Questions before you read or buy.

What is included in the set?

Sovereign Minds begins with a two-part set: A Sovereign Mind and The Field Operating Manual.

They are designed to be used together, but do different kinds of work.

The first changes how you see your situation. The second makes that visible between you and someone else.

Do you do consulting?

No, and it is not necessary. The model of change is already built into the books.

The unit of change is the dyad: one person making decisions, and one person having to navigate the consequences of those decisions. If enough dyads inside organisations read the books and work through the exercises in the Field Operating Manual, that will have impact far beyond anything that could be achieved through consulting or training programmes. Order here.

Do I need to read this with someone else?

No.

A Sovereign Mind is designed to be read on your own. It changes how you see your situation.

The Field Operating Manual is where the paired work becomes valuable. The exercises are designed to be read in parallel with someone whose role sits differently from yours.

The full effect comes from both.

What if I do not have a counterpart?

The first part of the set, A Sovereign Mind, is something you read on your own.

It is the manual that benefits from being worked through in parallel with someone else.

If, after reading, you would like someone in your organisation to work through it with you but are hesitant to reach out, the pairing invitation template included with the books may help.

Is this relevant outside large organisations?

Yes.

This work draws on experience across roles, organisations, industries, and geographies. Some of that work took place in small, bootstrapped environments. Some as a freelancer working on UX and system architecture for larger clients. Some in leadership roles in high-stakes situations. Some in public policy and activism.

The perspective comes from moving across different parts of the system rather than staying in one position.

The aim is consistent throughout: to help people build the conditions for good work, and work that is good.

Is this relevant for startup founders or investors?

Yes. Startup and investment environments operate under sustained pressure, tight timelines, and asymmetric consequences.

In those environments, effort is often used to mask structural misalignment. This removes wasted effort under pressure by making those conditions visible, and reduces attrition and talent churn by creating alignment between the work and the people doing it.

The work is not about asking people to push harder. It is about making visible the conditions that allow people to do the work they came to do.

What kind of organisation is this most useful in?

Organisations are not fixed entities. They are ecosystems made up of different roles, constraints, and perspectives that do not fully align.

For that reason, this work is not targeted at a specific type of organisation.

It is designed to help you understand where you sit within the system around you, and to use that understanding to define a viable path from there.

What kind of feedback are you looking for?

I am interested in how useful the reading was in practice.

In particular:

• what became clearer after reading
• where the material helped you see something you had not been able to name before
• where you struggled to act on the exercises, and why

The books are part of a broader body of development work, including the design of a cognitive assistive device. Feedback helps me understand where the material translates effectively into use, and where it does not.

Why not a traditional publisher?

I have worked with publishers before and value those experiences.

This project is being developed in parallel with ongoing work that requires long periods of uninterrupted focus, including building a jewellery collection for the Chinese market and work on a cognitive assistive device.

Working independently allows the books to be written at the pace the work requires, and to remain closely connected to the conditions they are drawn from.

Is this a book about AI?

No. AI is one accelerant among several forces changing work.

The books are about structural conditions that have been developing for decades: financialisation, shareholder pressure, globalisation, institutional complexity, and algorithmic acceleration.

Does the book recount the Quad9 experience?

No.

The work draws on experience across technology, governance, and organisational systems under pressure, including time spent as interim CEO of Quad9 during the publicly documented Sony Entertainment v Quad9 case. The books do not disclose or recount internal details.

What format are the books, and what devices do they work on?

Both books are delivered as ePub and PDF files. ePub works on all major e-readers including Kindle (via the Send to Kindle service), Apple Books, Kobo, and any device with an ePub reader. PDF works on any device. You receive both formats for each book.

How long are the books?

A Sovereign Mind is a full-length book – substantial reading, designed to be taken slowly. The Field Operating Manual is structured for working through chapter by chapter with a counterpart; each chapter is short enough to read and discuss in a single session.

When will I receive the books after purchasing?

Usually within 24 hours. The books are sent directly by email from a sovereignminds.io address. If nothing arrives, check your spam folder or reply to the Stripe receipt to request a resend.

Can I use the books on my own without a counterpart?

A Sovereign Mind is fully designed for solo reading – it stands on its own. The Field Operating Manual is most useful with a counterpart, but reading it alone still gives you a clear map of the structural dynamics it addresses. Many readers work through the manual solo first to identify who they want to invite into the paired reading.

Why €40 for a digital set?

The price reflects the depth of the work. There is no consulting, no training courses, and no follow-on products. What you purchase is complete as it is.

Are hard copies available?

Not through the standard order process. A small number of physical copies will be released as part of limited edition collections of objects created by the author. These will be announced when available.

Can I order in bulk for my organisation?

The books work best when individuals choose to read them, not when reading is mandated from above. A top-down bulk order changes the dynamic in ways that undermine the work.

What is encouraged instead is organisations offering employees discount codes, so that individuals can order for themselves. If you have purchased the books and would like to enquire about discount codes for your organisation, reply directly to the email through which the books were sent.

Contact

After purchase, the books are sent directly from Nadia Alter's email.

If you have worked through the material and have a question that arises from using it in practice, you can reply there.