Having worn the hat of both a product manager and a product marketer, I’ve sat in countless meetings, brainstormed with myriad teams, and seen firsthand what makes or breaks a product. There is a reason in product we often say product managers are not responsible for “coming up” with ideas — it’s about how those ideas are cultivated through collaboration.
With that in mind, I decided to write down a few thoughts about collaboration and setting up teams for success.
Rethinking “Move Fast and Break Things”
“Move fast and break things” might sound cool on a hoodie, but in practice? Not so much. Speed is fantastic, but only when it’s combined with purpose and clarity. I’ve seen teams zip through projects, only to later discover overlooked errors or mismatched goals. That’s why I’m a bigger fan of “learn fast.”
Moving with direction and intention is far more important than moving with speed. Agility and responsiveness is important, but if you have no direction, you’re moving towards a wall very, very quickly. And the evidence backs this up: McKinsey’s findings have indicated that learning-focused organizations display enhanced innovation and adaptability.
