A team doesn’t always need a dedicated product manager.

In startups, founders often take on this role naturally, using their deep understanding of the market and their vision for the product.

In larger companies, if the team already has a strong handle on strategy, data and market needs, they can absolutely operate without a formal PM. However, someone still needs to take charge of the product function - making prioritisation decisions clear and aligning the team around common goals.

Feature prioritisation isn’t always about frameworks like ICE (Impact, Confidence, Effort).

Sometimes, it’s about building momentum - creating buzz, lifting morale or staying ahead of competitors.

The challenge is finding the balance between chasing these quick wins and staying true to your long-term vision.

Sharing your mistakes with your team can speed up everyone’s growth. Be honest about your errors, even when your boss is around.

Just don’t overdo it - finding the right balance helps maintain trust and confidence in your leadership.

I can’t recall where I found this picture, but it’s such an interesting analogy. Leadership is like farming—nurture the right conditions and growth will follow.

That said, sometimes you end up with the wrong crops or weeds mistaken for crops and it’s just as important to weed those out.

Culture is shaped by the people within it. Sometimes, one person is all it takes to spark positive change.

An employee who offers genuine encouragement, lends a hand to solve a problem or suggests small but meaningful improvements can transform a team’s energy — one action at a time.

This is the quiet yet powerful force of influence.

Amplify their voices.
Support them.
Elevate them.

Let their impact ripple further.

Silos.

Break them whenever you see them.

Silos keep teams from seeing the whole market picture.

Silos risk losing sight of the customer, prioritising internal goals and creating a fragmented experience.

Silos slow everything down - teams hold onto information, delaying solutions.

Silos leave teams blind to risks outside their scope.

Expertise vs open-mindedness.

Sometimes it’s hard to tell if someone’s perspective is genuinely the best approach or if they’re just anchored in familiar thinking. What if they don’t even know what “awesome” could look like?

On the other hand, knowing when to hold your ground versus when to let things go can be even trickier. What if I don’t know what “awesome” feels like and am just comfortable with my usual approach?

Define who’s making the call before a debate starts.

That person takes in everyone’s input but in the end they own the final decision.

It cuts down on endless debates and helps the team align around a single direction—even if not everyone agrees at first.

A short post about unstoppable teams.

Sharing problems doesn’t mean solving them.

Early in a product management career, it’s tempting to package every problem with a solution. It feels efficient and helpful but it can limit your team’s creativity. Presenting ready-made answers shifts focus from understanding the problem to critiquing your idea. This shortcut skips the messy, collaborative process where the best solutions often emerge.

Teams thrive when they tackle challenges together. Give them the problem—leave space for their brilliance.