Top 3 Traps Managers of Product Managers Fall Into

Managing product managers is a complex task that goes beyond traditional leadership skills. While you probably have what it takes since you already got the job, there are common pitfalls that can significantly impact your team’s effectiveness and success. Let’s explore these pitfalls and how to steer clear of them.

Building Trust Around Customer Requests

Dealing with customer requests is not always easy. Who owns these requests? Who gets to decide? And how do you say no when it has implications? It all starts with the right mindset and thinking framework. Here is a good way to approach it.

Why Great Products Aren’t Always Successful

Having a great product – one that customers really love, is important, but it is not enough to ensure the product’s success. There are other things that need to happen, and not all of them are in your hands or even in the company’s hands. Here are a few pitfalls to avoid.

The Best Way to Say No

As product leaders, saying no should be one of our core skills. But it’s not always easy, especially when we need to say no to our boss. There is a better way to do it, and it starts with trying really hard to say yes.

The Roadmap Dilemma

Are roadmaps still a thing? Given that it is going to change, is it worth putting all the time and effort it takes into building a solid roadmap? My answer is yes, and here’s why.

5 Limiting Beliefs to Eliminate From Your OKR Planning

OKRs are often the connecting tissue between strategy and execution. But many times execution takes precedence over strategy already in the plan. To keep your OKRs strategic you must rise above the temptation to stick to execution. Here are 5 points that will help you do so.

How to Lead When It’s Not Your Decision to Make

Product leadership is a challenging role because you are expected to lead but don’t have the authority to decide on your own. It’s not trivial, but the right mindset can do wonders. Here are a few tricks to get you there.

Creativity Hacks for the Uncreative Product Manager

Despite what many product managers think, creativity is not only for the gifted. Logical thinking plays a critical role in your ability to innovate. Here’s how.

Why Your OKRs Need a Hierarchy

OKRs are an extremely powerful tool, but many companies fail to see the value they bring. This is often due to poor implementation. Among the many mistakes companies make, a flat list of OKRs is a very common one. Here is why you should avoid it and what you should do instead.

How to Turn Product Disagreements With CEOs Into Productive Discussions

Saying ‘no’ to your manager is a must-have skill for a product leader. But leaving the ‘no’ just with that would often lead to counterproductive communication and lack of trust. Whether you avoid saying ‘no’ altogether because of that, or say too many ‘no’s, here is how to turn a disagreement into an opportunity for better solutions.

How to Maintain Your Product Agility With Non-agile Stakeholders

I’m a big believer in Agile. Aren’t we all? Apparently not. When I hear CEOs and senior managers complaining about Agile, they have legitimate concerns. But we don’t want to throw away the baby with the bathwater. So here is what you can do to remain agile when your organization sees things differently.

Everything Is a Choice

We all take many things as given. This perception defines how we think and operate. But many of the things that we see as objective constraints are actually choices we or someone else made along the way. Here is how to allow yourself to choose right.