🎯 Engineering Communication Excellence: Breaking Down Barriers with Josh Herzig-Marx

A deep dive into transforming how product teams communicate with engineers, featuring expert insights from coach Josh Herzig-Marx. Learn practical frameworks for better collaboration, effective requirement documentation, and creating a culture of open dialogue in tech teams.

🔗 Essential Links (Start Here!):

Full Episodes: https://product-driven.captivate.fm/episodes

Connect with Matt Watson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattwatsonkc/

Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://fullscaleteam.com/newsletter

Get our FREE Ebook: https://fullscaleteam.com/productfirstteams

Powered by Full Scale: https://fullscale.io/

🔑 Key Discussion Points:

Why perfect documentation isn't the answer and what to focus on instead

The power of visual storytelling in product development

How to engage engineers earlier in the product process

Transforming engineers from order-takers to strategic partners

Creating psychological safety for better team conversations

⏱️ Episode Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction and Background

02:11 - Early Stage Company Challenges

04:04 - The Problem with Perfect Documentation

07:18 - Managing Trade-offs in Development

13:07 - User Story Mapping and Visual Tools

16:44 - The Power of Storytelling in Requirements

20:23 - Google's Approach to Product Vision

24:01 - Top Challenges in Early-Stage Companies

26:39 - Bringing Engineers into the Process Earlier

28:36 - Rethinking Documentation Approaches

30:17 - The Importance of Fundamentals

💡 Featured Insights:

"The goal of documents isn't to better communicate, it's to have better conversations." - Josh Herzig-Marx

📚 Resources Mentioned:

RANDS Leadership Slack Community

Josh's Website: jhm.lol

User Story Mapping Techniques

Lenny's Slack Community

🎯 Ready to transform your engineering communication? Hit subscribe and the notification bell to never miss insights on building better product teams. Leave a comment with your biggest communication challenge - let's solve it together!

🎯 Product Management Evolution: Roles, Responsibilities & Future Trends

In this insightful episode of Product Driven, Matt Watson and Jerel dive deep into the evolving landscape of product management, exploring the crucial distinctions between product managers, product owners, and project managers. They unpack how these roles contribute differently to software development teams and discuss why understanding these differences is vital for building successful products.

🔗 Essential Links (Start Here!):

Full Episodes: https://product-driven.captivate.fm/episodes

Connect with Matt Watson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattwatsonkc/

Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://fullscaleteam.com/newsletter

Get our FREE Ebook: https://fullscaleteam.com/productfirstteams

Powered by Full Scale: https://fullscale.io/

🎙️ Episode Summary:

Explore the transformative world of product management as Matt and Jerel break down the key differences between project and product mindsets. Learn why product managers focus on outcomes while project managers concentrate on outputs, and discover how AI is reshaping these roles. The conversation highlights the importance of product thinking in engineering teams and why software developers need to evolve into "mini product owners" in an AI-driven future.

Key Discussion Points:

The fundamental differences between product management and project management

Why project managers may be less valuable in modern software teams

The CPO framework: Customer, Problem, Outcome

How startup founders embody the ideal product management mindset

The evolution of product management roles in the age of AI

Why engineers need to develop stronger product thinking skills

Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction and Role Definitions

02:31 - Project vs Product Management Comparison

06:27 - Understanding Product Management

09:13 - Scaling Product Teams

15:18 - Product Manager vs Product Owner

20:06 - The Future of Software Development

22:17 - Product Management Specialization

24:59 - Engineering and Product Management Integration

🎯 Ready to Transform Your Product Journey?

Don't miss out on future episodes packed with actionable insights and expert perspectives! Hit subscribe, enable notifications 🔔, and join our growing community of product-driven innovators. Share your thoughts in the comments below – what's your take on the future of product management?

🔄 From Hero to Leader: The Evolution of the Modern CTO

Join Matt Watson and CTO coach Adam Horner in an insightful exploration of the transformative journey from technical hero to strategic leader. Discover why successful CTOs must evolve beyond individual technical contributions to drive organizational success through strategic leadership.

This comprehensive discussion examines the critical transition phases of technical leadership, from founding engineer to executive CTO. Through practical insights and real-world experiences, learn how to navigate the challenging path from hands-on problem solver to strategic business leader while maintaining technical credibility.

🔗 Essential Links (Start Here!):

Full Episodes: https://product-driven.captivate.fm/episodes

Connect with Matt Watson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattwatsonkc/

Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://fullscaleteam.com/newsletter

Get our FREE Ebook: https://fullscaleteam.com/productfirstteams

Powered by Full Scale: https://fullscale.io/

Key Discussion Points:

🎯 The four stages of CTO evolution

💡 Transitioning from firefighter to strategist

🔄 Balancing technical expertise with leadership

⚡ Executive team integration strategies

📊 Product-driven leadership approaches

🌱 Building empathy across engineering teams

Chapters:

0:00 - Introduction to modern CTO challenges

3:14 - Four stages of CTO development

5:08 - Strategic thinking importance

7:01 - Managing firefighting mode

10:05 - Delegation and ownership

14:29 - Executive communication strategies

18:28 - Product focus importance

21:56 - Engineering empathy development

27:15 - Communication fundamentals

30:38 - Closing thoughts and resources

Transform your technical leadership approach through strategic thinking and business alignment. Join our community of forward-thinking technology leaders shaping the future of software development.