The Product Weekend Podcast is dedicated to empowering individuals in product management and those making the transition. While seasoned professionals will find...
Communication is the Answer with Francesca Cortesi
In this episode, host Joao Moita sits down with Francesca Cortesi, a seasoned product leader with a rich background spanning the fashion industry to product management. Together, they dive deep into thought-provoking topics such as psychological safety in teams, the evolving role of product managers, and strategies for fostering effective communication and collaboration across functions.
Francesca shares her candid thoughts on why the “CEO of the product” mindset is flawed and offers actionable insights on creating impact as a product leader. Whether you’re looking to challenge conventional thinking or refine your leadership approach, this conversation is packed with lessons you won’t want to miss.
Key Takeaways
1. Rethinking the Product Manager Role
Francesca challenges the traditional “CEO of the product” narrative, emphasizing that the essence of product management lies in facilitating decisions, not centralizing them.
2. Psychological Safety and Team Dynamics
Francesca explains psychological safety as the foundation of open communication, where team members feel safe to disagree, share challenges, and flag issues. Practical advice is offered for building psychological safety both within teams and across departments, including fostering trust and addressing conflicts proactively.
3. Balancing Curiosity with Boundaries
While product managers must engage with stakeholders and ask the right questions, Francesca warns against overcommitting and provides strategies for managing workload and maintaining focus.
4. Facilitating Effective Cross-Functional Collaboration
Francesca discusses the importance of creating forums for collaboration and social activities to foster relationships between teams. She shares her approach to resolving conflicts by shifting discussions from personal to professional contexts and acting as a facilitator when tensions arise.
5. Trust as a Leadership Tool
Francesca highlights the role of trust in creating collaborative environments and offers her perspective on reframing challenges with the assumption of good intentions.
Timestamps:
00:00 Coming Up
00:42 Intro
03:49 From Fashion to Product Management
07:13 Rethinking the Product Manager Role
16:59 The Role of a Product Manager
27:43 Psychological Safety in Teams
34:50 Building Trust Across Departments
41:12 Closing Remarks
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44:38
Visual Mapping to Improve Alignment w/ Christoph Steinlehner
Welcome to the Product Weekend Podcast! In this enlightening episode, host Joao Moita sits down with Christoph Steinlehner, a seasoned product coach and consultant, to explore the powerful intersection of team alignment, psychological safety, and effective visualization. Christoph, the creator of the MAPPER framework, shares invaluable insights into how visual mapping can drive innovation and create a work environment where team members feel valued and heard. Their conversation delves into practical tools and methodologies for fostering stronger collaboration within teams, making it a must-listen for anyone looking to enhance their team dynamics.
Key Takeaways:
- Christoph Steinlehner emphasizes the importance of psychological safety in team discussions, particularly when tackling difficult topics, highlighting the need for leaders to foster open communication.
- The MAPPER framework introduced by Christoph provides a structured approach to help teams map their thoughts and clarify their objectives, making it easier for diverse perspectives to converge.
- Visual mapping techniques, such as employing sticky notes and collaborative whiteboards, can help externalize thoughts and make complex discussions more accessible, promoting clarity and shared understanding among team members.
- Christoph discusses common challenges teams face, such as differing perspectives and internal politics, and how fostering an environment where everyone can share their thoughts leads to better collaboration and outcomes.
- The episode underscores the need for leaders to present ideas in a non-authoritarian manner, welcoming feedback while making it clear that these ideas are part of a collective exploration rather than directives.
- By asking "stupid" questions, as Christoph puts it, team members can invite deeper discussions and uncover assumptions that might otherwise remain unchallenged, thus driving better alignment and understanding.
- The practical steps shared by Christoph for implementing visual mapping can be applied directly to improve team dynamics, making it easier for teams to work together effectively.
This episode is packed with expert strategies and insights that can help any product manager or team leader cultivate a more collaborative and psychologically safe work environment. Tune in to gain actionable advice you can implement in your teams today!
Timestamps:
00:00 Coming Up
02:16 Christoph's Career Journey
08:15 Challenges in Team Dynamics
16:54 Visual Mapping Techniques
22:00 The Mapper Framework in Practice
32:12 Building Trust Through Questions
38:24 Closing Thoughts and Inspirations
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41:37
Emotional Intelligence for Leaders w/ Kate Leto
Welcome to the Product Weekend podcast! In this episode, we have the pleasure of speaking with Kate Leto, an executive coach, author, and consultant renowned for her expertise in product management and leadership development. Today, we're diving deep into essential leadership topics, including psychological safety within teams, emotional intelligence, and the impact of coaching on executive performance. Kate emphasizes the importance of authenticity in leadership and how it fosters growth and connection in organizational dynamics. Join us as we uncover actionable insights that can help any leader enhance their effectiveness and build more meaningful relationships with their teams.
Key Takeaways
- Kate Leto discusses the concept of psychological safety and its significance in creating high-performing product teams, highlighting that a safe environment encourages open dialogue and innovation.
- Emotional intelligence is presented as a critical skill for leaders, where self-awareness and the ability to manage one's emotions directly influence team dynamics and overall success.
- The episode emphasizes the need for coaching skills in leadership, encouraging leaders to ask questions rather than simply providing answers, which promotes problem-solving within teams.
- Kate shares practical strategies for leaders to improve team interactions, such as practicing active listening and being present in conversations to help team members articulate their thoughts and challenges.
- The importance of a community among leaders is discussed, as shared experiences and mutual support can significantly enhance leadership effectiveness and foster a culture of continuous learning and growth.
Tune in to discover more about these pivotal topics that drive successful teams and inspiring leadership!
Useful links
Connect with Kate on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kateleto/
Get Kate's Habit Tracker: https://www.kateleto.com/gated/content/habit-tracker1
If you're interested in the Group Coaching, reach out directly to Kate: [email protected]
Timestamps
00:00 Coming Up
04:35 Kate's Career Journey
09:07 Understanding Emotional Intelligence
19:26 Building Self-Awareness
24:54 Transitioning to Leadership
34:56 Storytelling in Product Management
45:07 Closing Remarks
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50:43
Impact of Psych Safety in Different Industries w/ Tom Geraghty
In this engaging episode of the Product Weekend Podcast, host Joao Moita welcomes Tom Geraghty, a renowned expert in digital transformation and psychological safety. As the founder of the Psych Safety community, Tom has extensive experience in fostering environments where every team member feels valued and safe to contribute. This episode marks a special milestone as it delves into the critical topics of building resilient teams, the role of psychological safety in innovation, and practical strategies to empower teams to thrive in today's fast-paced work environment. Join us for an insightful discussion as we explore how psychological safety can transform the way teams collaborate and innovate.
Key Takeaways
Understanding Psychological Safety: Psychological safety is defined as the belief that team members can speak up without fear of punishment or humiliation, fostering an environment suitable for interpersonal risk-taking.
Importance Across Industries: The necessity of psychological safety varies by industry. It is fundamental in high-stakes environments like aviation and healthcare, where communication can directly impact outcomes.
Impact on Team Resilience: Organizations that cultivate psychological safety benefit from increased innovation, better problem-solving, and enhanced collaboration, ultimately driving business success.
Addressing Misconceptions: Psychological safety is often misunderstood as merely a "fluffy" concept. However, it is vital for tangible outcomes such as cost savings and efficiency improvements.
Actionable Strategies: Leaders can implement simple yet effective strategies to boost psychological safety in their teams, such as encouraging open dialogue and actively seeking diverse perspectives.
Role of Community: Engaging with communities focused on psychological safety can provide valuable insights and help professionals across various sectors implement best practices.
This episode not only provides theoretical knowledge but also practical insights for listeners interested in improving team dynamics and fostering a culture of safety and openness.
Find out more about Tom and the Psych Safety community:
https://psychsafety.co.uk/
Book recommendation:
https://www.amazon.com/Human-Organization-Potential-Ivan-Pupulidy/dp/B0CQ477B5F
Timestamps
00:00 Coming Up
00:40 Introduction
03:50 Tom's Background
09:29 Ecology and Systemic Thinking in Leadership
17:43 Psychological Safety: Workplace Buzzword?
29:40 Challenges in Implementing Psychological Safety
36:16 Resources and Community
39:00 Closing Remarks
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44:01
The Power of Diverse Teams w/ Esra Yetis
In this exciting episode of the Product Weekend podcast, host Joao Moita welcomes digital technology consultant Esra Yetis, a passionate advocate for psychological safety and diversity in teams.
Together, they explore the critical importance of fostering an inclusive environment within organizations. Join them as they discuss how embracing diverse perspectives can drive innovation and enhance collaboration, even amidst the challenges of transformation.
This episode is packed with insights for leaders and team members alike, designed to empower all participants in the workplace.
Key Takeaways:
- Understanding Psychological Safety: Esra Yetis emphasizes the need for organizations to create psychologically safe environments where team members feel safe sharing their ideas, contributing to a culture of openness and trust.
- Importance of Diversity: Diverse teams are proven to outperform homogenous groups in problem-solving and innovation. Different backgrounds and expertise contribute richly to creative solutions and unique perspectives.
- Building Trust within Teams: Key strategies for establishing trust include open communication, active listening, and regular feedback loops, fostering a sense of belonging among team members.
- Navigating Organizational Transformation: Esra discusses the challenges organizations face during transformation efforts and how psychological safety is essential to encourage personnel to embrace change rather than resist it.
- Practical Tools for Leaders: Leaders are encouraged to facilitate discussions on team values through exercises like the Team Canvas, enabling groups to agree on shared principles and understand individual strengths and weaknesses.
Feel free to share these insights with your network and inspire others to prioritize psychological safety and diversity within their teams!
Resources mentioned:
(minute 10) The Lippitt-Knoster Model:
https://changemanagementinsight.com/lippitt-knoster-model-for-complex-change/
(minute 14) Team of Teams : New Rules of Engagement for a Complex World
https://www.amazon.com/Team-Teams-Rules-Engagement-Complex/dp/1591847486
Timestamps:
00:00 Coming up
04:28 Esra's Career Path
10:03 Transformation Challenges
11:58 Building Trust in Teams
20:22 Psychological Safety in the Workplace
25:38 Safe Spaces at Work
31:02 True Diversity vs Marketing
35:17 Leadership and Inclusion
37:29 Closing Remarks
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40:28
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The Product Weekend Podcast is dedicated to empowering individuals in product management and those making the transition. While seasoned professionals will find value in our remarkable guest lineup, our primary focus is on providing essential support and insights for those newer to the field. We've felt the pain of uncertainty and lack of guidance, which is why we're here. Consider our guests as your remote mentors, ready to inspire with their experiences. Tune in bi-weekly for episodes featuring experienced professionals across the product spectrum.
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