There's a critical misconception I'm seeing in a lot of product circles around empowerment. Many leaders and teams struggle to empower their teams and end up experiencing chaos as a byproduct. Here's the thing: empowerment without structure, enablement, guidance, and support can lead to disorganization, misalignment, and frustration. On the other hand, strong enablement, coaching, […]
LinkedIn is rife with posts idolizing Elon Musk, Bezos, Bloomberg, Gates, and Warren Buffett, among other billionaire oligarchs. Success isn’t inherently bad, and yes, some of these figures have made meaningful contributions. But turning them into untouchable icons is dangerous—for us, for society, and for democracy itself. Why is this dangerous? What’s the alternative? Values, […]
I’ve started hearing from friends and colleagues at other organizations that DEI, or BJEDI as I call it (Belonging, Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion), is quietly disappearing from websites and materials, or toxic employees are feeling emboldened and acting out against marginalized coworkers or customers. In the wake of the 2024 election, some businesses are […]
In business, it's easy to get distracted by the latest buzzword or shiny object. Lately, AI and Machine Learning have been seen as silver bullets, but blindly chasing trends can do more harm than good. Many companies seem to feel the pressure to jump on the bandwagon, convinced it's part of the secret to remaining […]
Friends, In moments when the principles of equality, dignity, and respect are tested, it’s crucial to hold tight to what we know is right. Today, more than ever, I’m reminded of the importance of standing together—defending the values that make our communities strong and safe for everyone. Whether in our workplaces or personal lives, we […]
“Always know what and how much the other person has been drinking before entering a pissing contest.” – Old proverb A story I heard an interesting story this week about someone who admits to rarely knowing any answer in their field but tells people to leave it with them because they know best and will […]
🎮❌ I just cancelled my X-Box Game Pass subscription. I do so for the same reason I think many people cancel subscriptions: 🔁 This makes me think of the pendulum of quality. When I speak publicly or post, I often discuss what I call the pendulum of quality. Visualize a "Newton's Cradle," one of those […]
❓If you aren't measuring it, how do you know it was successful?❓If you aren't measuring it, are you only doing work for work's sake? 🤔 Why should anyone care? Show me with evidence! 😍 Outcomes > Outputs.⚠️ Outputs ≠ Value. It's so simple, yet so many teams skip measurement. Many of the teams I have […]
These three roles get thrown around a lot—often incorrectly. 🔍 Project Manager: 🔍 Product Owner (in Agile): 🔍 Product Manager: Here’s where things get tricky: 💡 A Product Manager often needs to have the skills of a Product Owner (especially in Agile teams). They need to know how to prioritize a backlog, communicate with developers, […]
The term "Minimum Viable Product" has lost its way. Over the years, the focus on MVPs has pushed many teams toward an output-over-outcome mindset. But here's the thing: The term MVP obscures what really matters Instead, I break an MVP down into two crucial components: 👉 MER: Are you proving value and viability? What is […]