Tiny Strategy for Nimble Teams
This is a new talk that is in development! It might be my next book…
View ArticleBeyond Indecision: The Psychological Forces Shaping Our Choices
Achieving peak productivity hinges on focus, a theme central to “Radical Focus.” However, making informed decisions, essential for this focus, often challenges professionals. But decision-making is...
View ArticleNavigating Prioritization: Four Approaches
In the world of product development, mastering the art of prioritization is a survival skill. It’s about making informed choices, focusing resources where they’re most needed, and steering projects...
View ArticleCialdini’s Influence: The Secret to Achieving OKRs
Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) are a powerful framework for achieving strategic goals. In practice, it can be hard to get your organization behind those goals. This article explores how we can...
View ArticleUsing Temporal Landmarks for Effective OKRs Adoption
Anyone familiar with Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) knows that the heartbeat of this framework is its rhythm—how it times and maps our aspirations to our real-world clock and calendar. It’s a bit...
View ArticleHarnessing Confidence Ratings for Effective OKRs
OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) are like a compass for organizations, helping teams align around clear objectives and measurable results. But while OKRs give you the “what” and “how,” they don’t...
View ArticlePre-Work for Setting OKRs
Pre-Work for Setting OKRs: Building a Foundation for Success As a leader, you recognize the importance of setting strategic goals that align your team with your company’s vision. Objectives and Key...
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Setting Personal OKRs
Life happens. It’s easy to get swept away by our myriad responsibilities and lose sight of our personal goals. Setting personal Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) is a powerful tool in your journey...
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King of the Mountain, er, Middle
In product management, there’s a classic image that almost everyone in tech knows: the Venn diagram where the product manager (PM) sits squarely at the center, intersecting the spheres of users,...
View ArticleWhy We Struggle to Prioritize
Prioritization is one of the most challenging tasks we face, both in our personal and professional lives. We constantly juggle multiple responsibilities, projects, and goals, all competing for our...
View ArticleBuilding an Instinct for Metrics
Metrics are the lifeblood of informed decision-making in any organization. Over the last ~30 years, I’ve built an instinct for metrics and learned to trust data while remaining flexible and adaptive....
View ArticleUnderstanding Organizational Capacity: Why It Matters in OKR Practice
Setting goals is crucial for any organization, and one effective method for doing this is through OKRs (Objectives and Key Results.) The OKR process help teams align their goals, track progress, and...
View ArticleFast Ways to Estimate Capacity
Estimating the capacity of your organization or team quickly is crucial for setting realistic goals and effectively planning projects. Here are some streamlined methods to help you gauge your capacity...
View ArticleThe Product Journey: From Concept to Exit
A product’s journey from inception to decline involves several distinct phases. Understanding these phases is crucial for anyone involved in product development. This article outlines these stages and...
View ArticleThe Easiest Way to Start Working with OKRs
If you’ve ever found yourself knee-deep in a project and wondering, “What the hell are we really trying to do here?” — well, you’re not alone. Too often, teams find themselves checking off task lists,...
View ArticleFive Effective Ways to Quiet a Room After a Workshop Exercise
Getting a room of workshop participants or students to settle down after a lively exercise can be tricky. But with the right techniques, you can bring focus back to the room smoothly. Here are five...
View ArticleBuilding a Product Management Class
When I set out to create a course on product management three years ago, I knew it would be challenging. Product management is one of those roles that’s notoriously difficult to define—it looks...
View ArticleWhy We Struggle to Get Things Done: Common Pitfalls
We all have things we want to achieve—whether it’s personal goals like getting fit or professional milestones like growing a business. Yet despite our best intentions, some goals remain out of reach....
View ArticleSwitcheroo for Practicing Difficult Conversations
A great role-playing exercise for practicing difficult conversations is The Switcheroo, which helps participants step into different perspectives and build empathy. Here’s how you can run it...
View ArticleGetting Started with Outcome Thinking
One of the biggest challenges people face when adopting OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) is shifting from output thinking to outcome thinking. You’ve probably seen posts on LinkedIn saying “Outcome...
View ArticleThe Importance of Giving Feedback Early: Don’t Let Resentment Fester
Giving feedback can be uncomfortable. But holding back and letting small frustrations simmer is far worse. When we don’t address issues head-on, we’re effectively planting seeds of resentment that will...
View ArticleThe Tale of the Two Bakeries: A Business Fable
In the small town of Glenhaven, there were two bakeries. At the north end was Whisk & Whittle, a beloved institution known for its artisanal sourdough. At the south end was Sugar & Spice, a...
View ArticleBuilding a Strategy: Answering the Five Essential Questions
When it comes to building a successful strategy, start with clarity around your mission and vision. Your mission is why your company exists today, while the vision defines where you aim to go. With a...
View ArticleThinking in Metrics
In our data-driven world, effective product management hinges on selecting and using the right metrics. Not all metrics are created equal—only those that drive meaningful action are truly valuable....
View ArticleUnlocking Competitive Advantage with “7 Powers”
If you’re working in product or strategy—or teaching others to think like strategists like I am—you’ve probably felt the challenge of guiding someone to identify what really sets a business apart....
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