Should You Aim High or Higher?

Product leadership is about finding the right business opportunities to accomplish with the right product. When looking for the next one, how can you tell if it’s right? And what if there is another, better one, just around the corner? It might be hard to decide, but this quick guide will help you move forward.

The Inherent Tension Between Roadmaps and OKRs

Every roadmap is a plan, but a plan is worth nothing if not executed upon. Once the essence of your roadmap is ready, it’s time to put timelines on it. But how can you commit to results that would happen in the future? Honestly, you can’t. But there is still a lot you can do to help everyone understand where you are going and how.

A New Level of Freedom in Roadmap Discussions

Roadmap discussions often become about features and timelines. While this is an important step in the process, it shouldn’t be the first. As a product leader, you need to make sure you facilitate the right discussions – both with your product managers and with your management team. Here is the interim level that many product leaders miss.

Product Strategy 101: 3 Ways to Translate Strategy Into a Roadmap

Once you have a product strategy that you have confidence in, it’s time to translate it to execution. But execution tends to drown you in the nitty-gritty details until you lose sight of the bigger picture. Here are three effective ways to make sure your roadmap remains at the right level.

Product Strategy 101: The Full Guide for Product Leaders

This series of articles should help you structure your way from company vision to product strategy and then to execution

How to Build a Roadmap for an Ultra Agile Team

When I talk about roadmaps with younger product leaders, I often hear things like “we don’t need one, we are agile” or “why build a roadmap when things will surely change”. This couldn’t be farther from the truth. The roadmap sets the strategic direction of the company, and when built right it also doesn’t have to change that frequently, despite your agility. But there are times of real uncertainty that raise the bar on why and how to build a roadmap that will serve you well. Here is a quick guide to help you guide the team through the unknown.

How To Be Strategic Even if You Can’t Set the Tone

When the CEO sets the strategy, what is your role as a product leader? How can you be strategic when the strategy is set by someone else? Surprisingly, there is no contradiction there, and in most cases, there is more room for you than you think. You just have to know where to look for it.

The Roadmap Dilemma

Your roadmap will change. That’s given. On the other hand, it takes so much time and effort to build one. Is it still worth it?

Becoming a Strategic Product Leader, Part 4: Focus on Impact

We are all here to make an impact. So why is it so hard for us to explain what this impact really is? A guide for keeping your external perspective intact over time.

Becoming a Strategic Product Leader, Part 3: Own the Big Picture

We live in a constant battle between tactical and strategic. Without ongoing care, the tactical will always win. Take it upon yourself to bring everyone back on the strategic track to make sure you are doing the right thing.

Becoming a Strategic Product Leader, Part 2: Speak Up.

To take a leadership position, your voice must be heard. Even, and maybe especially, when your managers see things differently.

Becoming a Strategic Product Leader: Understanding the Business

Becoming more strategic is one of the most common – and most challenging – development areas for product leaders. This article and the following ones in the series will help you to get there.