The Mechanics of Knowledge Management

“Extracting” Nick Milo from the crowd of enthusiastic fellow-PKMers and into the podcast ring for an interview was one of the most challenging tasks for me on the second day of the summit. Of course, as you’re about to hear, it was absolutely worth it.I’m intimately acquainted with his work, but the kind of insights I was after were always missing. Therefore, when the opportunity presented itself to get those titbits first-hand, I couldn’t forego it.Although this was already the fourth (and the last) recording of this edition, my interviewing skills were at their absolute worst. Luckily, Nick is a seasoned speaker who clarifies his thoughts (and thus his expression) for a living. And just like that, the interview was saved. Not only that, but more doors were opening up as this friendly coffee chat progressed. I wanted to lift the curtain ever so slightly for you and me to see beyond the perfectly packaged visual identity of Linking Your Thinking. I believe this episode drives the point home.You’ll hear about things like Nick’s boxing business, social checks, shitty books, the importance of authenticity in his and others’ work, friendship with Anne-Laure Le Cunff and Tiago Forte, and the extended note-taker archetyping, which may go beyond what you’ve heard about them so far.In the third part of the conversation, Nick generously lets us in on the behind-the-scenes of the making of his upcoming book. There’s a lot to unpack there, so I jumped on the opportunity to find out more. I’ll certainly purchase a copy once it’s out to share my opinion and thoughts with you as I always do. In the meantime, you already get a juicy teaser.So, as always, I hope this episode will be an hour well spent. If you’re a serious PKMer, Nick Milo’s name and work have undoubtedly popped on your radar on multiple occasions. I couldn’t thank him enough for sharing his valuable time and insights with all of us through The Mechanics of Knowledge Management.Happy listening. And don’t forget to… Get full access to The Mechanics of Knowledge Management at malikalimoekhamedov.substack.com/subscribe

The breed of people with seemingly inexhaustible optimism and energy always made me jealous. You know, the kind who can take crazy risks and spin a hundred plates while you lose sleep over an unpaid invoice. I know a few such people, and they’re my benchmark—an example of playfully achieving huge things in an almost Forrest Gump way. It’s the way I’d love to live my life. Therefore, I never miss a chance to pick their brains, and today’s pick is Martijn Aslander’s grey matter.In this episode, you’ll find out how money’s not always the best currency, how you can save ~1k hours a year, and even hear an untold story of the success of GTD (Getting Things Done) by David Allen, a daily productivity driver for many of us.If you plan to attend the next PKM Summit, you won’t miss him—he’ll greet you at the entrance. If you can’t attend, this episode is the next best way to get to know this prominent Dutch PKM figure.Happy listening.To take an even deeper dive into matters discussed in the show, read the additional show notes compiled by Martijn himself. There are a ton of things we just couldn’t squeeze into an hour-long show, but you can read about them there. Get full access to The Mechanics of Knowledge Management at malikalimoekhamedov.substack.com/subscribe

This was my second conversation with a speaker at the PKM Summit 2025 in Utrecht. Needless to say, I was still as bad of an interviewer as I was the first time. So, let’s not call it an interview but a coffee chat.Luckily for me, just like Bob Doto, Nicole van der Hoeven was very relaxed about it, so we managed to wing it beautifully.The conversation will appeal to those invested in the Obsidian ecosystem, especially if you’re not intimidated by the technical aspect of setting up your digital note-taking system.You’ll also appreciate lesser-known facts about how Nicole manages language learning, therapy, dream-logging, and complex relationship management in Obsidian.This was intentionally an unapologetically technical discussion between two engineers. I haven’t seen any of those, so I thought it’d be novel. But if you’re serious about squeezing more out of your Tool for Thought, this will be an hour well spent. Visit Nicole’s official website to take a deeper dive into her exciting universe.Happy listening.The next in the series of recordings from the latest European PKM Summit will be with its organiser and one of the most productive fellows in the Netherlands, Mr Martijn Aslander.Take control of your knowledge. Get full access to The Mechanics of Knowledge Management at malikalimoekhamedov.substack.com/subscribe

Recorded @PKM Summit 2025 on March 14, 2025. Get full access to The Mechanics of Knowledge Management at malikalimoekhamedov.substack.com/subscribe