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Christian sits down again with product and leadership coach Gabi Bufrem – this time to discuss pilot teams. They dig into the common challenges that come with this initiative and the actions and mindsets required to overcome them. Hear hard-earned wisdom on how to use pilot teams to spark organizational change.
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Today’s episode will discuss:
Why pilot teams are a powerful tool for facilitating transformation
The ingredients of a high-impact pilot team
Why pilot teams are proof points not prototypes
How to navigate the organizational politics that pilot teams run into
How to pitch and position pilot teams to others in the company
What successful pilots look like and how to scale their impact
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More from SVPG on pilot teams:
Pilot Teams: https://www.svpg.com/pilot-teams/
The Politics of Pilot Teams: https://www.svpg.com/the-politics-of-pilot-teams/
Transformation as a Project: https://www.svpg.com/transformation-as-a-project/
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Where to find Gabi Bufrem:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabriellebufrem/
Website: https://www.gabriellebufrem.com/
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Where to find Christian Idiodi:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cidiodi/
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Where to find SVPG:
SVPG’s newest book, TRANSFORMED: https://www.svpg.com/books/transformed-moving-to-the-product-operating-model/
Other books: https://www.svpg.com/books/
Articles: https://www.svpg.com/articles/
Workshops: https://www.svpg.com/
Videos: https://www.svpg.com/videos
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Timestamps:
(01:55) Defining pilot teams
(03:56) What makes a good pilot team
(07:23) Where to start with assembling a pilot team
(09:14) The role of sponsorship
(13:16) Pilot teams should live on an island
(20:17) Signs a pilot team is working
(22:58) What to do following a successful pilot
(27:34) Common mistakes with pilot teams
(30:08) How to pitch transformation to an executive
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Disclaimer:
While this podcast is named “Product Therapy”, it is not hosted by licensed therapists or mental health professionals, and it is in no way a substitute for professional mental health services. We recognize the importance of mental well-being and encourage anyone facing personal difficulties to seek support from qualified professionals. See https://findahelpline.com/
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Production:
Production by supermix.io
Christian sits down with product leader Shreyas Doshi to dig into a perspective-shifting idea: Most product problems are actually product leadership problems. They unpack how new leaders unintentionally erode trust, why saying “I don’t know” is treated like a crime in many companies, and how judgment, courage, and listening shape outcomes more than any framework.
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Today’s episode will discuss:
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References:
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SVPG on product leadership:
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Where to find Shreyas Doshi:
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Where to find Christian Idiodi:
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Where to find SVPG:
SVPG’s newest book, TRANSFORMED: https://www.svpg.com/books/transformed-moving-to-the-product-operating-model/
Other books: https://www.svpg.com/books/
Articles: https://www.svpg.com/articles/
Workshops: https://www.svpg.com/
Videos: https://www.svpg.com/videos
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Timestamps:
(00:44) How product leaders build trust
(01:25) When new leaders erode trust
(07:54) The true cost of saying “I don’t know”
(10:45) How insincerity manifests in the workplace
(16:12) The need for modeling great leadership
(18:30) How to accurately diagnose problems
(27:22) The insurgence of “framework theater”
(32:03) How AI has radically changed leadership
(35:20) AI isn’t going anywhere
(41:35) The critical skills any leader must learn
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Disclaimer:
While this podcast is named “Product Therapy”, it is not hosted by licensed therapists or mental health professionals, and it is in no way a substitute for professional mental health services. We recognize the importance of mental well-being and encourage anyone facing personal difficulties to seek support from qualified professionals. See https://findahelpline.com/
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Production:
Production by supermix.io
Christian sits down with Lea to demystify roadmaps, stripping them down to their job-to-be-done: connect strategy to execution without pretending ideas are certainties. They dig into how to craft outcome-based roadmaps that ladder to business results, when timeframes beat dates, and how to use high-integrity commitments without turning your plan into a promise trap, or feature factory.
Today’s episode will discuss:
Why executives love roadmaps yet teams resent them
The two types of roadmaps destined to fail
How to frame outcomes in a roadmap
Why timeframes trump dates
When to use high-integrity commitments (HICs)
Coaching leaders to swap false control of features for real control of context
The four common roadmap anti-patterns
Who really owns the roadmap
How to ensure roadmaps and OKRs get along nicely
Earning trust with evidence and measuring impact, not output
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References:
Apple (iPhone): https://www.apple.com/iphone/
Atlassian Jira: https://www.atlassian.com/software/jira
High-Integrity Commitments: https://www.svpg.com/managing-commitments-in-an-agile-team/
Slack: https://slack.com/
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More from SVPG on roadmaps:
SVPG on product roadmaps: https://www.svpg.com/product-roadmaps/
SVPG on outcomes: https://www.svpg.com/outcomes-are-hard/
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Where to find Lea Hickman:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leahickman/
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Where to find Christian Idiodi:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cidiodi/
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Where to find SVPG:
Books: https://www.svpg.com/books/
Articles: https://www.svpg.com/articles/
Workshops: https://www.svpg.com/
Videos: https://www.svpg.com/videos/
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Timestamps:
(1:06) What is a roadmap?
(02:18) Why roadmaps are often hated
(04:18) The problem with top-down roadmaps
(05:32) You need outcome-based roadmaps
(10:02) Why roadmaps shouldn’t have dates
(12:38) How to give teams greater roadmap autonomy
(16:08) The four most common roadmap traps
(20:04) Who should own a roadmap?
(21:47) Focus on outcomes, not features
(25:24) Can roadmaps and OKRs co-exist?
(30:06) High-integrity commitments in roadmaps
(32:33) How to navigate the politics of roadmaps
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Disclaimer:
While this podcast is named “Product Therapy”, it is not hosted by licensed therapists or mental health professionals, and it is in no way a substitute for professional mental health services. We recognize the importance of mental well-being and encourage anyone facing personal difficulties to seek support from qualified professionals. See https://findahelpline.com/
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Production:
Production by supermix.io
Gabi Bufrem is a product and leadership coach who partners with executives and teams worldwide to unlock performance with a rare blend of curiosity, empathy, and candor. In this conversation with Christian, Gabi breaks down what great coaching looks like, how to build trust quickly, and why the best leaders measure their success through the growth of others.
Today’s episode will discuss:
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References:
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More from SVPG on product coaching:
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Where to find Gabi Bufrem:
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Where to find Christian Idiodi:
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Where to find SVPG:
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Timestamps:
(01:08) What does a product coach do?
(06:18) Gabi’s journey into coaching
(10:01) Coaches see what you can’t
(15:05) How to encourage healthy dialogue
(18:36) The power of vulnerability
(20:26) Designing discovery sessions
(24:55) Revealing clients’ blind spots
(27:10) How to give constructive feedback
(32:44) “My job is to teach you how to fish”
(37:04) A mindset for improving communication
(40:25) Coaching leaders vs. coaching ICs
(42:28) Measuring success as a coach
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Disclaimer:
While this podcast is named “Product Therapy”, it is not hosted by licensed therapists or mental health professionals, and it is in no way a substitute for professional mental health services. We recognize the importance of mental well-being and encourage anyone facing personal difficulties to seek support from qualified professionals. See https://findahelpline.com/
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Production:
Production by supermix.io
Christian sits down with Jon Moore to unpack one of the most important — and most misapplied — practices in modern product teams: team objectives. They break down why OKRs often fail, how to make objectives meaningful for empowered teams, and why focus, trust, and problem-solving are at the heart of real product outcomes.
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Today’s discussion unpacks:
What team objectives really are (and aren’t)
Why most companies get OKRs wrong
How to shift from outputs to outcomes
The role of leadership in creating focus and context
How to set clear, problem-based objectives
The difference between team, business, and individual objectives
Why functional goals kill cross-functional teams
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References:
Empowered (book): https://www.svpg.com/books/empowered/
Google OKRs: https://rework.withgoogle.com/guides/set-goals-with-okrs
Marty Cagan on Empowered Teams: https://www.svpg.com/empowered-product-teams/
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SVPG series on team objectives:
Accountability: https://www.svpg.com/team-objectives-accountability/
Action: https://www.svpg.com/team-objectives-action/
Ambition: https://www.svpg.com/team-objectives-ambition/
Collaboration: https://www.svpg.com/team-objectives-collaboration/
Commitments: https://www.svpg.com/team-objectives-commitments/
Empowerment: https://www.svpg.com/team-objectives-empowerment/
Management: https://www.svpg.com/team-objectives-management/
Overview: https://www.svpg.com/team-objectives-overview/
Summary: https://www.svpg.com/team-objectives-summary/
Where to find Jon Moore:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathonmoore/
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Where to find Christian Idiodi:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cidiodi/
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Where to find SVPG:
SVPG’s newest book, TRANSFORMED: https://www.svpg.com/books/transformed-moving-to-the-product-operating-model/
Other books: https://www.svpg.com/books/
Articles: https://www.svpg.com/articles/
Workshops: https://www.svpg.com/
Videos: https://www.svpg.com/videos
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Timestamps:
(00:56) What are company objectives?
(02:39) Why teams get OKRs wrong
(05:10) The true purpose of a team objective
(07:48) OKRs only work with the right team culture
(09:04) Leaders often want success shortcuts
(09:58) The mechanics of a great team objective
(13:28) Who should set team objectives?
(18:23) The optimal cadence for revising objectives
(20:11) Why environment shapes key results
(22:41) You should lead with context
(25:14) The high-integrity commitment
(27:50) Can many teams share one objective?
(28:59) A common objective pitfall
(30:29) How to reinforce accountability
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Disclaimer:
While this podcast is named “Product Therapy”, it is not hosted by licensed therapists or mental health professionals, and it is in no way a substitute for professional mental health services. We recognize the importance of mental well-being and encourage anyone facing personal difficulties to seek support from qualified professionals. See https://findahelpline.com/
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Production:
Production by supermix.io
Christian sits down with Marty to demystify one of the most talked-about, yet misunderstood topics in product: product strategy. They draw sharp lines between business strategy, go-to-market, vision, and product strategy; dig into why lack of focus masquerades as a “prioritization problem”; and unpack how strong product strategy drives alignment and results.
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Today’s discussion unpacks:
A clear definition of product strategy
How product strategy differs from business strategy
What “we have a prioritization problem” really means
Earning stakeholder trust
Moving from feature roadmaps to outcome-based roadmaps
How to pick focus areas
How to increase the odds of success
When and how AI belongs in your product strategy
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References:
AMD: https://www.amd.com
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com
Apple: https://www.apple.com
Boeing: https://www.boeing.com
Coaching Transformation: Inside Datasite’s Radical Transformation to a Product Model Powerhouse https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8qnxHlfXwU
Datasite: https://www.datasite.com
Empowered (book): https://www.svpg.com/books/empowered/
Google DeepMind: https://deepmind.google
Netflix: https://www.netflix.com
Nvidia: https://www.nvidia.com
OpenAI: https://www.openai.com
SpaceX: https://www.spacex.com
TechCrunch: https://techcrunch.com
TSMC: https://www.tsmc.com
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More from SVPG on product strategy:
Articles on product strategy: https://www.svpg.com/insights/product-strategy-articles/
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Where to find Marty Cagan:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cagan/
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Where to find Christian Idiodi:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cidiodi/
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Where to find SVPG:
SVPG’s newest book, TRANSFORMED: https://www.svpg.com/books/transformed-moving-to-the-product-operating-model/
Other books: https://www.svpg.com/books/
Articles: https://www.svpg.com/articles/
Workshops: https://www.svpg.com/
Videos: https://www.svpg.com/videos
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Timestamps:
(01:34) Defining product strategy
(05:43) Product strategy vs. business strategy
(13:51) Do you need a product vision?
(16:03) What characterizes a good strategy?
(23:25) How to coach executives on focus
(30:49) Earning stakeholder trust
(36:09) Who should solve and who should strategize?
(38:11) Annual planning vs. real strategy
(41:25) The two components of a product strategy
(45:14) Where product strategies fail
(48:41) How does AI impact product strategy?
(52:43) Strategic pivots: making the strategy a living artifact
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Disclaimer:
While this podcast is named “Product Therapy”, it is not hosted by licensed therapists or mental health professionals, and it is in no way a substitute for professional mental health services. We recognize the importance of mental well-being and encourage anyone facing personal difficulties to seek support from qualified professionals. See https://findahelpline.com/
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Production:
Production by supermix.io
Christian sits down with Anuar Chapur and Gabrielle Bufrem to recount how they transformed Palace Resorts, a Mexico-based hospitality company with 15,000 employees and more than 6,000 rooms across seven countries. Together, they unpack the cultural shifts, mindset changes, and problem-solving approaches that helped a hospitality company start thinking and operating like a tech company.
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Today’s discussion unpacks:
How transformation drove 5x higher conversion rates and millions in cost savings
Concrete examples of how the company worked before and after transforming
The role of coaching, trust building, team topology, and pilot teams
The biggest challenges on the transformation journey
Advice for anyone considering or undergoing transformation
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References:
Changing How You Solve Problems: https://www.svpg.com/changing-how-you-solve-problems/
SVPG’s Transformation Series: https://www.svpg.com/transformation-series/
Transformation Defined: https://www.svpg.com/transformation-defined/
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Where to find Palace Resorts
Company website: https://www.thepalacecompany.com/es
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/palaceresorts/
Resorts website: https://www.palaceresorts.com/
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Where to find SVPG:
SVPG’s newest book, TRANSFORMED: https://www.svpg.com/books/transformed-moving-to-the-product-operating-model/
Other books: https://www.svpg.com/books/
Articles: https://www.svpg.com/articles/
Workshops: https://www.svpg.com/workshops/
Videos: https://www.svpg.com/videos/
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Where to find Anuar Chapur:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anuar-chapur/
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Where to find Gabrielle Bufrem:
Website: https://www.gabriellebufrem.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabriellebufrem/
Newsletter: https://theproductleaderinsider.substack.com/
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Where to find Christian Idiodi:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cidiodi/
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Timestamps:
(00:00) Intro
(00:55) The company before transformation
(06:24) Bringing in a coach and building trust
(09:49) Gabrielle’s initial assessment
(11:20) Setting up a pilot team
(16:44) Problem discovery and problem solving
(18:26) Measuring success
(21:19) Using data to inform decisions and build trust
(23:12) An example of the product-mindset shift
(27:18) Changing team topology
(30:42) Biggest challenges on the transformation journey
(35:02) The results of transformation
(39:07) Advice for anyone going through a transformation
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Disclaimer:
While this podcast is named “Product Therapy”, it is not hosted by licensed therapists or mental health professionals, and it is in no way a substitute for professional mental health services. We recognize the importance of mental well-being and encourage anyone facing personal difficulties to seek support from qualified professionals. See https://findahelpline.com/
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Production:
Production by supermix.io
Christian sits down with fellow SVPG partner Lea Hickman to tackle a topic that rarely gets discussed openly: coaching up. Why is it taboo to give feedback to your manager? How do you coach leaders who are checked out, micromanaging, or think they’re always right? Hear Lea’s wisdom from her time coaching leaders and leading teams herself at companies like Adobe and IBM.
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Today’s discussion unpacks:
Why coaching up is different from managing up (and why it matters)
How to ask for coaching and feedback, even from disengaged or difficult managers
What to do when your manager thinks they’re always right
Navigating ego, insecurity, and imposter syndrome in leadership
How to “manage up” when your manager is new or underqualified
Using a personal “user manual” to decode your manager’s style
Why shaping your relationship with your manager is your responsibility too
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References:
Adobe: https://www.adobe.com/
IBM: https://www.ibm.com/
Marty Cagan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cagan/
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Where to find Christian Idiodi:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cidiodi/
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Where to find Lea Hickman:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leahickman/
–
Where to find SVPG:
SVPG’s newest book, TRANSFORMED: https://www.svpg.com/books/transformed-moving-to-the-product-operating-model/
Other books: https://www.svpg.com/books/
Articles: https://www.svpg.com/articles/
Workshops: https://www.svpg.com/
Videos: https://www.svpg.com/videos/
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Timestamps:
(02:18) The taboo of coaching up
(04:04) Coaching up vs. managing up
(05:11) What to do if your manager doesn’t coach you
(08:28) Managers need to learn how to coach
(11:08) Coaching a manager who’s “always right”
(16:19) The real challenges of imposter syndrome
(17:17) How to coach a manager who isn’t engaged
(23:25) Underrated tools to help you coach up
(24:21) Write your own user manual
(31:32) When coaching up doesn’t work
(33:24) Two core skills to become a better employee
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Disclaimer:
While this podcast is named “Product Therapy”, it is not hosted by licensed therapists or mental health professionals, and it is in no way a substitute for professional mental health services. We recognize the importance of mental well-being and encourage anyone facing personal difficulties to seek support from qualified professionals. See https://findahelpline.com/
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Production:
Production by
supermix.io
Christian sits down with Shreyas Doshi to discuss product leadership. Shreyas has led teams at Stripe, Twitter, Google, and Yahoo, and he has coached 100s of founders and product executives across the industry. Learn why most product problems are product leadership problems, and how to hire the right product leader for your company stage.
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Today’s discussion unpacks:
Why nearly every product problem is a product leadership problem
The essence of great product leadership
3 archetypal leadership styles—and how to spot them
The key questions to ask before hiring a product leader
How to hire the right product leader for your company stage
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References:
3 types of product leaders: https://coda.io/@shreyas/3-product-leader-archetypes
The MSN exercise for hiring: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/shreyasdoshi_a-job-description-jd-is-the-first-thing-activity-7058964842530934784-4H8F/
SVPG articles on product leadership: https://www.svpg.com/insights/product-leadership-articles/
Switching from creating to editing products: https://x.com/shreyas/status/1284499367383035904
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Where to find Christian Idiodi:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cidiodi/
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Where to find Shreyas Doshi:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shreyasdoshi/
X/Twitter: https://x.com/shreyas
Threads: https://www.threads.com/@shreyas.threads
Shreyas’ Product Sense Course (for founders & product leaders): https://maven.com/shreyas-doshi/product-sense
More: https://linktr.ee/shreyasdoshi
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Where to find SVPG:
SVPG’s newest book, TRANSFORMED: https://www.svpg.com/books/transformed-moving-to-the-product-operating-model/
Other books: https://www.svpg.com/books/
Articles: https://www.svpg.com/articles/
Workshops: https://www.svpg.com/
Videos: https://www.svpg.com/videos/
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Timestamps:
(00:00) Episode intro
(00:20) Shreyas’ product leadership philosophy
(07:37) Defining the product leader role
(12:46) Step #1 before hiring a product leader
(15:55) The most important consideration when hiring product leaders
(17:33) A common failure pattern in product leadership hiring
(19:53) The 3 archetypal product leadership styles
(25:35) How to uncover someone’s product leadership style
(31:37) The MSN exercise
(37:13) Before hiring a product leader, ask yourself these questions
(40:39) Closing recap
(42:25) Where to find more from SVPG
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Disclaimer:
While this podcast is named “Product Therapy”, it is not hosted by licensed therapists or mental health professionals, and it is in no way a substitute for professional mental health services. We recognize the importance of mental well-being and encourage anyone facing personal difficulties to seek support from qualified professionals. See https://findahelpline.com/
–
Production:
Production by supermix.io
Christian sits down with Marty Cagan to decode team topology: one of the most consequential yet misunderstood levers in product organizations. Learn how great leaders design product teams for maximum autonomy, clarity, and customer impact.
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Today’s discussion unpacks:
–
References:
–
Where to find SVPG:
–
Where to find Christian Idiodi:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cidiodi/
–
Where to find Marty Cagan:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cagan/
–
Timestamps:
(00:00) Intro
(0:46) What is team topology?
(1:56) Top-down vs. bottom-up approaches
(3:01) Team topology ≠ org structure
(5:26) Optimizing for outcomes vs. throughput
(10:20) 3 signs you have a topology problem
(15:24) Who should own team topology?
(17:17) The surprising value of platform teams
(18:14) How do you define a product?
(20:36) The first step in a topology project
(22:23) The cost of scaling teams
(24:52) What high-performing topology requires
(25:13) Balancing resources and ratios
(32:36) Rolling out team topology changes
(33:34) Dismantling bureaucratic team bloat
(40:42) Addressing legacy teams and bureaucracy
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Disclaimer:
While this podcast is named “Product Therapy”, it is not hosted by licensed therapists or mental health professionals, and it is in no way a substitute for professional mental health services. We recognize the importance of mental well-being and encourage anyone facing personal difficulties to seek support from qualified professionals. See https://findahelpline.com/
–
Production:
Production by supermix.io
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