nandanosql Purpose
Navigate between strategic (30,000 ft) and tactical (ground level) thinking — knowing when to zoom in for execution detail and when to zoom out for strategic perspective, and communicating at the right altitude for each audience.
Application
Altitude Levels
| Altitude | View | Thinking | Audience | Time Horizon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30,000 ft | Vision & strategy | "Where are we going?" | Board, C-suite | 2-5 years |
| 20,000 ft | Portfolio & priorities | "What should we bet on?" | VPs, directors | 1-2 years |
| 10,000 ft | Roadmap & themes | "What are we building this quarter?" | Product team, stakeholders | 1-4 quarters |
| 5,000 ft | Epics & features | "How does this feature work?" | Cross-functional team | 1-3 months |
| Ground level | Stories & tasks | "What do I do today?" | Individual contributors | 1-2 weeks |
Self-Assessment
## Altitude Check: [Your Name]
### Where I spend most time: [Altitude level]
### Where I should spend more time: [Altitude level]
### Why the gap: [Too tactical? Too strategic?]
### By Situation
| Situation | Appropriate Altitude | Where I Go | Adjustment |
|-----------|---------------------|-----------|-----------|
| Board meeting | 30,000 ft | [Where I go] | [Zoom out/stay/zoom in] |
| Sprint planning | Ground level | [Where I go] | [Stay/zoom out a bit] |
| 1:1 with eng lead | 5,000 ft | [Where I go] | [Adjustment] |
| Quarterly planning | 10,000 ft | [Where I go] | [Adjustment] |
| Customer discovery | 5-10,000 ft | [Where I go] | [Adjustment] |
Communication Rules by Altitude
| Your Audience | Their Altitude | Your Message Should Include | Should NOT Include |
|---|---|---|---|
| Board/CEO | 30,000 ft | Market trends, strategic bets | Sprint velocity |
| VP/Director | 20,000 ft | Portfolio tradeoffs, quarterly outcomes | Individual ticket details |
| Product Team | 10,000 ft | Roadmap themes, prioritization | Revenue projections |
| Engineers | Ground level | Requirements, acceptance criteria | Market sizing |
Quality Rubric
| Dimension | 0 | 1 | 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Awareness | Stuck at one altitude | Recognizes 2-3 altitudes | Navigates all 5 fluidly |
| Communication | Same pitch for everyone | Some audience adaptation | Right altitude for right audience |
| Transition | Can't zoom in/out | Awkward transitions | Smooth, context-appropriate shifts |
References
Related Skills
skills/leadership/pm-career-ladder/SKILL.md— Higher levels = higher altitudeskills/communication/executive-presentation/SKILL.md— 30,000 ft communicationskills/execution/sprint-planning-facilitator/SKILL.md— Ground level execution
Skill type: Component Domain: Leadership & Career