Overheard in product: Tools, leadership, skill sets, good ideas, and deep breaths

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TL;DR

We’re back with part 18 of Overheard in Product—a series where we round up all of the tantalizing conversations from product folks that you may have missed on the web last week.

This week, we overheard why tools are only half the battle, what true leadership actually means, overlapping skill sets, what to do with low priority good ideas, and how your biological response to water can calm anxiety.

Let’s get to it.

Human error

Giff Constable, CPO at Meetup, clarified the importance of using tools for a purpose.

this is a tweet from giff constable about tools like okrs, lean, agile, cynefin, design thinking, etc.

Food for thought: What tools are you using that could be pointed in the wrong direction? When’s the last time you ensured you were pointing them in the right direction?

Wallow the leader

Bhavika Shah, Product at Pluralsight, quoted James Aylward by breaking down leadership into two powerful steps.

this is a tweet from bhavika shah that reads: leadership = repeating yourself and awkward conversations

Food for thought: When you think you’ve said it too many times, someone is hearing it for the very first time. As they say, “repetition doesn’t ruin the prayer!

If not now, then Venn?

Designer Maryam Zaidi championed overlapping T-shaped skill sets in product and design.

this is a tweet from maryzai about the intersection of ux design and product managers

Food for thought: On your current team, how much overlap do your designers and product managers have? How can you inspire folks to bring different perspectives to a problem?

Don’t get the wrong (good) idea

Richard Banfield, CEO at Fresh Tilled Soil, explained exactly what you should do with low-priority but good ideas.

this is a tweet from richard banfield about what to do with good ideas that are kept on the backburner

Food for thought: And if you are concerned that they won’t come back up, here’s how to make user research a habit for your team.

Bonus: Do hold your breath

This week, Quartz published an article describing how holding your breath underwater has an effect on your cardiovascular system that gives you a deep sense of calm.

Why? Because of your Mammalian Diving Response.


Facts & Questions

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