Leadership & Strategy

Honesty in Leadership

Leaders should be honest and transparent with their team, even if it means admitting they don't know something or have made a mistake. Faking it will not build trust in the long run. Leaders should be open about their vulnerabilities and mistakes, and put in effort to learn and grow. People understand that no one is perfect, and will still trust and respect a leader who is trying to improve.

When Feedback Comes as a Surprise

Leaders often face uncomfortable situations when giving feedback to their team members, such as when the feedback comes as a surprise to the recipient. To avoid this, it is important to have transparent conversations and follow-ups to ensure that the feedback is understood and internalized. Leaders should give honest and transparent feedback to their team members, and remember that their role is to ensure the complete success of the team, not just act as a coach.

Should Product Managers be Technical?

This consulting engagement with a startup founder focused on product management practices. Through further discussion, it was revealed that the founder's real issue was a matter of innovation. By probing deeper into the problem, a more appealing solution was found, strengthening the business association. Being technical in the situation was beneficial in coming to a closure.

From Software Engineer to Managing The Responsibilities of A Product Team

Shilpi, a product manager at Slack, faced the challenge of aligning cross-functional teams, deciding whether to be first to market or create the most viable product, and knowing when to switch gears and allocate resources towards another feature set. To overcome these challenges, she hired four new engineers, took a collaborative approach, and put her people first. She also asked herself the question, "What would make this product successful?" and focused on building a strong foundation. By doing this, she was able to receive valuable feedback, switch gears on projects, and ensure everyone was on the same page.

Landing a Management Position without Recent Experience

After transitioning from engineer to manager, the author found it difficult to land a job in management due to lack of recent experience. To prepare, they took courses on Coursera and read books to refresh their skills and knowledge. They tailored their resume to highlight their management experience and eventually landed a job at a startup. Continuing education is recommended to handle management situations and build confidence.

Reducing layers of management

When the senior director of engineering joined Zoosk, they found a lot of layers for a relatively small team of 35 people. After meeting with each person, they found that people were promoted into management roles without formal training. The director worked with HR and the SVP to create a new role, allowing people to become a tech lead and progress to a technical director role without having to manage people. This allowed the engineer to get the title they wanted and the time they needed for coding. This experience highlighted the importance of having a dual career path and understanding the motivations of each team member.