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I've been the Interim Head of Product at @buffer for 9 months now (while continuing my existing role as full-time Head of Design 
).
Here's a few things I've learned / experienced thus far (a short Friday thread
)
). Here's a few things I've learned / experienced thus far (a short Friday thread
)
1/ First, a huge thanks to @joelgascoigne for the incredible opportunity (and the entire team for allowing me to step in).
I can only assume how tough it might be for any product-minded CEO to step out of this key role. Thank you for making the space and trusting in me
.
I can only assume how tough it might be for any product-minded CEO to step out of this key role. Thank you for making the space and trusting in me
.
2/ It's felt like a real life game of Temple Run 
. Endless reading, learning, and (trying) to stay one step ahead of my teams' needs.
I've been doing product, design, and engineering for over 15 years but there's *always* so much more to learn.
. Endless reading, learning, and (trying) to stay one step ahead of my teams' needs. I've been doing product, design, and engineering for over 15 years but there's *always* so much more to learn.
3/ We've made a sizable shift in our product strategy.
Building a winning strategy is tough (and the jury is still out on how I'm doing there).
But communicating strategy, socializing it, iterating on it, and getting broad buy-in across the org?
That's waaay harder.
Building a winning strategy is tough (and the jury is still out on how I'm doing there).
But communicating strategy, socializing it, iterating on it, and getting broad buy-in across the org?
That's waaay harder.
4/ 10 1:1s (5 Designers, 4 Product Managers, and 1 Strategic Partnerships Manager) is a lot.
I constantly feel like I'm failing someone and never feel like I have have enough time to go around.
I constantly feel like I'm failing someone and never feel like I have have enough time to go around.
4.1/ I think this has been especially hard on my existing team (Design) as they've felt my absence / lack of time / attention / care the most acutely.
Thank you @moreofmorris, @LaurenChilcote, @annchichii, @juliaajaskolska, and @thomasdunnuk for all your patience and grace!
Thank you @moreofmorris, @LaurenChilcote, @annchichii, @juliaajaskolska, and @thomasdunnuk for all your patience and grace!
4.2/ Sitting at the intersection of these teams (Product <> Design) is really powerful though. It's also allowed us to pull Product Marketing in much closer too ( @Mike_Eck, @alfred_lua 
).
These teams are working so well together and I know that will only get better too!
). These teams are working so well together and I know that will only get better too!
5/ Jumping between high level product (vision, strategy, alignment, stakeholders) and low level product (process, career frameworks, product ops, OKRs) can feel like whiplash.
I now intimately understand the value a dedicated product ops role can bring (e.g. Dir Product Mgmt).
I now intimately understand the value a dedicated product ops role can bring (e.g. Dir Product Mgmt).
6/ With my bandwidth maxed out, I've been forced to ruthlessly prioritize where I spend my time directly vs delegate away / give the team more rope.
I often ask myself "am I the only one who can uniquely do this thing?" No? Delegate / give more rope.
I often ask myself "am I the only one who can uniquely do this thing?" No? Delegate / give more rope.
6.1/ As a leader, I generally prefer to delegate the fun projects to my team and take on the things no one else enjoys.
At max capacity though I've not been able to do that fully and it doesn't feel great.
At max capacity though I've not been able to do that fully and it doesn't feel great.
6.2/ But In many ways this acts as a forcing function for realizing just how capable of a team I have. They're incredible and consistently make great decisions without me.
That very real feeling of "my team doesn't even need me" is uncomfortable and SO amazing at the same time.
That very real feeling of "my team doesn't even need me" is uncomfortable and SO amazing at the same time.
7/ Hiring as an interim leader is tough.
You want to get it right for a potential future successor and the rest of the org. And it's so hard not to feel attached / responsible / love the people you've asked to join the team (
@Marochko & @asweetsweet).
You want to get it right for a potential future successor and the rest of the org. And it's so hard not to feel attached / responsible / love the people you've asked to join the team (
@Marochko & @asweetsweet).
8/ Developing your team as an interim leader is equally tough.
There's a huge sense of responsibility for their career growth and access to opportunities. The last thing you want is for the team to feel like a transition in leadership is a huge reset on their careers.
There's a huge sense of responsibility for their career growth and access to opportunities. The last thing you want is for the team to feel like a transition in leadership is a huge reset on their careers.
8.1/ I've struggled with how much I should do here vs leave for a potential future successor. It's a time function though and the longer I'm in the interim role the more critical it feels to leave their careers better than when I found them.
9/ In an interim role, it can be tempting to just keep the trains on time / maintain status quo.
I'm not sure that's possible (maybe for a short period of time).
I much prefer to be all in though and have tried to treat the role as I would any other full time role.
I'm not sure that's possible (maybe for a short period of time).
I much prefer to be all in though and have tried to treat the role as I would any other full time role.
9.1/ In 9 months we've intro'd a new prod strat, filled a key PM role, sunset a product, built a new product, tried OKRs, and reimagined our monetization strat.
All while nav'ing a pandemic, 4-day work weeks, and having hard but important conversations about race and equality.
All while nav'ing a pandemic, 4-day work weeks, and having hard but important conversations about race and equality.
10/ To my Product team: thank you so much for your support and trust. I know I'm getting *many things* wrong.
I appreciate you @redman, @bruincrew, @diesanx, @asweetsweet, @Marochko, and @jntrry!
I recognize in many ways that leadership is earned, not given.
I appreciate you @redman, @bruincrew, @diesanx, @asweetsweet, @Marochko, and @jntrry!
I recognize in many ways that leadership is earned, not given.
