Product Habits - The rise of the human-centric CEO

The Rise of the Human-Centric CEO

One of the most commonly cited management thought pieces of the past decade is Ben Horowitz's "Peacetime CEO/Wartime CEO." There is a lot of merit to that concept, but the COVID-19 crisis has taught us it's time for some evolution. Instead of being a peacetime CEO or wartime CEO, perhaps it's time to embrace the rise of the human-centric CEO. Here's what that means. This list is a helpful framework for all founders out there wondering how best to lead during this challenging and unprecedented time. 

Ideas Aren't Cheap

I hear it all the time: Ideas are cheap; it's the execution that matters. But, I tend to agree with Justin Jackson when he says, "If ideas are so easy, why are most business ideas so bad?" Business ideas are observations paired with hunches. You have to get both right if you want a chance at startup success—and both are actually fairly challenging to get right. Of course execution matters; but so does the quality of your ideas. This is a great guide for finding good ones, and putting them into action. 

The IT Compliance and Security Automation Landscape

It's never been more important for companies to secure their online data. Failing to do so comes at a high cost—not just the cost of fixing compromised assets, but also losing customer trust and business. Given what's at stake, there are a bunch of tools emerging to help companies scan their organization's IT infrastructure and build better security audits and workflows. This is a useful diagram of those tools—from audit management to governance, risk, and compliance (GRC). Is your data well protected? 

A Practical Guide for Agile Teams in 2020

This is an incredibly thoughtful guide to product discovery for agile teams in 2020. Tim Herbig walks you through how to set up your own product discovery process, who should participate in it, how it relates to an overarching product strategy, and where it should fit on a product roadmap. This is a must-read for product leaders who are looking to build or re-invigorate their own product discovery process. 

The Greatest Marketing Lesson Steve Jobs Ever Taught

When Steve Jobs gave his last keynote in June 2011 on stage at Apple's WWDC, he said something that captures the heart of why Apple has become such a beloved company: "It just works." Many factors have led to Apple's success. But this phrase captures one of the biggest reasons. Jobs knew this: Convenience is the ultimate marketing strategy. If you want to build a product people love, make sure it's as convenient as possible for them to use. 

Introducing the WoW rule: A Formula for Growth for SaaS Startups

There are many different concepts advocating for how fast a startup should be growing. How do they all connect? Is there one good rule of thumb you can follow above all else? The WoW Rule might be the answer. It's specifically designed to be a guideline for the revenue growth of a venture-funded SaaS company. Check out the formula and read through this short and sweet article to decide if it could work as a successful growth barometer for your company.  

What Comes Next?

Our world has changed indelibly over the past several months. The pandemic has necessitated rapid change in how we do pretty much everything—from how we work with our teams to how we buy groceries and exercise. What innovations will we start to see as we adjust to a new normal in our world? I resonate with this glimpse into the future. Now is the time to reimagine what life and business could look like. 

Growing as a Leader Takes Time

This is a short and sweet post by Fred Wilson. He talks about two of the most frequent immature leader syndromes he's seen recently—one more problematic than the other. But I couldn't agree with him more when he says that no matter who you are, "growing as a leader takes time, mistakes, failure, feedback, and a lot of work." This has certainly been true of my own leadership journey, and those I've had the privilege to observe over the years. How is this unexpected year helping you grow as a leader?