PRODUCTHEAD: Rejecting extreme work

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tl;dr

Extreme work as a product leader is a systemic issue, not a failing of individuals to set boundaries

Define performance expectations for your product team clearly using customer value, velocity and quality

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hello

This week Caroline Clark continues to explore the nature of ‘extreme jobs’ in product leadership following her article last week. In this week’s article, she argues that the normalisation of overwork in tech is not due to an individual failing to set boundaries, but is fundamentally a systemic issue determined by the design of the industry and the product role itself.

Caroline mentions that Balderton Capital is one of the few VCs that rejects the expectation that founders have to work to extremes, instead actively supporting their well-being. Now an executive in residence at Balderton, Thor Mitchell is a role model for empathetic product leadership. In his talk for MTP Engage, he discusses how product leaders should approach performance management of their team by keeping expectations simple and explicit.

Speak to you soon,

Jock

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what to think about this week

Extreme Jobs in Product Leadership

There is strong agreement amongst senior product leaders that extreme work has become normalised in tech, particularly in product leadership. Many have lived the pattern of overwork I previously described, with some resignation that it’s a systemic issue that forces people into this way of working. Several admitted that they enjoy the adrenaline and intensity of extreme work, especially when it creates a sense of identity.

Five systemic forces driving extreme work

[Caroline Clark / Liftoff with Caroline]

Great Expectations

In this talk for the leadership forum at MTP Engage 2022, VP Product at Miro Thor Mitchell delves into the necessity of establishing effective performance management in product organisations, noting that it is challenging but vital for team support and business ROI. He outlines the process of building detailed competency frameworks, addressing issues like title inflation and the implementation of a dual career path (leadership vs. individual contributor/excellence).

[VIDEO] Assess on customer value, velocity and quality

[Thor Mitchell / MTP Engage]

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PRODUCTHEAD is a newsletter for product people of all varieties, and is lovingly crafted from a medical device like a jackhammer.