We Inspect What We Expect

I've been using the phrase "We tolerate what we allow."

Full disclosure—I didn't come up with it. A former colleague, now a friend, shared it with me years ago, and it has stuck ever since.

He also left me with another one that's just as powerful:

"We inspect what we expect."

I've been thinking about that as I continue writing about Nextdoor's value proposition, its identity, and what I see as opportunities to improve the platform.

Some may call what I'm doing trolling.

I call it inspecting.

Recently, I was viewing Nextdoor through an account that doesn't use my real name or address. I came across a post encouraging neighbors to stop complaining, stop deleting the app, and focus on being more positive.

The intent was good.

Then I read the comments.

One person pointed out the irony of telling others not to complain while complaining.

Another questioned what the platform's purpose even is.

Another expressed the opinion that the platform's primary goal is monetization and enriching company leadership.

Whether you agree with those comments or not, they reveal something important.

They're signals.

They're feedback.

They're opportunities to inspect the experience people are actually having.

That's why I keep returning to the question of identity.

What is Nextdoor's purpose today?

If leadership expects neighbors to have productive, positive interactions, then it's worth inspecting whether the product, moderation model, communication, and overall user experience are supporting that expectation.

As the saying goes:

We inspect what we expect.

In my opinion as a shareholder, if those questions had been asked consistently over the past two years, the conversation around Nextdoor might look very different today.

There's nothing wrong with being on podcasts. If leadership spends more time speaking than inspecting the platform, listening to feedback, and experiencing neighborhoods firsthand, they shouldn't be surprised when the market, users, and shareholders do the inspecting for them.

Join the discussion on NielFlamm.com.