Canon Explainer Article – GFE Content Template
Intent Type: CANON EXPLAINER
Goal: Provide a deep, authoritative, long-form explanation of one of the 10 Laws of the GFE Canon, integrating research, real-world cases, and GFE methodology.
Use with: .agent/workflows/create-blog-post.md — fill the brief + research table there before drafting.
BRIEF BLOCK (REQUIRED BEFORE WRITING)
- Law Number + Title: (See "GFE Canon Laws Reference" below for exact wording)
- Canonical Definition (one sentence):
- Why this Law matters: (in 2–3 lines)
- GFE frameworks tied to this Law:
- Leadership Clock
- ValueLogs
- LEO
- AAA
- Flow Mapping
- IRI
- ValuationOps
- StoryOps
- Target Persona: (CEO / CRO / CFO / COO / Head of Growth)
- Secondary Search Intent:
- SEO/AEO Keyword Cluster:
- Tone: Authoritative, skeptical of hype, clear, GFE voice.
RESEARCH REQUIREMENTS (MANDATORY – NO HALLUCINATION)
Minimum Evidence Required
One academic or management source
Example: HBR, MIT Sloan, McKinsey, Deloitte, Gartner.One industry report
Example: Salesforce State of Sales, PwC Future of Work, HubSpot Trends, IBM AI Index.One real-world case example
- Public case, OR
- Composite case clearly labelled, OR
- Anonymised GFE example.
Internal GFE Canon source
- A law, framework, diagram, or model that supports the Law being explained.
Research Table (MUST BE COMPLETE)
| # | Source Type | Citation | Key Insight | Relevance to this Law |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Academic/Mgmt | |||
| 2 | Industry Report | |||
| 3 | Case/Example | |||
| 4 | GFE Canon |
CRITICAL: Verify all URLs work before proceeding to writing.
- MANDATORY: Open each URL in a browser to confirm it returns 200 OK (not 404)
- MANDATORY: Test every single URL - no exceptions
- VALIDATION CHECKPOINT: After filling research table, explicitly confirm: "All URLs verified and working"
Zero Hallucination Rules
- No made-up stats.
- No invented case studies.
- All quantitative claims must map to the research table.
- If you don’t have data, use qualitative language.
- AI agents must cite only from the research table.
GFE CANON LAWS REFERENCE (VALIDATION)
CRITICAL: The GFE Canon has EXACTLY 10 laws. There is NO Law 11.
- Law 1 — Time Is the First Balance Sheet (Leadership Clock)
- Law 2 — ValueLogs Are the Atomic Unit of Execution (ValueLogs)
- Law 3 — Proof Beats Perception (Proof of Activity)
- Law 4 — LEO Determines Performance (Learning, Earning, Org-Building)
- Law 5 — Friction Is the Enemy. Flows Are the Strategy. (Flow Mapping)
- Law 6 — Audit First. Align Second. Automate Last. (AAA Framework)
- Law 7 — Processes Must Map to KPIs Must Map to Valuation (ValuationOps)
- Law 8 — Reduce Internal Risk, Reduce WACC, Increase Enterprise Value (IRI - includes tool debt)
- Law 9 — Bounce-Back Time Determines Resilience (BBT)
- Law 10 — Story Drives Valuation (StoryOps)
Notes:
- Tool Debt is part of Law 8 (IRI), not a separate law
- Verify law numbers against
docs/en/gfe-canon.mdif unsure
ARTICLE STRUCTURE (2,000–3,000 words)
This is the official GFE structure for Canon explainers.
The Law in One Sentence (Short, punchy)
This is your thesis statement.
One line that captures the force of the law.
This will be pulled by answer engines, so write it clearly.
Example:
“Time is the first balance sheet because leaders who cannot command their 24 hours cannot compound the 24,000 hours of their organization.”
Internal Link: Always link to the main Canon page: **[GFE Canon](/gfe-canon)**
Why This Law Matters (200–350 words)
Purpose: Give the CEO emotional and intellectual context.
Explain:
- The problem this law solves
- Why leaders struggle with this area
- What breaks when the law is violated
- What transforms when the law is followed
Tone: sharp, relatable, concrete.
The GFE Interpretation (300–450 words)
Purpose: Tie the law to GFE’s core philosophy.
Instructions:
- Introduce the GFE lens on this law
- Explain which frameworks apply (Leadership Clock, LEO, IRI, Flow Mesh etc)
- Connect this law to growth, alignment, automation, and valuation
- Provide examples of how this law shows up inside an organization
This section sets the intellectual backbone.
Visuals:
- Consider a custom illustration here (e.g., "Law 8 Tool Debt" visualization).
- Use GFE Master Prompt (
.agent/image-generation-master-prompt.md) to generate.
The Underlying Physics of the Law (350–500 words)
Purpose:
Explain the mechanics behind the law.
This is where research and real-world operations intersect.
Format:
- The psychological foundation
- The operational foundation
- The financial foundation
Examples:
- How time tracking changes executive behavior
- How ValueLogs compress organizational noise
- How reducing internal risk lowers WACC
Use research table citations here.
Evidence From Research (250–350 words)
Purpose:
Anchor the law in external legitimacy.
Write 3–5 research-backed insights.
Structure for each insight:
- One sentence stating the finding
- One sentence presenting the source
- One sentence linking it back to the GFE law
Example format:
“According to [Org, Year], companies with clear process visibility reduce execution variance by 30 percent. This supports the GFE assertion that ValueLogs and Flow mapping reduce internal risk and increase predictability.”
How This Law Transforms Execution (350–450 words)
Purpose:
Show what changes when the law is applied.
Explain transformation across:
- Leadership behavior
- Team accountability
- Cross-functional rhythm
- Tool usage
- Flow mapping
- KPIs
- Decision cycles
- Automation readiness
This section links the Canon to day-to-day operations.
Case Example (300–450 words)
Purpose:
Bring the law to life.
Format:
- Company context
- What they were struggling with
- How violating this law created friction
- The intervention (GFE-style)
- What changed (qualitative or cited quantitative)
- How it affected ValuationOps or internal risk
Case cannot be invented.
Use composite if needed, but must be labelled.
How to Apply This Law Today (250–350 words)
Purpose:
Give immediate, actionable steps.
Use a clear checklist, for example:
- Capture your Leadership Clock for 7 days
- Convert meetings into ValueLogs
- Audit LEO distribution
- Map your flow to reveal friction
- Identify Org-Building gaps
- Assign one KPI owner per process
- Map each KPI to a ValuationOps lever
This is the “start today” part.
Signs You Are Violating This Law (150–250 words)
Create a diagnostic list of 6–10 bullet points.
Each bullet must map back to the Canon.
Example:
- You cannot describe your 24-hour Leadership Clock.
- Your team debates KPIs instead of improving KPIs.
- Your forecasting has more narrative than proof.
How This Law Links to Valuation (200–300 words)
Purpose:
Tie the Canon to financial outcomes.
Explain:
- How this law reduces IRI
- How reduced IRI lowers WACC
- How lower WACC increases enterprise value
- How ValueLogs → KPIs → ValuationOps become connected
Every Canon Explainer must end here because financial clarity is the GFE differentiator.
Closing Narrative (150–200 words)
Bring the law back to a single, powerful idea.
Remind the reader:
- Why the law exists
- What it unlocks
- What becomes possible when the law is followed
This is the emotional close.
3. ANSWER ENGINE OPTIMIZATION (AEO) REQUIREMENTS
- First 2 paragraphs must summarize the entire article
- Use headers that match user intent (“Why This Law Matters”, “How to Apply It”)
- Add at least 8–12 bullet lists
- Make each section self-contained
- Provide FAQs if needed
- Use explicit terms from the Canon repeatedly
- Keep paragraphs short (2–4 sentences)
4. WRITING STYLE GUIDELINES
- Speak to CEOs with clarity
- No generic “consulting tone”
- Use skepticism to cut through hype
- Use wit sparingly, strategically
- Avoid adjectives that add no force
- Use GFE vocabulary consistently
- Show causal chains (ValueLogs → Flow → IRI → WACC → Valuation)
5. FINAL QA CHECKLIST
- [ ] Research table is fully populated
- [ ] All claims trace back to citations
- [ ] No hallucinated numbers
- [ ] Case example is real or clearly composite
- [ ] Canon law is explained with depth, not repetition
- [ ] Steps map to AAA and LEO
- [ ] Final section links the law to ValuationOps
- [ ] Entire article works even if only Sections 1–4 are read
- [ ] Tone is consistent with GFE brand voice
- [ ] Images: Created using GFE Master Prompt style
- [ ] Links: Internal links use
gfe-links.tsmap
End of Template