How to Create Magical Products and Truly Solve Your Customers’ Problems

Real invention is hard, that’s why real innovation is hard. Evolution is much easier than revolution. But to truly solve customers’ problems, founders and product leaders must think beyond what they already know about the product. Here are 3 methods to do so.

3 Signals That Your Customers Are Ready for You

Your product might be awesome, but if there is no significant need on the other side, it wouldn’t succeed. A need is more than a general desire, and you should trust your customers’ actions more than their words. Here is what to look for.

How to Encourage Your Team to Take More Risks

Taking risks is an inherent part of product leadership. But what happens when your team members have a hard time doing so, at least to the extent that you need them to? Here are a few things you can do to help them master this important skill.

The Right Way to Ask For Additional Resources

Did you ever find yourself struggling to explain to your manager why you need more people? You know you can’t continue this way, but while they sympathize with your struggle, they are not willing to give you what you ask for. The good news is that there is another, much more effective way to ask for additional resources, and here it is.

Negotiate the Problem, Not the Solutions

Product leadership seems to require nonstop negotiation with everyone you work with. You have limited resources on one hand and major decisions to make on the other. But are you negotiating the right things? It’s easy to debate solutions, but it’s hardly effective. To generate agreement when people disagree you must dive deeper. Here’s how.

It’s Never Black or White

As product leaders, we need to make so many decisions. Moreover, these decisions are hardly ever straightforward or simple. Here are a few techniques to help you decide nonetheless.

Bad Feedback Doesn’t Always Mean Your Product Is Bad

Bad product feedback is a bummer. But contrary to what you might think, it doesn’t always mean your product is bad. Products are always meant to serve someone, and if it wasn’t built for the person who gave you the feedback, there is no reason to feel bad about it. Here is a quick guide to strategic thinking about product feedback.

Some Things Simply Take Their Time

We all want results, and the sooner the better. But some things – especially the impactful ones – cannot be rushed. How can you tell if it’s time to push harder, or should you let things move at their own pace? Here are three examples of areas that usually take longer to demonstrate results, but progress happens whether you see it or not.

Maturity Model: The Secret Weapon

Creating a successful product requires a deep understanding of your customers. That’s not news. But your customers’ world might be a complex one to navigate through. Here is a simple and powerful tool to help you – and them – understand themselves better.

3 Hard Conversations Worth Having

Difficult situations are never fun. Unfortunately, as product leaders, we encounter them often. More unfortunately, ignoring them usually isn’t going to make them go away. Having an honest conversation is the first step. Here are three such conversations that are worth getting out of your comfort zone for.

Are You a Real Problem Solver?

Problem-solving is one of the core characteristics of product managers. But the ability to solve customer problems does not always translate into the ability to solve problems for your own company. It is a slightly different skill to master, but very important for your ability to succeed.

Are You Using Your Creativity the Right Way?

Product managers need to be creative. But I often see them do it wrong (especially in interviews), or believing that “they don’t have it” so they can’t move up the ladder to their next level. Creativity has many forms, and you only need some of them for your product career. Here are some dos and don’ts.