Product Leadership: Lessons from Proven Leaders

Key Takeaways

Mastering Finance & Executive Communication

Sonia A. shares key insights on working with senior stakeholders and executives:

• Understanding finance is crucial—learn to read the P&L.
• When communicating with executives, less is more. Keep it succinct, focusing on the bottom line and competitive impact.
• Junior PMs care about how a feature benefits them—frame conversations around business value.

Own Your Career Growth

• Your boss is not responsible for your career—you are. Take charge of your professional development.
• Find your tribe: Engage with communities such as Mind the Product, Reforge, Hustle Badger, and Singularity to stay relevant and connected.
• Prioritise wellbeing: Exercise, meditation, and analogue activities can enhance leadership effectiveness.

Be a Leader, Not Just a Manager

Debbie McMahon on leadership:

• "True leaders don't create followers. They create more leaders."
• Focus on enabling your team rather than micromanaging.
• Read Turn the Ship Around for leadership inspiration.

Building a Strong Product Strategy

• No two product organisations are the same—adapt strategies to the company's stage and needs.
• Show junior PMs what a great product strategy document looks like—don't just talk about it.
• Be invisible when things run smoothly but highly visible when needed.
• Automate repetitive tasks (e.g., weekly reports) to free up time for strategic work.

Execution in Fast-Paced Environments

• Many SaaS companies can't afford to wait six months for a perfect product framework—they need features now.
• Sometimes, you just need to rip the bandaid off and execute.
• Talk to your customers—real user feedback is invaluable.

Culture of Excellence

• Care about the quality of tech, design, and the overall user experience.
• Understand your customers' pain points—know everything about your product.
• Sweat the small stuff. Dogfood your product—use it daily to spot friction points.
• No more MVPs—Mews is moving beyond the MVP mindset.

Further Reading & Resources

• Turn the Ship Around – A must-read for product leaders.
• Acquired Podcast – Deep dives into product strategies and business success stories.
• Explore product toolkits tailored to your organisation's stage and needs.