Product Therapy

In this episode, Christian Idiodi sits down with author and leadership coach Kate Leto to explore the power of emotional intelligence (EQ) in product management. They break down the critical human skills that set great product practitioners apart, and share tactics and strategies to develop them.

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Today’s discussion unpacks:

• The four key competencies of EQ

• How high EQ accelerates a product career

• Signs of weak EQ

• The critical “inner and outer games”

• Building EQ using the “self-awareness trilogy”

• Why EQ matters more than ever in the age of AI

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References:

• Dr Dan Siegel’s Hand Model of the Brain

• Emotional Self Control Probably Doesn't Mean What You Think

• Empathy is (an important) Part of Your Job as a Product Leader

• Hiring Product Managers: Using EQ to go beyond culture and skill

• What People (Still) Get Wrong About Emotional Intelligence

• What Got You Here Won’t Get You There

• What is Emotional Intelligence?

• Why Emotional Intelligence Is Important in Leadership

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Where to find SVPG:

• SVPG’s Newest Book: TRANSFORMED

• More SVPG Books & Resources: Books | Articles | Workshops | Videos

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Where to find Christian Idiodi:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cidiodi/

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Where to find Kate Leto:

• Books & insights: https://www.kateleto.com/books-and-insights

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kateleto/

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Timestamps:

(00:44) The four key competencies of EQ

(04:18) Signs of weak EQ

(08:01) Starting with self-awareness

(10:33) Managing emotions in the workplace

(14:28) The role of empathy in leadership

(17:03) The link between EQ and influence

(21:19) A simple daily reflection tactic

(24:18) How to use “trusted critics” for growth

(25:24) The value of observational feedback

(27:28) Why you need “growth partners”

(29:10) Why high EQ gives you an edge in the AI era

(31:37) Outro

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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

In this episode, Christian Idiodi welcomes back Martina Lauchengco, partner at SVPG and author of “Loved”, to explore the realities of startups. They discuss common challenges and key lessons for startup founders, employees, and investors. Whether you're considering launching your own company or evaluating a job opportunity, this episode offers valuable guidance on understanding and navigating startups.

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Today’s discussion unpacks: 

• What startup success requires (far beyond a good idea)

• Cultural differences between startups and enterprises

• How to tell if you’re truly ready to start a company

• How to assess if a startup is worth joining

• The pros and cons of startup life

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References:

• Costanoa Ventures: https://costanoa.vc/

• MARKET Product Fit: Part 2 by Martina Lauchengco and Jim Wilson: https://costanoa.vc/market-product-fit-part-2/

• PMF is dead… it’s MARKET Product Fit by Martina Lauchengco and Jim Wilson: https://costanoa.vc/product-market-fit-pmf-is-dead-for-early-stage-startups-its-market-product-fit/

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Where to find SVPG:

• SVPG’s new 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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Where to find Christian Idiodi:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cidiodi/

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Where to find Martina Lauchengco:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinalauchengco/

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Timestamps:

(00:51) Signs you should start your own company

(2:26) A good idea is not enough 

(3:44) How to assess if you’re ready to work in startups 

(06:31) The extremely high quality bar for new products 

(09:44) Some traits of great founders

(12:25) Finding the right co-founder

(14:27) The first steps to take in a startup

(16:48) What startups should focus on 

(18:29) What's scary about startups

(20:44) The upsides of startup life

(22:01) What to look for in startup hire #1

(23:13) How to assess if a startup is worth joining 

(25:52) Startup culture vs enterprise culture

(27:17) Leading indicators of startup success vs failure

(29:30) Outro

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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

In this episode, Christian Idiodi and fellow SVPG partner, Lea Hickman, discuss remote collaboration. They deconstruct the challenges remote work poses and actionable advice for overcoming them.

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Today’s discussion unpacks:

• Why remote collaboration is hard

• Common anti-patterns within remote teams

• The value of debate

• Why you should turn “self-view” off on video calls

• How to prioritize proximity between teams

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References:

• Discovery When Working Remotely by Marty Cagan: https://www.svpg.com/discovery-when-working-remotely/

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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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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/

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Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro

(00:36) The advantages of co-location

(04:03) Remote vs in-person tradeoffs

(06:33) How to prioritize proximity between teams

(10:22) The trap of false trust when working remotely

(12:14) The problem with collaborating over artifacts

(14:48) What collaboration really means

(16:59) The best collaboration tool

(19:54) The “always on” technique

(25:39) The value of debate within teams

(29:04) Collaborating across roles and functions

(33:02) The relationship between team structure, accountability, and blame games

(35:29) Incentivizing collaboration between leaders

(38:38) Outro

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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

In this episode, Christian Idiodi sits down with SVPG founder Marty Cagan to discuss transformation politics. They break down the delicate organizational dynamics that emerge during product transformations, and practical strategies for navigating them.

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Today’s discussion unpacks:

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References:

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Where to find SVPG:

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Where to find Christian Idiodi:

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Where to find Marty Cagan:

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Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro

(00:32) Why Marty became interested in this topic

(03:34) Common political dynamics within transformations

(05:54) Who you need to win over

(07:22) The power of pilot teams

(14:11) Utilizing champions

(18:08) Framing a transformation effort to the CEO

(25:00) Setting expectations around outcomes

(30:01) Where teams and leaders lose trust

(35:49) Balancing short-term maintenance with longer-term innovation

(38:45) The politics of picking problems

(42:59) Closing thoughts

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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

In this episode, Christian Idiodi swaps from interviewer to interviewee. He breaks down his approach to employee onboarding, prompted by fellow SVPG partner, Chris Jones. Learn about the hidden dynamics in every employee onboarding, and Christian’s day-by-day guide for navigating them. Whether you are actively onboarding talent or need to re-onboard existing staff, this episode will help you set your team up for success.

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Today’s discussion unpacks:

Why onboarding time is a rare and precious resource

The hidden dynamics in every onboarding

How to enable trust between new and existing team members

A step-by-step guide to a new hire’s first weeks

Christian’s favorite tactics from years of onboardings

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References:

Coaching Tools - The One on One by Marty Cagan: https://www.svpg.com/coaching-tools-the-one-on-one/

New Employee Bootcamp by Christian Idiodi: https://www.svpg.com/new-employee-bootcamp/

Social Comparison Theory: https://dictionary.apa.org/social-comparison-theory

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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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Where to find Christian Idiodi:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cidiodi/

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Where to find Chris Jones:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisjonessvpg/

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Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro

(01:20) Why onboarding matters

(03:13) Trust dynamics with new hires

(06:57) Onboarding starts before day 1

(12:57) Framing onboarding

(18:07) Onboarding in cohorts

(21:44) Creating a safe initial environment

(23:07) Week 1

(25:39) Week 2

(27:58) Onboarding to a remote team

(31:32) Critical onboarding milestones

(35:22)  The first paycheck

(39:07) Creating public wins

(41:14) Closing thoughts

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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

In this episode, Christian Idiodi sits down with SVPG founder Marty Cagan to discuss founder-style leadership. Building on themes from Paul Graham’s essay “Founder Mode,” Christian and Marty break down what effective product leadership looks like. Anyone can learn these skills through enough effort and care, whether they are a founder or not.

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Today’s discussion unpacks:

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References:

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Where to find SVPG:

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Where to find Christian Idiodi:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cidiodi/

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Where to find Marty Cagan:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cagan/

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Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro

(00:44) Initial reactions to "Founder Mode"

(03:46) "Better management" not "less management"

(06:18) Historical examples of founder-style leadership

(10:22) Founder-style leadership in startups

(14:44) Scaling product sense

(23:46) Europe's "People-Only Manager" trend

(26:34) The line between founder-style leadership and micromanagement

(33:00) Shifting a culture toward founder-style leadership

(37:06) Success stories: Apple and Amazon

(40:13) Closing thoughts

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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

In this episode, Christian Idiodi and fellow SVPG partner, Chris Jones, discuss time management. Many people in product feel they work long hours yet can’t achieve their goals. They spend so much time in meetings and reacting to what is urgent that they struggle to make space for real product work. These problems can be rooted in team culture or individual skills and habits. Either way, with the right strategies, effective time management is possible. 

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In this discussion we unpack:

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References:

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Where to find SVPG:

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Where to find Christian Idiodi:

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Where to find Chris Jones:

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Timestamps:

(02:22) The Eisenhower Matrix

(05:14) The link between team culture and time management 

(06:47) Causes and solutions for "too many meetings" 

(14:21) The Pie Chart Exercise

(17:39) Seven tips for better meetings

(21:12) The four types of meetings 

(27:10) Making time for discovery work

(30:47) Closing thoughts

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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

In this episode, Christian Idiodi and fellow SVPG partner, Martina Lauchengco, discuss product marketing. Martina is a leading mind on the subject and the author of “Loved: How to Rethink Marketing for Tech Products.” Learn what product marketing is, how it fits with other functions, and why it ultimately matters.

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In this discussion we unpack:

References:

Where to find SVPG:

Where to find Christian Idiodi:

Where to find Martina Lauchengco:

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Timestamps:

[00:00:00] Intro

[00:01:37] Product marketing 101

[00:03:24] Which companies need product marketing?

[00:07:30] Structuring product marketing

[00:09:40] How product marketing differs from traditional marketing and sales 

[00:10:28] An example of successful product marketing

[00:14:46] Healthy collaboration between product marketing and product management

[00:18:57] How to do product marketing without product marketers

[00:20:52] Making the case for product marketing at your company

[00:24:03] Outro

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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

In this episode, Christian Idiodi and fellow SVPG partner, Jon Moore, coach product career advice. In recent years, the level of interest, formality and resourcing around product careers has grown significantly. But there are still many misconceptions about the nature of the discipline, how to break into it, and how to progress in the field. Hear Christian and Jon’s candid thoughts on the different resources available, as well as practical advice for entering product and developing your career.

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In this discussion we unpack:

• Approaching your career like a product
• The value of certifications vs self-education vs life experience
• The role of mentorship and coaches
• The importance of “human skills”
• What employers look for when hiring PMs

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References:

• Kate Leto on “Human Skills”: https://www.kateleto.com/articles/human-skills-wheel

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Where to find SVPG:

• SVPG’s new 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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Where to find Christian Idiodi:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cidiodi/

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Where to find Jon Moore:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathonmoore/

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Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro

(01:22) Jon's journey into product

(04:26) Common paths to becoming great at product

(08:50) Advice for people interested in a product career

(11:10) Are formal courses valuable?

(15:29) How John assesses early-career PMs

(17:52) The importance of "human skills”

(24:04) Make a product vision for your product career

(28:48) The importance of humility and patience

(32:18) What people forget about product roles

(36:34) Outro

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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

In this episode, Christian Idiodi and fellow SVPG partner Lea Hickman go deep on stakeholder collaboration. They explain what a stakeholder is and exactly how to collaborate with them. Learn from real life examples and tactical advice for avoiding common pitfalls.

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In this discussion we unpack:

• A practical definition or “stakeholder”
• How they can be enablers rather than barriers
• The importance of being proactive
• Why one-on-ones are better than group meetings
• How to navigate stakeholder-driven roadmaps

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References:

• 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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Where to find SVPG:

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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/

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Timestamps:

[00:01:15] Defining "stakeholder" (voice vs vote)

[00:04:12] Example of identifying and engaging stakeholders

[00:09:35] Example of stakeholders being enablers, not barriers

[00:11:01] The importance of being proactive

[00:13:21] Engaging via documents vs conversations

[00:16:13] Why one-on-ones are better than group meetings

[00:17:53] The value of engaging with the sales team

[00:19:43] Navigating stakeholder-driven roadmaps

[00:24:24] How to help stakeholders understand customer problems

[00:27:14] The rule of improv in stakeholder engagement

[00:28:23] Outro

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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