In this episode of the Product Opscast, Graham Reed and Antonia Landi discuss the importance of emotional intelligence in product leadership with special guest Pippa Topp. They explore how self-awareness and understanding others can enhance team dynamics, the role of psychological safety in fostering open communication, and the significance of authentic leadership and self-belief. The (spicy) topic of calling out the challenges of balancing business demands with emotional intelligence is covered, as is transforming organizational culture, and the necessity of product PR to highlight the human aspect of product management. This one is an emotional rollercoaster!

“Authentic leadership requires self-discovery”

Highlights:

* Emotional intelligence (EQ) starts with self-awareness and understanding others.

* Psychological safety is crucial for open communication and team dynamics.

* Defensiveness in teams can be managed through EQ.

* Authentic leadership requires self-discovery and confidence.

* Transformational roles, such as Product Ops, need support and clarity to succeed.

* Building connections fosters a positive work environment.

* Human interactions are essential in scaling businesses.

* Emotional intelligence can lead to sustainable impact in organizations.

* Product PR helps in showcasing the value of product teams.

* Self-belief is foundational for effective leadership.

Resources Mentioned:

Emotional Intelligence - Daniel Goleman

Dare to Lead - Brene Brown

The Call to Courage - Brene Brown - Netflix

Watch here on Substack, or listen on your favourite platform. We’re on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts

In this episode of the Product Opscast, Graham Reed and Antonia Landi discuss the critical role of communication in product management with special guest Jake Brereton, COO of LaunchNotes. They explore Jake’s journey through Atlassian, the challenges of effective communication in scaling organisations, and the importance of understanding audience needs. Also on the agenda: the impact of poor communication on business outcomes, strategies for celebrating successes and learning from releases, and modern product conversations wouldn’t be completed with discussing the role of AI in product management.

Highlights:

* Communication is fundamental to life, not just business.

* Understanding audience needs is crucial for effective communication.

* Timing is key in product communication.

* Celebrating successes helps reinforce team morale and transparency.

* Effective communication strategies can enhance customer engagement.

* Poor communication can lead to missed opportunities and revenue loss.

* AI can assist in communication, but cannot replace the human touch.

* Product managers must communicate clearly and frequently.

* Referencing company strategy in communications fosters accountability.

Resources Mentioned:

Watch here on Substack, or listen on your favourite platform. We’re on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts

In this resource launch special of the Product Opscast, Graham Reed interviews podcast alumni Jana Debusk about the launch of her collaborative framework for measuring Product Operations.

It is a pleasure to partner with Jana Debusk to bring this resource to you (Let’s be honest, Jana did all the work, we’re just publishing!), a resource that will continue to evolve as more and more is learnt about measuring ourselves and our teams in the Product Ops profession.

Watch here on Substack, or listen on your favourite platform. We’re on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts

In this episode of the Product Opscast, Graham Reed and Antonia Landi chat with friend and fellow podcaster Justin Woods, founder of Roadmap Heroes, to discuss the intricacies of product management and roadmapping. They explore the importance of strategic roadmaps, the challenges of ownership and communication, and the need for audience-centric approaches. Also on the agenda: continuous planning, collaboration across teams, the significance of discovery in the roadmapping process, and throughout everything, how Product Ops plays a key role in orchestrating teams to do all of this at their best.

“This is about roadmapping, not just roadmaps…”

Highlights:

* Most companies struggle with effective roadmapping.

* A good roadmap is a strategic artefact for communication and alignment.

* Roadmaps should focus on problems, ideas, value, outcomes, and themes.

* Different stakeholders often require different views of the roadmap.

* The roadmap is not just for product teams; in fact, it is less useful operationally for product teams than anyone else.

* Continuous planning and collaboration are essential for effective roadmapping.

* Discovery and exploration should be celebrated just as much as delivery

* Roadmaps should reflect both past learnings and future plans.

* The job to be done for a roadmap varies by organisation and maturity.

* Roadmapping is a process, not just a one-time artefact.

Resources Mentioned:

HEROES Framework

Roadmap Audience Canvas

Interpreting Roadmaps - Article

Strategic & Delivery Roadmaps - Article

Watch here on Substack, or listen on your favourite platform. We’re on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts

In this episode of the Product Opscast, Graham Reed and Antonia Landi sit down with Anthony Maggio, VP of Product at Airtable, to discuss the evolution and significance of product operations, particularly in the context of AI. We explore how product operations is being implemented across various industries, the role of AI in enhancing workflows, and the innovative tools being developed at Airtable. We also cover the democratisation of software creation and the potential for AI to transform product management practices, and the critical importance of creativity and adaptability in the evolving product ops role.

Highlights:

* Every company is becoming a digital product company.

* Product operations is becoming essential across industries, not just tech.

* The role of product operations is still evolving and varies by organisation.

* Creativity is fast becoming a core skill in product operations.

* Anyone can build an AI agent with the right tools.

* The future of product operations is exciting with new AI capabilities.

* What is new and upcoming with Airtable, particularly with AI Agents

Watch here on Substack, or listen on your favourite platform. We’re on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts

In this episode of the Product Opscast, Graham Reed and Antonia Landi are joined by Malte Scholz, co-founder and CPO of AirFocus, to discuss the intricacies of product operations & digital transformation in traditional organisations, and the challenges of change management. We explore the importance of leadership in product management, the role of tooling in facilitating transformation, and the balance between building and buying tools. Malte shares insights on how to navigate the uncomfortable middle of change and the entrepreneurial mindset needed for product leaders

Highlights:

* The majority of companies are not digital natives and need to adapt.

* Product ops is often not where organisations start their digital transformation.

* Empathy and understanding the context are crucial in product management.

* Change management is often uncomfortable and requires strong leadership.

* Tools should facilitate, not dictate, how teams work.

* Communication is key to effective leadership in product management.

* A sense of urgency is essential for successful transformation.

* Less is often more when it comes to tools and processes.

* Entrepreneurial thinking is vital for product leaders.

Watch here on Substack, or listen on your favourite platform. We’re on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts

In this episode of the Product Opscast, Graham Reed and Antonia Landi are joined by Amy Rohan, Product Ops Director at Vista, to discuss her journey into product operations and the importance of navigating strengths and gaps as a leader. They explore personality assessments, change management, team dynamics, and the significance of understanding cultural nuances in global teams

Highlights:

* The importance of understanding one's strengths and gaps as a leader.

* Personality assessments can provide valuable insights for product ops professionals.

* Change management requires understanding individual personalities and past experiences.

* Building a strong product community enhances collaboration and innovation.

* Psychological safety is crucial for team dynamics and performance.

* Regular one-on-ones can significantly improve feedback and team engagement.

* Cultural nuances impact communication and collaboration in global teams.

* Focusing on strengths can lead to a more fulfilling career in product ops.

Watch here on Substack, or listen on your favourite platform. We’re on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts

In this episode of the Product Opscast, Graham Reed and Antonia Landi are joined by Matt LeMay, author & product management consultant, to discuss his career in both product and music, and his latest book, 'Impact-First Product Teams’.

Highlights:

* Product management should align with the commercial reality of the business.

* Agile transformations often fail due to a lack of understanding of local contexts.

* Communication is essential for effective product management and team collaboration.

* Self-reflection is crucial for continuous improvement in product operations.

* High-leverage tactics can lead to significant improvements in product management.

* Change management is the hardest part of implementing new processes.

* Understanding how a business operates is key to effective product management.

* The challenges faced by companies are often similar, regardless of size or industry.

* Templates and processes should not be enforced without understanding team needs.

* Busy work can be a coping mechanism that hinders productivity.

“Busy becomes a coping mechanism at a certain point.”

Watch here on Substack, or listen on your favourite platform. We’re on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts

In this episode of the Product Opscast, hosts Graham Reed and Antonia Landi get a fresh perspective of the world, according to Engineering Operations, with expert Emily Koehler, Engineering Operations professional from Expel.

We hash out the intricate balance between Product and Engineering Ops, the importance of decision-making frameworks in both, and how these roles can, and should, harmonise to drive innovation and efficiency.

Emily shares her journey from aspiring UN translator to tech leader, offering insights into the challenges and triumphs of managing operational strategies, and lays out how engineering ops can transform your organisation's decision-making and strategic alignment.

Watch here on Substack, or listen on your favourite platform. We’re on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts

In this episode of the Product Opscast, hosts Graham Reed and Antonia Landi are joined by special guest Fo Neale-May, a VP of Product Operations, to explore the complexities of scaling product thinking in today's tech landscape.

Fo outlines how to transition from tactical execution to strategic partnership with teams and leaders, the role of AI in enhancing efficiency (because it wouldn’t be a conversation in 2025 without mentioning AI!), and the importance of a problem-first mindset.

Whether you're a product leader or part of a cross-functional team, this episode offers valuable strategies to align your organisation and drive impactful outcomes.

Enjoy

Watch here on Substack, or listen on your favourite platform. We’re on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts