The Two But Rule

Revitalize your team's creativity and overcome negativity with this inspiring guide to building unstoppable momentum for your transformative ideas

In today's high-stakes world of R&D and innovation, the difference between a groundbreaking idea and a stagnant project often rests on your team's approach to criticism and opposition. John Wolpert, a seasoned tech innovator, brings you The Two But Rule: Turn Negative Thinking Into Positive Solutions, a revolutionary guide to turning skepticism into a powerful catalyst for innovation.

In The Two But Rule veteran tech innovator John Wolpert delivers an exciting, hands-on guide to using the principles of Momentum Thinking to get you—and your organization—unstuck. You'll learn how to build unstoppable velocity for your big idea, product, or strategy as you blast through the endless objections and counterarguments that bedevil every innovator and changemaker. Momentum Thinking offers a lifeline for leaders whose teams are trapped in counterproductive criticism cycles, offering a refreshing, easy-to-understand, and engaging alternative to the toxic positivity that plagues so many organizations.

You'll discover how to address criticisms like "But that’s too expensive" or "But that won’t work" and use them to refine your idea and polish it into a gem worthy of attention and implementation. In the book, you'll also find:

• Innovative Problem-Solving Strategies: Learn how to convert team criticism into innovative solutions and opportunities.
• Tips for Countering Toxic Positivity: Navigate beyond blind optimism to embrace diverse perspectives, enhancing problem-solving.
• Engaging and Practical Advice: Implement the intoxicatingly fun "Two But Rule" for immediate positive impact on your team dynamics.
• Ways to Encourage Innovation at Any Level: Foster a culture of positive contribution and creative momentum whether you're managing a small team or leading a large organization.

Designed for managers seeking to enhance their team's creative processes, executives navigating complex challenges, or any team member striving to contribute positively without being sidelined, The Two But Rule will fundamentally change your approach to teamwork and innovation, transform your team's dynamics, and pave the way for breakthrough success in your organization.

Introduction xi

Part 1 Momentum Thinking Essentials 1

Chapter 1 Embracing Your But 3

Our Broken Buts 5

Two But Basics 7

Stating the 1But 9

Stating the Because 11

Stating the 2But 12

Elon Musk’s Fuzzy But 13

Chapter 2 No Buts Allowed 17

The Tragic Buts of Facebook and Lehman Brothers 18

The No- Buts Policy Makes Dumb Ideas Stupid: Ask Coke 19

Spanx, Adobe, and the 1But Winner 20

We Need Bolder Buts 22

Building Braver Buts 24

The Science of Buts 26

Waiting for the Quantum But 27

Saving But- Head 28

Rescuing 1But- Guy 30

Chapter 3 This Book Saved My But 31

Chapter 4 Getting Your But in Shape 35

The Pain in Your But 36

What’s Behind Your But 38

Best Buy’s Big Buts 39

Uber’s Bigger Buts 41

Chapter 5 Advanced Butology 45

Gnarly Buts 45

Chain of Buts 48

Rediscovering Your But 53

Proteins Got a Brand New But 54

Hidden Buts 56

Chapter 6 Bad Buts 59

Lewis and Clark’s Historic Buts 60

Cheating Buts 63

Volkswagen’s Gassy But 64

Don’t Be a Lazy But 66

Don’t Argue with Your But 66

Part 2 The Two But Rule in Practice 69

Chapter 7 The Social Life of Buts 71

Drunken Buts 72

The Gaps in Your But 73

Exposing Your But 75

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Chapter 8 Playing with Your But 79

Timing Your But 82

Butting In 84

The Odious But 85

The Empathetic But 86

The But of an Ass 87

Chapter 9 Old Buts and New Buts 89

Airbnb and Paul Graham’s Old But Breakthrough 90

Runaway Buts 92

The End of Buts 95

Chapter 10 Putting Your But to Work 97

Leaning Into Your But 99

Five Buts 101

The Two But Retrospective 103

Chapter 11 Managing Your But 105

2But Tools 106

Two But Notation 107

Artificial Buts 107

Two-But Buddy 109

Protecting Your Buts 111

Teaching AI to Embrace Its But 112

Part 3 Life’s Big Buts 113

Chapter 12 You and Your But 115

Everyday Buts 116

Fixing the Fan 117

Surviving Parenting Purgatory 118

Changing Careers 120

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Chapter 13 Business Buts 129

Running a Small Business Is a Pain in the But 129

Calendly and the Many Buts of Starting a Business 133

Where to Sit Your Buts 138

Chapter 14 Product and Technology Buts 145

The 2B Product Review 146

Who Owns Your But Online? 146

Product Feature Creep 151

Regulating AI 155

Chapter 15 Buts in Conflict 163

Solon, Father of Buts 163

Big Government’s Budget Buts 168

Chapter 16 Saving the World…with Your But 175

Windy Buts 176

Plastic Buts 178

Chapter 17 The Rear End 193

The Buts We Leave Behind 194

Embrace Yourself 194

All Your Wonderful Buts 195

Acknowledgments 197

About the Author 199

Index 201

JOHN WOLPERT has founded companies, R&D consortia, and open source organizations in his decades-long career, from the early days of the Web to the rise of artificial intelligence. John has served as a CEO, a product executive, and a writer featured in Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and the popular newsletter and podcast, 2Buts.com. But the title that describes him best is Seeker of Awesomeness. It’s a role that taught him not to ignore obstacles or hide from problems but to embrace them.

The Two But Rule: Turn Negative Thinking Into Positive Solutions, is a groundbreaking book that will revolutionize the way teams approach problem solving and innovation in today’s complex world.

It will also make you laugh hard enough to shoot milk out your nose.

With a blend of humor and stories from the realms of technology, entrepreneurship, and history, The Two But Rule’s approach to Momentum Thinking will help you embrace contrary viewpoints, break through avoidance patterns, and overcome inertia in everything, from changing careers and starting a business to tackling the biggest challenges facing humanity.

To do that, veteran tech executive John Wolpert is here to reacquaint you with your biggest asset for innovation, one that has been lost in a world stuck between the extremes of obstinate negativity and toxic positivity.

Why is this crucial for you? Because the world isn’t getting less complex or uncertain. You’re going to need a way to find clarity amid chaos, see opportunities where others see dead ends, and make connections in a world that seems more divided than ever.

The Two But Rule is for anyone facing tough choices and challenging relationships in their personal and professional lives.

It’s a way out of endless circular arguments, and it’s an indispensable resource for those who intend to build things that work and solve problems—without piling a dozen more on top.

If you’re a leader, innovator, scientist or student…in government, academia, high tech, or nonprofits…running an enterprise, a startup or a local coffee shop…this book is for you.

Praise for THE TWO BUT RULE

“In a world of boring business books, The Two But Rule is a surprising page-turner that delivers a refreshing way to embrace contrary viewpoints and break the cycle of inertia that plagues our national discourse. It’s an approach that both journalists and decision-makers alike might use to better explore problems and solve them.”
— Jack Speer, NPR News Anchor

“The Two But Rule is based on an idea that I reacted to by thinking, ‘But this is ridiculous.’ Then, once I started reading it, I couldn’t stop because, well, I kept finding myself thinking, ‘But he does such a good job of convincing me that he’s right.’ BOOM! John Wolpert snagged me with that magical second but. I am a huge fan of this book—it’s useful, timeless, and just plain fun to read.”
— Robert I. Sutton, New York Times bestselling author of The No Asshole Rule and (with Huggy Rao) The Friction Project

“No buts about it—The Two But Rule brings the art of critical thinking into the 21st century. Not only will you have fun reading this, you really will improve your problem-solving skills.”
— Geoffrey Moore, Author, Speaker, Advisor

“Wolpert creates a memorable way to embrace Momentum Thinking in your innovation process. This technique opens up new possibilities for organizations of all sizes, harnessing the energy of critics and nay-sayers to catapult teams in new and better directions.”
— Henry Chesbrough, Professor at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, and author of Open Innovation