Weekly Product Hits: Growth Mindsets, Using Principles, Finesse
Product Hits: October 7, 2024Every week, I share three great product resources from a variety of perspectives. Let's dive in! Practical tips for applying the growth mindset to product by Merci Victoria Grace Merci Victoria Grace, former Head of Growth at Slack, emphasizes the importance of cultivating a growth mindset as a primary driver for success in product management, rather than relying solely on technical skills. She provides practical advice for fostering self-awareness, seeking feedback, and effectively managing relationships with managers, all through the lens of continuous learning and growth. Grace also highlights the value of vulnerability and transparency in management, offering key strategies to create high-performance, growth-driven teams. Smart Use of Principles by Noa Ganot Noa Ganot, founder of Infinify, emphasizes the power of principles in product leadership, advocating for their use to create clarity, alignment, and guide decision-making in uncertain situations. However, Ganot cautions that principles can lead to unproductive debates if they are overly rigid or not actionable, recommending flexibility in how they are applied to specific decisions. Finesse by Wes Kao Wes Kao, co-founder of Maven, dissects the often overlooked skill of finesse, defining it as the ability to navigate delicate scenarios to achieve desired outcomes. Wes urges leaders to develop and teach finesse within their teams, as it enables more successful outcomes in high-stakes situations. Behind the ScenesHey there, it’s Clement! Let’s discuss a critical yet overlooked element of high-performance teams: psychological safety. Without psychological safety, even the most talented teams may underperform, as fear and uncertainty hinder them from taking risks or sharing new ideas. Developing this environment is essential for your team's success. This means encouraging open communication, allowing for mistakes, and ensuring that everyone feels valued and heard. Open communication. Encourage team members to share their own ideas and concerns openly. Regular check-ins, brainstorming sessions, and anonymous feedback channels can help ensure everyone is on the same page and diverse perspectives are all considered. Allowing room for mistakes. View mistakes as learning opportunities rather than failures. Create a team where team members feel safe to take different risks and experiment to develop creativity and continuous improvement. Ensuring everyone feels valued and heard. Recognize and appreciate each team member’s contributions. Actively listen to their own input, provide constructive feedback, and celebrate small and big successes. When all team members feel valued, they are more engaged and committed to their work. When team members feel safe, they’re more likely to share innovative ideas, collaborate effectively, and take ownership of their own work. I’d love to hear how you apply these strategies in your own organization! With love, Let's do more together!
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Product Teacher
In-depth essays and thought-provoking reads for product managers.
Product Hits: April 28, 2025 Every week, I share three great product resources from a variety of perspectives. Let's dive in! Sales, not logistics by Wes Kao Wes Kao, co-founder of Maven, warns that jumping into logistics before securing buy-in is a critical communication mistake. She urges PMs to frame requests around impact and motivation first, using her "sales, not logistics" approach to drive action and influence stakeholders more effectively. Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery by...
Product Hits: April 21, 2025 Every week, I share three great product resources from a variety of perspectives. Let's dive in! PhDs Aren't Starting Companies Like They Used To by Nnamdi Iregbulem Nnamdi Iregbulem, Partner at Lightspeed Ventures, examines how the growing burden of knowledge and lack of division of labor discourage PhD-level talent from entrepreneurship. Therefore, PMs who work with PhDs like data scientists or ML researchers can attract and empower PhD talent by implementing...
Product Hits: April 14, 2025 Every week, I share three great product resources from a variety of perspectives. Let's dive in! Too detailed by Wes Kao Wes Kao, co-founder of Maven, emphasizes the importance of tailoring communication details to the audience and context. She advises PMs to reduce cognitive load by focusing on clarity and actionable takeaways. Aligning Teams Around Strategy by Victoria Wisot Victoria Wisot, Partner at AKF Partners, outlines seven practices to keep teams focused...