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Product leaders must master storytelling
Hello Product Leaders!
You probably heard this story…
One day in a garage, a group of tech enthusiasts envisioned more than just a new product—they dreamed of revolutionizing the music industry. When pitching to investors, Spotify's founders skipped complex algorithms and market projections, boldly declaring, 'We're going to change the way the world experiences music.'
Fast forward, the rest is history…Spotify disrupted music distribution. It's a billion-dollar success story that proves a visionary story can redefine an industry.
In short, your team will follow you for the story you tell…
Today at a glance
Recent issues you may have missed
👉️ Build a Winning Product Strategy (Link)
👉️ 7 Hard Principles for Future Product Directors (Link)
👉️ Unpacking 2024 Product Predictions (Link)
Understanding Neural Coupling is key to leadership
Neural Coupling suggests that when we hear a story, our brains simulate the experiences described in the story. This neural mirroring enhances the understanding of others' perspectives and fosters a sense of shared experience.
Why does it matter for product leaders?
Product leaders "‘achieve through others’…they lead sprint review, leadership buy-in, their teams, backlog refinement, user research, etc…
So by crafting your compelling story, your messaging would resonate more with the audience, creating a shared emotional and cognitive experience. This synchronization builds trust and motivates the audience to connect with you and your goals on a deeper level.
1- Why is it impactful?
There are three key reasons why storytelling is non-negotiable in our product field.
Stories simplify complex messages: In our product world inundated with technical info, the ability to simplify messages is paramount.
Stories engage emotions: As product leaders, our goal is not just to present features but to paint a picture of how our products will improve users' lives, creating an emotional appeal that fosters action and motivates large teams to follow you.
Stories are easier to remember: memorability is key. Stories provide a framework that resonates with people, making your messages more likely to stick in their minds.
2- Good storytellers get people to follow them
As you grow into more senior positions, your role inherently involves storytelling.
Some examples:
Roadmap or board presentations: When presenting a strategic roadmap to executives or CEO, it's not about a dry walkthrough of features.
Please DON’T DO THAT!
It's about crafting a compelling narrative around the benefits the company will reap when the product is well-received by the market and the risk if we do not. (Part of storytelling)Sprint planning: The agile framework acknowledges the power of stories in bridging the communication gap between product managers and developers. Story-driven communication ensures everyone understands the 'why' behind each task.
In short, the ability to tell stories motivates teams from the wider business for your product vision and strategy. My own experiences echo the sentiment that good stories make it easier for others to say "yes."
3- Two Tactical frameworks to apply today
For everyday messaging: use the A-B-T framework
The "And, But, Therefore" framework, is a concise storytelling structure commonly used by leading companies such as Pixar, Nike, and many others.
It involves: