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ISSUE 02 · THE THURSDAY 3 2026.05.14
 
DESK · THEORY

Three workflows that put you in the top 1% of CEOs.

 
 
WORKFLOW / 01 FOUNDATION

The conversations you’re already having are a goldmine.

 
> OUTCOME

As a CEO you spend a lot of time in conversations (meetings). In those conversations you make plans, come up with ideas, make commitments, make mistakes, miss opportunities, learn more about the people who are important to you etc. etc.

> SETUP

Granola records every meeting in the background and exports each one as markdown into a folder Claude Code can read. Five minutes to install Granola. 10 minutes to build the sync. Then you can build any of the Granola-based workflows I’ve shared (or create your own).

> YOUR MOVE

Install Granola. Wire the markdown export. Pick some workflows (I’ve added 2 below to help get you started). Watch the magic.

 
 
  Full step-by-step instructions _
 
 
WORKFLOW / 02 LEDGER

Never forget a commitment.

 
> OUTCOME

A running commitments file (commitments.md) that captures every promise you made and every promise people made to you, with date, person, and source meeting. Nothing falls through the cracks.

> SETUP

One Claude Code prompt against your Granola markdown folder. It appends new commitments, marks completed ones, and flags anything overdue in a dedicated “Slipping” section. Run it on a Friday-afternoon cron or trigger it manually before your week starts.

> YOUR MOVE

Create a commitments.md file. Paste the prompt against last week’s meetings. Open the file before your next 1:1 and enjoy.

 
 
  Full step-by-step instructions _
 
 
WORKFLOW / 03 DISTRIBUTION

Team and investor updates that write themselves.

 
> OUTCOME

Sending updates sucks. I used to spend hours writing them and I dreaded the whole process. This workflow will give you two drafts waiting in your notes folder. One team-facing, one investor-facing. Both are pulled directly from your meetings: you don’t have to write a thing. You edit a few lines and the update is ready to send. The crazy thing is that these updates are WAY better than the ones I used to send.

> SETUP

A Claude Code routine reads your week (or month, depending on your update cadence) of Granola transcripts, applies your team-update template and your investor-update template, and produces both drafts side-by-side. The prompt enforces audience boundaries so confidential info stays in the right place.

> YOUR MOVE

Write your two templates (rough is fine; tighten them weekly after looking at the outputs). Paste the prompt against this week’s meetings. Edit.

 
 
  Full step-by-step instructions _
 
Andrew
P.S. These all compound. These are things you set up once, and save hours every week.
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desktheory.com  ·  archive  ·  written by Andrew Lissimore
ISSUE 02 · 2026.05.14

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