam Jackson's first draft of the Project Odin approach document and approved it with one specific direction: slides 6/7 should include AMD. Otherwise approved as a great first draft.
Core42 Technical Assessment - Multi-Product Positioning in UAE
Attended Core42 meeting in Abu Dhabi with Greg, Bjorn, Max, and Adam Jackson. Provided real-time technical assessment to the team via Slack, identifying product-customer fit across four CIQ product lines: RLC-H for defense customers (CVE remediation pain), Rocky as guest OS on Signature Cloud, Fuzzball as potential replacement for their unhappy AI cloud orchestration partner, and Ascender Pro for their heavy Ansible usage. Followed up personally with Raghu (EVP Engineering, Core42 US) offering in-person meetings.
Related Patterns (8)
Executive Sponsorship for Strategic Partnerships
Strategic cross-company initiatives and major client partnerships require executive-level accountability to move at the right pace and ensure proper prioritization.
Small Circle for Sensitive Operations
When executing sensitive strategic operations, keep the circle of informed people as small as possible to prevent leaks that could accelerate hostile action or undermine the initiative.
Proactive Talent Pipeline Investment
Invest in building leadership bench and talent relationships before there is an urgent need. Use proven relationships from past experience to create optionality.
Accountability Follow-Through
When you issue a warning or mandate with stated consequences, you follow through. Warnings are not threats - they are commitments. The credibility of future accountability depends on following through now.
Protect Engineering Capacity
When external demands threaten to overload engineering capacity, protect capacity by either requiring the demand to come with additional resources, or forcing hard prioritization choices upstream.
Lead by Example with New Tools
When championing new tools or processes, personally use them and share results rather than just advocating. Learning by doing and demonstrating value through example is more effective than mandates.
Protect Engineering Focus Through Process
When faced with requests that would disrupt engineering focus (from sales, governance, product, or other stakeholders), establish processes that protect engineering ability to innovate while still satisfying legitimate concerns. Prefer systematic solutions over ad-hoc responses.
Three-Lever Talent Management
When pursuing a velocity or performance mandate, simultaneously operate on all three talent levers — upgrade (hire better), retain (protect key people), and exit (remove blockers) — rather than sequentially. This creates compounding momentum: exits free capacity for upgrades, retention preserves institutional knowledge during transitions, and upgrades raise the performance bar that justifies further exits.