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INDUSTRY: The Product Conference is coming up on September 24-25 in Cleveland, Ohio. I'm proud to be an INDUSTRY alumnus as a past speaker thanks to Mike Belsito, and it really is one of the best conferences for Product Managers and Product Leaders out there. You'll learn from some of the best of the best in product, meet peers that you can build real relationships with, and find that inspiration you're looking for. Register at: https://lnkd.in/gnPGJcpg  Use code: INDUSTRYxAlumni

Are you coming to our free Masterclass on Customer Discovery Monday February 12th @ 10am PT? Learn how to go beyond the traditional forms of customer discovery, to understand the full picture of your customer's needs & wants. Join Prerna Singh for this interactive session. Register for free: https://lnkd.in/eqDXm9q4

🙋♀️ The manager mindset is a fundamental shift and often requires a completely different set of skills from a person's previous role. Here are some key takeaways of how to navigate the transition to a Manager from our Leadership course with Alison Go 🚀   🔄 Foundational Shift: Embracing the manager mindset signifies a fundamental shift towards a people-centered and relational role, demanding an entirely new skill set from one's previous position.   🗣️ Influence and Communication Mastery: The first crucial shift is acknowledging the paramount importance of influence and communication. Managers need to excel in these areas as much as they do in their primary skills, be it coding, reporting, spreadsheeting, or any other expertise.   🔍 Purposeful Interaction: Each interaction becomes purposeful, requiring the building of trust with stakeholders, mastering the art of knowing what to say and when, and understanding the intricacies of human connections.   🎯 Control Misconception: Contrary to the misconception of increased control, managers find themselves more aligned and directing than ever. The responsibility extends beyond setting goals to aligning and guiding the team effectively.   💡 Navigating Complexity: Managing people involves navigating the delightful complexity of human nature, a challenge that continually surprises but defines the role's exceptional difficulty.   🔥 Proximity to Challenges: As one climbs the hierarchy, proximity to organizational challenges increases, whether dealing with visionary leaders or navigating uncontrolled elements like disruptions and unforeseen events.   🛑 Managing Arrogance Goblin: Avoiding the arrogance goblin is pivotal, as some managers resort to micromanagement, erroneously believing that doing the work themselves is the best path to results.   ⚖️ Balancing Leadership Styles: The spectrum ranges from micromanagement to laissez-faire patterns. Effective managers strike a balance, avoiding extremes and cultivating a healthy, accountable work culture.   😡 Avoiding Emotional Toxicity: The desire to be liked can lead to emotional toxicity, hindering the ability to provide useful feedback and enforce accountability, putting teams at risk during challenging market conditions.   💪 Embracing Discomfort: Great managers embrace discomfort, understanding that bold action is essential in a world that constantly changes. Questioning the status quo becomes a fundamental part of the managerial role.   👊 Facing Fears Head-On: Managers must manage their fear of failure and the fear of seeming incompetent, not shying away from bold action when necessary.   🚀 Forward-Thinking Career Management: As individuals progress in their careers, contemplating managerial roles necessitates weaving these perspectives into their work for personal success, business success, and the success of their teams. You only have a few days left to enroll in our Leadership Deconstructed course: https://lnkd.in/gs8PNJks

🤔 Ever wondered what it truly means to be "strategic" in your career?   Well, in our Leadership Deconstructed course our Resident Scholar, Alison Go (Meta & Amazon) sheds light on how to form your vision and articulate an opinionated strategy. As you progress in your career having a clear vision and being strategic becomes increasingly apparent, this is your chance to master it! 💡 Key Takeaways    It's More Than Just Decision-Making: Back in the day, Alison, like many of us, thought being strategic was all about making the right calls at the right time. But as she gained experience, she realized it's a whole lot more. Strategy isn't just about the what, it's about the why and the how too.   Crafting a Narrative: Ever heard someone say, "Tell me a story"? Well, that's what being strategic is all about—creating a compelling narrative around your decisions. It's about putting your choices into context, linking them to the bigger picture of what your organization is trying to achieve.   Vision + Strategy = Winning Combo: Think of vision as seeing the forest, and strategy as navigating through the trees. Your vision is all about spotting the big problem and dreaming up a future where that problem is history. Strategy? That's about figuring out the sneaky roadblocks standing in your way and plotting a course to overcome them.   Back It Up with Data: Your vision and strategy might be rock solid in your head, but without some hard evidence to back them up, they're just pipe dreams. Alison stressed the importance of using data and testimonials to give your ideas some serious street cred.   Communication Is Key: Last but not least, being strategic isn't just about having great ideas—it's about being able to explain them in a way that makes sense to others. So, brush up on your storytelling skills and get ready to pitch your vision like a pro!   So, there you have it—next time your boss tells you to "be more strategic," you'll know exactly what they mean. It's not just about making decisions; it's about crafting a killer narrative, backing it up with evidence, and selling it like a boss! 🎟️ Our Leadership Deconstructed course starts on February 12th. Enroll today & get weekly live mentorship from an industry leader, plus 20 hours of video lessons & assignments. Enroll now (limited spots):https://lnkd.in/gs8PNJks

"Some of the natural traits of a leader have to be there in order to take advantage of the opportunity." 🌟 In our Leadership Deconstructed course we sit down with some of the tech industries trailblazing leaders. Kirstine Stewart (top exec at Twitter, CBC & Hallmark) shared invaluable insights into her leadership journey. 💡 Some key takeaways ✨ Embrace Individual Traits: Kirstine emphasizes the importance of innate leadership traits. Some qualities cannot be taught but must be inherent. Recognizing and leveraging these traits is crucial for seizing opportunities and navigating the complexities of leadership. ✨ Learning Through Experience: Kirstine highlights the profound impact of learning on the job. Working her way up, she underscores the significance of experiencing a variety of bosses – both great mentors and those who present challenges. The diversity in leadership styles contributed significantly to shaping her own approach. ✨ Framework from Diverse Experiences: The key takeaway is the need for a personal leadership framework. It's a blend of learning from exceptional mentors and, interestingly, from those who posed challenges. This synthesis forms the basis of an effective leadership style, emphasizing the importance of adaptability. Kirstine Stewart's leadership journey serves as a beacon for aspiring leaders. Embrace your innate traits, learn through diverse experiences, craft your unique framework, and recognize the value in the journey itself. 🚀 Join the upcoming live cohort of our Leadership Deconstructed course, you have one week left to register: https://lnkd.in/gs8PNJks

🧠 Are you sabotaging your Leadership potential with a limiting mindset?   In our Leadership Deconstructed course our Resident Scholar Alison Go (Meta & Amazon) dissects the five mindset shifts you need to make if you want to be an effective Leader. 🎟️ The next live cohort starts on February 12th, enroll today: https://lnkd.in/gs8PNJks 💡Here's some key takeaways: - Career Progression: Each stride forward connected with a profound shift in Alison's overarching work and life philosophy. It's not just about navigating through roles; it's about evolving perspective.   - Evolution of Thought Processes: Initially consumed by the pursuit of being right all the time, Alison relied on having the correct answer. However, this approach revealed a plateaued impact, prompting a reevaluation of her approach. - Identifying a Blind Spot: Amidst the pursuit of correctness, there existed a blind spot – a neglect of effective communication, relationship-building, and the delicate art of trust-earning.   - A Pivotal Realization: Beyond the surface-level focus on improving communication skills, Alison had a realization – the importance of communication itself. It's a game-changer that transcends conventional wisdom.   - Mindset Check: The catalyst for transformation lay in a critical mindset shift. It entailed dislodging old work patterns, paving the way for the emergence of novel skills and approaches.   - Alison's Struggle Unveiled: Wrestling with the formidable Arrogance of Knowledge, this ongoing battle serves as a testament to continuous growth and self-awareness.   - Embarking on a Growth Journey: The process of unlearning these goblins extends beyond the professional realm; it's a lifelong pursuit deeply rooted since upbringing.   - Mindset Shift: Catalyst for Skill Unveiling: Embrace the power of mindset shifts, changing your mindset unlocks a cascade of newfound skills and capabilities.   - A simple truth: Change your mindset, and the skills follow, creating a transformative impact on both career and life 

🌟 "The course was meticulously structured and showcased some of the industry's most seasoned and enthusiastic product leaders. I wholeheartedly recommend this course.." Shannon Nagaoka Learn more about our Product Strategy & Leadership course & join a future cohort: https://lnkd.in/gQU_TDjV

📩 You're invited: Deconstruction Persuasion: How to Speak and Be Heard, a free live Masterclass by Alison Go on January 31, 9am PT: https://lnkd.in/efkxbUBj Some strategies you will learn to be an effective communicator: 🚀 🎯 Purpose Matters: Keep Your Vision Clear In leadership, it's common to encounter communication for the sake of talking. Building rapport and trust are crucial, but persuasion requires a clear vision. One cannot be persuasive if the purpose is muddled or unclear. As a leader, grounding yourself in the 'why' is paramount. If you're aiming to convince others of a strategy, tool, or workflow change, always keep that overarching goal at the forefront. 🔍 Clarity Over Complexity As a manager of people, I've often observed that the number one stumbling block is the lack of clarity on the goal. It's not uncommon for individuals to create extensive documents making a case for something without clearly defining what they want to achieve. While detailing strategies and tools, the 'why' is sometimes overlooked or buried within pages of documentation. Clarity should reign supreme. 🤔 The Manager's Dilemma In the role of a manager, the fundamental question becomes, "What are you trying to accomplish?" This is more than just rhetoric; it's a challenge to consistently articulate the purpose behind your initiatives. Whether it's advocating for a specific strategy or implementing a new tool, always keep the 'why' front and center. It may seem obvious, but the frequency of overlooking this crucial step is surprising. 📝 Takeaway: Ground Yourself in Purpose Leadership is not just about talking; it's about purposeful communication. Always ground yourself in the 'why' before delving into the 'what' and 'how.' Whether you're a manager advocating for change or an individual crafting a persuasive argument, remember that a clear purpose is the driving force behind effective leadership. 🌐💡

🙋♀️ Who's coming to our free seminar next week with Alison Go on Deconstructing Persuasion: How to Speak and Be Heard?

🚨 Free live seminar: Deconstructing Persuasion, How to Speak and Be Heard with our Leadership Deconstructed course Resident Scholar, Alison Go (ex Meta & Amazon) on Wednesday, January 31st @ 9amPT. Register for free: https://lnkd.in/efkxbUBj 🌟 What You Will Learn: The Value of Communication Skills: Discover why communication skills become increasingly vital as you advance in your career. Uncover the key to making your voice resonate in any professional setting.   Influence Without the Pressure: Learn effective strategies to influence without the anxiety of traditional "public speaking." Explore techniques that empower you to convey your message confidently and authentically.   Mindset Myths Debunked: Gain valuable insights into the common mindset myths that might be hindering your progress. Overcome mental barriers and unleash your full communication potential.   🎯 Who Is This For: The Knowledge Holder: If you have all the answers but struggle to make people listen, this seminar is tailored for you. Learn to communicate your insights effectively and captivate your audience.   Impact Seekers: For those who aspire to increase their impact and influence, this seminar provides practical strategies to elevate your presence and leave a lasting impression.