About Cleverbird Labs
A practical lab for a rapidly changing world.
Cleverbird Labs is where I test how AI can make knowledge work, decisions, and execution clearer—not more complicated. I share what works, what doesn’t, and what leaders can actually use.
The question behind the Lab
Curiosity and the gap
Organizations rarely fail for lack of ideas. They fail in the translation—turning strategy into execution, and ambition into results people can actually see.
That gap is where I’ve spent my whole career. And I think AI is about to make it either much wider or much narrower, depending on how leaders choose to use it. Cleverbird Labs is where I work out which.
The work
What Cleverbird Labs is
Cleverbird Labs is where I experiment out loud. I run small, honest tests on how AI can support knowledge work, portfolio and project operations, research, and the decisions leaders have to make. Then I write down what worked, what didn’t, and what I’d do differently.
No hype. No hand-waving. Practical ideas, explained clearly enough to use on Monday. Understanding how to use this technology well matters more than using all of it.
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Observe
Find the real question.
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Test
Run a bounded experiment.
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Learn
Separate signal from noise.
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Share
Make the result usable.
The point of view
Why Cleverbird—and why AI
Every organization I talk to has AI ideas. Far fewer have translated them into execution that holds up. That’s the same gap I’ve worked in for two decades—just faster-moving and higher-stakes.
I didn’t want to talk about this from the outside. I’ve sat in enough rooms to know the difference between a tool people describe and a tool people actually use. So I decided to use it—carefully, in real conditions—and share what holds up.
A raven is one of the few creatures that plans ahead, uses tools, and works out problems it’s never seen before. That’s the posture I try to bring to new technology:
Study the whole field, then solve the actual problem.
That’s why I chose Cleverbird.
Experience behind the work
A little about me
I’m Lindsay Haddock. Across more than 19 years, I’ve led across startups, high-growth companies, and global enterprises—including a $5.5B organization operating in 95 markets.
My work has spanned strategy and operations, product management, digital transformation, enterprise PMO leadership, customer experience, and technology delivery. I’ve built and scaled digital platforms, led global portfolios, stood up operating models, and partnered with executive teams on growth and lasting change.
It’s always been about more than just the technology for me. It’s about bringing clarity to complexity—helping leaders prioritize the right investments, aligning cross-functional teams around a common vision, and building the structures that let organizations scale. My real job has been turning noise into a decision someone could make and a plan a team could run.
- 19+ years
- Technology and transformation leadership
- 95 markets
- Global operating experience
- $40M+
- Portfolio leadership
How I work and who I am
Beyond the Office
My leadership style was shaped as much outside the office as in it. I’m an outdoor enthusiast and a five-time Tough Mudder, and I’ve learned that the best teams move like a good obstacle-course team: you go faster when you go together, nobody gets left at the wall, and every finish line is shared.
I coach that same way—steady, collaborative, and relentless about continuous improvement.
The audience
Who this is for
Leaders who care about transformation, product innovation, and operational excellence—and about building organizations where people can do their best work.
If you’ve ever been handed a fast-moving new capability and thought, “Okay, but what do we actually do with it?” that’s the question I’m here for.
Keep exploring
Where to start
Field Notes is where I share what I’m learning as I go—short, practical observations on AI and how work really gets done. It’s the fastest way to see how I think.
