In this special episode of the Product Weekend Podcast, host João Moita sits down with Sergiu Lazar, co-founder of Product Weekend, for a candid and informal conversation packed with insights for aspiring entrepreneurs and builders. This episode marks a transition for the podcast, making it the perfect moment to reflect on the journey so far and what’s ahead.

Sergiu shares his personal journey—from starting as a software engineer to launching startups, working at Amazon, and eventually taking the leap to go full-time on Product Weekend. He and João discuss the challenges of finding product-market fit, the impact of AI and no-code tools on building products, and the reality of quitting a corporate job to pursue entrepreneurship—especially when balancing family life.

The conversation is full of real, behind-the-scenes stories about how Product Weekend evolved from two separate initiatives into a thriving global community. They also discuss the future, including scaling events, creating recurring revenue streams, and new ways to support product leaders and aspiring founders.

Key Takeaways:

• Product-market fit is a moving target—what works in one place doesn’t always work elsewhere.
• AI and no-code tools are making it easier than ever to test ideas, but distribution and customer acquisition are now the bigger challenges.
• Balancing ambition and parenthood requires clear communication and a support system.
• Entrepreneurship isn’t a solo journey—building strong networks and partnerships is key.
• Prioritization is everything—you can’t excel at everything, so focus on what matters most.

This episode is an insightful, reflective, and engaging listen for anyone considering starting their own business or scaling an existing one. Tune in for a raw and inspiring discussion on what it really takes to build something meaningful.

In this episode of the Product Weekend Podcast, host João Moita welcomes Petra Wille, renowned Product Coach and author of Strong Product People and Strong Product Communities. They dive deep into developing strong product teams, the PM Wheel, and the crucial role of psychological safety in fostering high-performing teams.

Key Takeaways:

1. The PM Wheel: A Guide for Product Managers

Petra developed the PM Wheel as a compass for product leaders and managers, helping them assess their skills and set clear expectations. It aids in self-assessment, performance reviews, onboarding, and hiring. She emphasizes the importance of customizing it to fit an organization's needs.

2. Creating Psychological Safety in Product Teams

A safe environment encourages open discussions, innovation, and trust. Leaders must ensure every voice is heard, avoid discrimination, and balance vulnerability with competence. Petra highlights that psychological safety is not just a "nice-to-have"—it directly impacts team performance and engagement.

3. The Importance of Leadership in Product Management

Petra points out that 80% of product professionals feel unsupported in their career development. She urges leaders to be intentional about coaching and to embed continuous feedback and personal development into their one-on-ones.

4. Learning Headlines: A Framework for Growth

Petra introduces Learning Headlines, a structured way to identify skill gaps, set learning goals, and track progress. She advises product managers to focus on one area at a time, using real-world challenges as opportunities for growth.

5. Essential Skills for Aspiring Product Leaders

Two critical skills for product managers looking to step into leadership are feedback and storytelling.

- Feedback: Being able to give and receive constructive feedback is key to growth.

- Storytelling: Product leaders need to communicate strategy effectively and inspire their teams.

Episode resources:

- Petra on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petra-wille-b8b1329/

- Strong Product People books: https://www.strongproductpeople.com/

- PsychSafety definitions: https://psychsafety.com/about-psychological-safety/

- Jeff Gothelf blog post: https://jeffgothelf.com/blog/without-psychological-safety-there-is-no-learning-and-there-is-no-agility/

Timestamps

00:00 Coming Up

00:28 Intro

02:07 Petra's Career Journey

06:50 PM Wheel & Expectations

15:17 Learning Headlines & Future Self

21:49 Balancing Vulnerability & Competence

26:43 Resources on Psych Safety

29:16 Advice for Aspiring Product Leaders

In this insightful episode of the Product Weekend Podcast, João Moita sits down with Gina Battye to explore the critical role of psychological safety in the workplace. Gina shares her personal journey, from working in high-risk environments to founding the Psychological Safety Institute. She breaks down the key frameworks she has developed to help organizations create safer, more inclusive work cultures and discusses the common challenges companies face in achieving true psychological safety.

Key Takeaways:

• The Impact of Psychological Safety: Gina shares how her early career experiences shaped her passion for workplace safety, detailing both a supportive and a toxic work environment.
• The PSI Culture Framework: Understanding the five levels of workplace culture, from personal to organizational dynamics, and how they influence team performance.
• Hierarchy of Psychological Safety: A structured approach outlining the responsibilities at various levels within an organization to ensure a safe and productive work environment.
• Identifying Toxic Hotspots: How organizations can diagnose underlying cultural issues using data-driven tools like the Lux diagnostic survey.
• The Role of Leadership: Why leaders should be proactive rather than reactive in fostering a psychologically safe workplace.
• The Power of Role Modeling: Leaders influence workplace culture through their behavior, and fostering psychological safety starts with self-awareness and authenticity.

Resources Mentioned:

• Gina Battye’s book: The Authentic Organization:https://www.amazon.com/Authentic-Organization-Create-Psychologically-Workplace/dp/1394232276
• Connect with Gina on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ginabattye/
• Learn more about the Psychological Safety Institute: www.thepsi.global

Timestamps:

00:00 Coming Up

00:38 Intro

03:12 How Psych Safety Shaped Gina’s Career

05:42 Facing Workplace Discrimination

15:51 The 5 Levels of Workplace Culture

21:40 The Hierarchy of Psychological Safety

30:32 Biggest Challenges in Psychological Safety

39:04 Red Flags in Workplace Culture

47:39 Closing Thoughts

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Until next time—keep learning, leading, and making an impact!

In this episode of the Product Weekend Podcast, host Joao Moita welcomes Dr. Estie Alessandrini to discuss brain-based leadership and how neuroscience can enhance leadership effectiveness. Estie, a medical doctor turned entrepreneur and leadership expert, shares her insights on how understanding brain functions can improve team performance, psychological safety, and decision-making.

Key Takeaways

1. The Power of Neuroleadership: Neuroscience provides valuable insights into how we process information, influence behavior, and optimize leadership. Understanding brain function allows leaders to improve decision-making, emotional intelligence, and team collaboration.

2. Creating Psychological Safety: A psychologically safe environment enables team members to take risks, voice opinions, and contribute openly. Leaders can foster this by recognizing contributions, promoting trust, and balancing safety with accountability.

3. Leveraging Cognitive Diversity: Effective leadership involves recognizing diverse cognitive strengths within teams. Understanding different thinking styles and communication preferences fosters inclusion and enhances collaboration.

4. The Power Pause Technique: Dr. Alessandrini recommends using The Power Pause—a simple strategy combining short work sprints with brief bursts of physical activity and mindfulness. This technique helps regulate stress, boost focus, and enhance overall performance.

5. Brain-Based Leadership for Women: Female leaders often excel in empathy, communication, and collaboration. However, challenges like imposter syndrome and the pressure to conform can hinder growth. Brain-based leadership helps leverage strengths and build confidence.

6. Managing Team Burnout and Overload: While fostering psychological safety improves communication, it can sometimes lead to information overload and stress. Setting boundaries, promoting work-life balance, and encouraging rest and recovery are essential for sustainable success.

Dr. Alessandrini emphasizes that understanding how the brain works is crucial for becoming a more effective leader. By applying neuroscience-backed strategies, leaders can create high-performing, resilient, and psychologically safe teams.

Useful Links:

Estie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/estie-alessandrini/

Estie's Website: https://ekanovate.com/

Female Leader Program: https://ekanovate.com/female-brain-advantage-program/

Corporate Program: https://ekanovate.com/future-ready-leaders-training/

Leadership Development: https://ekanovate.com/workshops/

Timestamps:

00:00 Coming Up

01:09 Intro

03:00 Estie's Career Journey

05:03 The Brain’s Role in Leadership

15:37 Brain-Based Leadership for Female Leaders

19:59 Creating Psychological Safety in Teams

31:00 Managing Teams with Different Learning Styles

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

In this episode of the Product Weekend Podcast, host Joao Moita welcomes Joy Adamson, a seasoned leadership coach with years of experience in the development of psychologically safe environments within teams. With her extensive experience in fostering empathy, enabling open dialogue, and driving innovation, Joy shares valuable insights on the importance of trust in product teams. The discussion delves into practical strategies for creating an inclusive and high-performing workplace while exploring the critical role that psychological safety plays in unlocking team potential.

Key Takeaways

Dive into this episode for actionable insights on building trust and psychological safety in your teams!

Timestamps:

00:00 Coming Up

02:54 Joy's Background

04:58 Transition to Product Management

10:09 Agile Transformation Experience

17:53 Cultural Differences Impacting Collaboration

26:25 Addressing Conflict in Teams

37:39 Building Trust in Multicultural Teams

49:30 Balancing Quick Wins and Long-Term Goals

51:56 Closing Reflections