If you’re working in product or strategy—or teaching others to think like strategists like I am—you’ve probably felt […]
Unlocking Competitive Advantage with “7 Powers”
Thinking in Metrics
Effective product management hinges on selecting and using the right metrics. Not all metrics are created equal—only those […]
Building a Strategy: Answering the Five Essential Questions
When it comes to building a successful strategy, start with clarity around your mission and vision. Your mission […]
The Tale of the Two Bakeries: A Business Fable
In the small town of Glenhaven, there were two bakeries. At the north end was Whisk & Whittle, […]
The Importance of Giving Feedback Early: Don’t Let Resentment Fester
Giving feedback can be uncomfortable. But holding back and letting small frustrations simmer is far worse. When we […]
Getting Started with Outcome Thinking
One of the biggest challenges people face when adopting OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) is shifting from output […]
Switcheroo for Practicing Difficult Conversations
A great role-playing exercise for practicing difficult conversations is The Switcheroo, which helps participants step into different perspectives […]
What Does Good Look Like?
One of my favorite teaching tricks is having students create their own rubrics for projects. At work, you’re […]
Why We Struggle to Get Things Done: Common Pitfalls
We all have things we want to achieve—whether it’s personal goals like getting fit or professional milestones like […]
Building a Product Management Class
When I set out to create a course on product management three years ago, I knew it would […]
Five Effective Ways to Quiet a Room After a Workshop Exercise
Getting a room of workshop participants or students to settle down after a lively exercise can be tricky. […]
The Easiest Way to Start Working with OKRs
If you’ve ever found yourself knee-deep in a project and wondering, “What the hell are we really trying […]
What You Want isn’t Always What You Want
I was sitting on a patio with two of my dearest friends, polishing off a second bottle of […]
The Product Journey and the Product Portfolio
A product’s journey from inception to decline involves several distinct phases. Understanding these phases is crucial for anyone […]
Fast Ways to Estimate Capacity
Estimating the capacity of your organization or team quickly is crucial for setting realistic goals and effectively planning […]
Understanding Organizational Capacity: Why It Matters in OKR Practice
Setting goals is crucial for any organization, and one effective method for doing this is through OKRs (Objectives […]
Building an Instinct for Metrics
In any organization, informed decision-making relies heavily on the use of analytics. Analytics is the systematic analysis of […]
Why We Struggle to Prioritize
Why We Struggle to Prioritize: Insights from My Work Prioritization is one of the most challenging tasks we […]
King of the Mountain, er, Middle
In product management, there’s a classic image that almost everyone in tech knows: the Venn diagram where the […]
Setting Personal OKRs
Life happens. It’s easy to get swept away by our myriad responsibilities and lose sight of our personal […]
Pre-Work for Setting OKRs
Pre-Work for Setting OKRs: Building a Foundation for Success Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) offer a proven framework […]
Using Ikigai with Personal OKRs
Finding and achieving the right goals in life isn’t easy. You may feel pulled in multiple directions and […]
Harnessing Confidence Ratings for Effective OKRs
OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) are like a compass for organizations, helping teams align around clear objectives and […]
Diagrams for Thinking Through a Digital Products’ Architecture
I’m sharing this out in case some educator benefits from it. If you want to go a little […]
Using Temporal Landmarks for Effective OKRs Adoption
Anyone familiar with Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) knows that the heartbeat of this framework is its cadence—how […]
Cialdini’s Influence: The Secret to Achieving OKRs
Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) are a powerful framework for achieving strategic goals. In practice, it can be […]
The effect of goal setting on group performance: A meta-analysis
Introduction to Something New! This blog is 24 years old, and I’ve done many things with it. I’ve […]
Navigating Prioritization: Four Approaches
In the world of product development, mastering the art of prioritization is a survival skill. It’s about making […]
Beyond Indecision: The Psychological Forces Shaping Our Choices
Achieving peak productivity hinges on focus, a theme central to “Radical Focus.” However, making informed decisions, essential for […]
Crafting Personal OKRs for Real Change
In the quest for personal growth and improvement, setting Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) can be a transformative […]