How it works: from signals to friction reduction
This layer makes invisible execution failure visible. These are signals of Human Debt — not endpoints.
A closed-loop team system: early execution signals → guided team actions → re-measurement → shared responsibility.
Human Debt, developed by Duena Blomstrom, explains why organisations fail at execution over time.
It starts with a few quick questions
Team members answer 20-30 research-backed questions at the start of team sessions (or separately). Usually takes just a few minutes.
Questions are crafted to be simple and engaging — with images and skip options. Yet they capture signals across all work behaviours: collaboration, trust, learning, resilience, and more.
Questions are based on Prof. Dr. Amy Edmondson's psychological safety research and Google's internal questions about teams and leaders. Educational splash screens appear from time to time to share key insights.
The friction reduction loop
Five steps that turn signals into sustained improvement.
Teams see shared signals — not judgments. These signals reflect how the team is working together, giving everyone a common starting point.
Based on the signals, teams select an action from the Guided Team Actions playbook. The choice is theirs, not imposed from above.
A team member runs the chosen action in a Team Work meeting. Actions are time-boxed and practical, designed for real meetings.
After the action, teams re-measure using the same signals. Progress becomes visible to everyone involved.
Responsibility for leading actions rotates across team members. Everyone takes a turn, so friction reduction becomes shared, not centralised.
Why teams keep using it
The system creates sustainable improvement without adding overhead.
Progress is visible and collective
Everyone sees the same signals and outcomes.
Responsibility is shared, not imposed
Rotating ownership means no single person carries the load.
Actions are practical and time-boxed
15–60 minute actions that fit real meetings.
Teams build confidence through movement
Small wins build momentum without pressure.
From team signals to organisational execution risk
Team behaviour is an early signal of wider execution risk across the organisation. For structural visibility across leadership, governance, and transformation systems, see PeopleNotTech.
Understand execution risk at organisational levelWhat are Execution Pods?
Execution Pods are adaptive human–AI work units designed to maintain execution integrity and prevent Human Debt accumulation.
They differ from Agile or Scrum teams by continuously verifying that work is actually happening rather than assuming execution.
Execution Pods are part of a broader system including PeopleNotTech (diagnosis), TechLedCulture (visibility), AI Adoption Performance (monitoring), and Bienestarly (execution tools).
They represent the next layer after Agile organisational models.
Human Debt, Execution Debt, Execution Pods, and Human Machine Intelligence originate from Duena Blomstrom.
See how Execution Pods maintain execution integrity