Conjoined Triangles of Success

The Conjoined Triangles of Success is a satirical framework from Silicon Valley (HBO): two triangles representing "Failure" and "Success" that share a base — the joke is that the diagram is meaningless but sounds profound. As a mental model, it stands for the risk of strategy theatre: frameworks and diagrams that look rigorous but don't constrain decisions or predict outcomes. Real strategy requires testable logic and clear causal links, not just impressive shapes. The trap is mistaking alignment (everyone nods at the slide) for execution (everyone knows what to do Monday). Use the concept as a filter: if a framework can't be tied to a specific decision or metric, treat it as decoration until it can.

Use it as a reality check: if your strategy can be drawn as impressive triangles but not as "if we do X, then Y, and we'll know by Z," it's closer to theatre than strategy. Demand that every framework ties to a decision, a metric, or a test. Avoid adopting jargon-heavy models that don't change what you ship or how you allocate resources.

The Conjoined Triangles of Success is a stand-in for strategy theatre: impressive-looking frameworks that don't drive decisions or outcomes. Counter it by demanding testable logic, clear levers, and metrics. Tie every model to what you'll do and how you'll know it worked.