Mastery Over Methodology
Most engineering leaders aren't leading—they're performing. What do I mean? They are buried in ceremonies, smothered by frameworks, caught in the illusion of progress while the real system quietly decays —unable to do the job they know how to do!
This reminded me of a quote: "Mastering the craft, not the form," emphasizing a focus on the underlying principles and techniques rather than just mimicking surface-level techniques.
The Problem
Technical leaders today are pressured to chase trends.
With no time left for mastering the fundamentals (the craft).
This leads to recurring issues despite new methodologies and technologies.
Organizations implement forms (agile ceremonies, microservices, AI) without understanding the underlying craft that would make them more successful.
Mastery Over Methodology exists for those who see through it—the ones who know that a better process won't save a team that's forgotten how to think. They understand that real leadership is built on clarity, principle, and craft—not cargo cults dressed up as innovation.
This isn't just a blog; it is a hope that we can work together to remove the process of theater and empower technologists to build a better world for themselves and their teams.
Who This Is For
This publication is for
Senior engineers who think like architects
Architects sidelined by cargo cult delivery
CTOs stuck between strategy theater and scaling chaos
Builders tired of buzzwords, shallow rituals, and fake velocity
If you've ever looked around and thought, "We're pretending to lead. No one's actually designing the system; we are just going through the motions." — this is for you.
What You'll Find Inside
For Free Subscribers
Details Coming
For Paid Subscribers
Details Coming
Why This Exists
Because the industry is broken in predictable ways
Teams mistake standups for strategy
AI tools are bolted on without any architectural spine
Leaders chase frameworks instead of mastering fundamentals
This publication is a revolt.
A rejection of the cargo cult. A return to the craft.
About Me
My name is Daniel Horton. I've led engineering teams, rebuilt systems, and helped technical leaders level their thinking—not by adding more tools but by stripping things down to what matters.
No fluff. No theatrics. Just tools, insight, and clarity that scale.
I’ve realized that we need to step back to the craft, the core that makes us all great at what we do, and stop chasing shiny things.
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