Lab Coat and Clown Shoes
There was a time in my career when I thought leadership was all about charisma. I was inspired by Don Draper types: glib and charismatic…
There was a time in my career when I thought leadership was all about charisma. I was inspired by Don Draper types: glib and charismatic, and amazing presence in a room.
There’s no denying these are talented folks. But as I get older, more of the people admire and wanted to emulate don’t quite fit that mold.
I think back in particular on some of the amazing women I have worked with: Yvette Pasqua, Mandy Brown, and Meghan Rand. All are very successful women who I’ve had the amazing fortune to work alongside for some time.
They’re very different people. They’re all vividly charismatic, actually, but I wouldn’t say that’s what defines them. These leaders made their mark on me with their thoughtful, intelligent, and empathetic style that made me want to be a more predictable, careful, mindful leader.
I was talking to a coaching client today about the importance of using frameworks as a product manager. I think that a structured, repeatable approach has become favored in the modern product culture.
The one thing that everybody seems to agree on is that there’s no one right way to do any product thing. There is a wrong way, though, and that’s to have no way at all.
I used to hear the word “intuition” used in a product context quite often. Now, not so much.
I’m always happy to talk to somebody who has a vision, strong opinions, and a prescient intuition for good ideas.
But I am just as interested in working with somebody who is extremely humble about their own ideas if they bring methods, process, and a scientific approach.
My client and I today talked about how when you dress for an interview, you should pull on a lab coat over your… well, whatever we’re wearing to interviews these days.
You’re a scientist! You don’t have all the answers, but you do have thoughtful, organized, structured principles and process that you’ll use to try to find them.
You’re interested in discussing the principles and practices themselves. They’re open for debate and subject to improvement.
As a scientist, you can be an engaging, interesting, and a wicked sense of humor. Or you can be an introverted, reserved scientist who doesn’t delight in verbal communication. I want to do science with both of you!
There are all kinds of successful product leaders out there. But as a person who hires and managers them, I prefer you in a lab coat to clown shoes.
If you’re like me, you like a good performance. But we’ve seen about enough of them.
Our focus, and our users’ focus, is on our product. The results of our work is what matters, not our personalities or performances.