Support System for Product Leaders
Show notes
Key Topics Covered:
- Why product leaders struggle to scale themselves
- The hidden cost of “doing it all yourself”
- Executive assistants: why product leaders rarely have them — and why that’s a problem
- Delegation as a leadership skill, not a weakness
- How to identify the work only you can uniquely do
- Research and data support for strategy work
- Coaches as shortcuts for clarity, accountability, and skill-building
- Communities of practice as leverage for leaders
- The “professional athlete” mindset for product leadership
- When AI helps — and when humans still matter
- Letting go of perfection: “80% done by someone else is 100% awesome”
Notable Quotes:
- “You are a pro athlete. It makes sense to think about how you scale your impact without adding more to your calendar.” — Petra Wille
- “As you get busier, it becomes more important to focus on the value only you can bring.” — Teresa Torres “80% done by someone else is 100% awesome.” — Dan Martell (quoted)
Practical Takeaways for Product Leaders:
- Audit your time: what work truly requires you?
- Experiment with small amounts of support (even a few hours a week)
- Delegate outcomes, not just tasks
- Keep the hands-on work you love — but be intentional about it
- Use peers, coaches, and communities to learn how others delegate
- Don’t wait until burnout to build your support system
Resources & Links:
- Follow Teresa Torres: https://ProductTalk.org
- Follow Petra Wille: https://Petra-Wille.com
Mentioned in the episode:
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