Option Five

Eisha Armstrong - CEO & Co-founder of Vecteris - is helping businesses think about how to “productize” their service offerings. Finding a way to effectively serve your clients through a one-to-many model requires a huge shift in mindset. In this episode, George Brooks & Eisha discuss how to gauge whether you have something that can be productized, what it takes to get started, and some common mistakes people make along the way. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit peopleofproduct.substack.com

Making commitments to your team is no small thing. You’re making a promise in the present to hold to a specific, desired end. In this episode, Dan & George talk about the importance of agreement and accountability in work-related commitments.  This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit peopleofproduct.substack.com

There are several different kinds of resources companies have to work with: capital, human, material goods, and time. In this episode, Dan & George discuss the logistics of each and how to be good stewards of all the resources available to you. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit peopleofproduct.substack.com

Organizations are both constrained and enabled by the people within them. Each person brings a defined set of skills, capabilities, and habits that leaders have the opportunity to build upon. In this episode, Dan & George discuss how to thoughtfully support individuals and their structures in a way that doesn’t diminish growth.  This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit peopleofproduct.substack.com

We can tell you what collaboration is not.  It is NOT simply calling a meeting or “brainstorm” session with a group of people. It’s a wildly complex relationship between a team of diverse practitioners co-laboring on a creative endeavor together. In this episode, Dan & George analyze the intricacies of great collaboration and the T-shaped awareness required of every collaborator on a thriving team. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit peopleofproduct.substack.com

Founders tend to over-index on confidence. What if all leaders & entrepreneurs had the humility to seek guidance in their journey?  Matt Thieleman, CEO of Pilea, is on a mission to connect every founder with a coach so they can effectively seek the good for themselves, others, and ultimately the globe. In this episode, Matt & George talk about the mindsets & behaviors of truly great leaders and what it takes to be coachable. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit peopleofproduct.substack.com

Our culture loves the hustle. While periods of intense contribution can be good, there are risks in grinding too hard for too long. In this episode, George & Dan discuss the discipline of rest, striking a healthy work-rest balance, and how to plan for fruitful breaks. Spoiler: Working harder doesn’t always give different or better results. Intervals of rest can too! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit peopleofproduct.substack.com

What does the success of marketing, sales, product teams, and company culture all hinge on? Asking good questions! It sounds simple, but asking the right questions the right way is an art. Marcus Sheridan - international keynote speaker & author of “They Ask, You Answer” - shares the power behind making others feel understood and valued by communicating more effectively. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit peopleofproduct.substack.com

Whether you realize it or not, your team has put semi-permanent “structures” into place that concretely shape the way your team gets work done. They don’t change often, but they provide necessary form around the work that’s being done. Company purpose is a crucial structure that helps define everything your company does. In this episode, George & Dan discuss purpose as a structure and how it should influence your company as it grows.  This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit peopleofproduct.substack.com

In this episode, George Brooks is joined by Teresa Torres - speaker, coach, and author of Continuous Discovery Habits. This conversation is a full analysis of ideation. Knowing that your work on digital products is never really done, learn how to effectively collaborate in a way that continually brings fantastic new options to the table. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit peopleofproduct.substack.com

Contribution for everyone on a product team looks different. It’s ultimately about bringing your full self & unique skillset to the table to bring about specific results. In this episode, George & Dan discuss the structure as well as the true value of contribution. Understanding what your individual contribution means to the success of the greater team will help your team better thrive. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit peopleofproduct.substack.com

Many of the world’s most impactful advancements were made possible with technology. Even so, we tend to focus on the negative effects of tech. In this episode, Dan Linhart is joined by Carey Jenkins, CEO of Substantial, to discuss the importance of digital optimism. The pair chat about how an optimistic outlook is necessary in order to positively influence culture, ethics, and the changing nature of the landscape in a post-pandemic work environment.  This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit peopleofproduct.substack.com

The future of marketing is agile. This past year, the number of firms that went agile surpassed the 50% mark. In this episode, George Brooks is joined by Andrea D. Fryrear, co-founder of AgileSherpas, to discuss how agile has found its place in the marketing world, and how organizations can prepare for the shift.  This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit peopleofproduct.substack.com

Bringing ones’ full self to the job requires purpose. The difficult but important work that companies have to be doing is getting every single individual aligned under one unified purpose. This requires leadership to diligently attend to the matters of diversity, inclusion, & equity. In this episode, Art Johnson - CEO of Infinity Systems Inc. & author of “The Art of Alignment: A Data-Driven Approach to Lead Aligned Organizations” - discusses the constructs of measurements to align teams to mission & vision with actionable questions to getting there. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit peopleofproduct.substack.com

People are realizing that the future of work is to be a technology organization. Everywhere teams are considering whether or not they should own their software to address their specific needs. In this episode, George Brooks & Dan Linhart break down the opportunities & challenges of building custom tech and how Crema steps in to bring product ideas to life. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit peopleofproduct.substack.com

Does your organization look the same today as it did two years ago? You’re likely stalling in “zombie mode” because you’re de-prioritizing innovation. Elvin Turner is an innovation advisor & best-selling author on a mission to elevate organizations to “unicorn status” by placing learning at the center of all. In this episode, George Brooks & Elvin cover where leaders have to start in their journey towards innovation, the mentalities that hinder growth, and how to scale the practice of learning across an organization.  This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit peopleofproduct.substack.com

It’s not a coincidence that some of the most successful leaders are funny. Balanced humor in a professional setting is how you build trust and have a significant impact. Andrew Tarvin is the Founder & CEO of Humor That Works, a well-traveled comedian, and keynote speaker. In this week’s episode, George & Andrew talk about the cross-section of humor and the workplace and tips for how to infuse comedy into your organization to work more efficiently.  This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit peopleofproduct.substack.com

Kai Haley is head of UX Methods and Research at Google. She leads a highly unique internal program that systematizes UX practices across many groups within the monolithic organization. In this episode, George Brooks & Kai discuss methods for creating alignment across product lines, the challenge of creating a shared language, and how to best manage alignment as a distributed team. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit peopleofproduct.substack.com

Knowledge is power - and to gather more knowledge you have to gain access to different conversations and experiences throughout your life and career. It’s about tuning yourself into the opportunities that present themselves or just taking advantage of the access you already have. In this week’s episode, George & Dan talk about how to empower yourself and others to collect insight and open up access to conversations within your organization. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit peopleofproduct.substack.com

C. Todd Lombardo, Author, Consultant, and VP of Product & Experience at Openly, joins George for a conversation around product roadmaps, implementing change within your organization, and the dangers of building features that never get used. Hear how he got started as an author and the learnings he’s gleaned throughout the process. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit peopleofproduct.substack.com