Organisational Tipping Points: Navigating the Evolving Landscape of Growing Companies
As leaders, we celebrate the milestones of our growing companies. We toast to new clients, product launches, and expanding teams. Yet, amidst the excitement, there's an undeniable shift that happens at certain stages and a truth that we must acknowledge: companies change as they grow. It's as if an unseen hand shifts the very essence of our organisations at certain points. I call these moments ‘tipping points’ - crucial junctures where the dynamics of communication, decision-making, and even the company's shared identity undergo subtle but profound transformations.
Celebrating Unsung (and oft-Forgotten) Women: Pioneers, Inventors, and Innovators.
As we commemorate International Women's Day, it's crucial to shine a spotlight on the unsung heroines whose contributions have significantly shaped the realms of business, finance, software, and technology. Often overshadowed and undercredited, these pioneers have not only innovated and invented but have also demonstrated that the world needs more women in leadership roles.
The Strategic Advantage of a Fractional or Interim Chief Product Officer
In the ever-evolving business landscape, CEOs often grapple with challenges surrounding growth, positioning, innovation, and fostering a product-centric culture. One increasingly popular solution is hiring a Fractional Chief Product Officer (CPO) or an Interim CPO. This approach not only offers flexibility and specialised expertise but also aligns well with the dynamic needs of businesses, particularly in high-growth or transitional phases.
Progressing through the Product Team
In the years I’ve spent as Chief Product Officer I’ve worked with hundreds of product professionals to hone their skills, develop their progression, and build their careers. This is an introduction to how I see roles and responsibilities build in a well-structured and cleanly-operated Product team.
An Ethical Charter for Artificial Intelligence
I studied Artificial Intelligence at Saïd Business School, which is part of the University of Oxford. The six-week executive education program focused on both the commercial opportunities for, and the operational impact of, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Deep Learning. As part of my course deliverables I was tasked with creating an Ethical Charter for AI. This is the result of that project.
The Product Manager Toolkit
When I hire Product Managers, of any level, I use this toolkit to assess their strengths - and potential - in a number of areas. This helps me benchmark, share my view of “what good looks like”, and create longer term development pathways for team members. I share it here in case it’s useful for you as you build and develop your own Product team.
The Top 20 Attributes for a Product Leader
When asked “what makes a great Product person?” I usually like to think about the attributes, teachings, and models spoken about by some of the great product voices I’ve followed in my own career. This list changes from time to time but my current top 20 includes a rich aggregation of qualities that would make any product leader stand out in their field.