Torben Mottes

I'll speak at the Project A conference PAKCon this year at their Tech Hive about how we can leverage AI-based management tools to increase efficiency in our day2day management and ultimately have more time for actual leadership, which is more needed than ever during those uncertain times (see abstract below) Thanks Stephan Schulze for the invitation. And I'm finally looking forward to come back to Berlin for a day to meet some familiar faces. Please DM me in case you're around. Leadership 4.0 Agility and Empathy in Harmony with AI-driven Management In times of global uncertainty and rapid technological change, leaders face unprecedented challenges. The future of leadership requires a shift towards greater agility, empathy, and flexibility to effectively respond to constant changes and uncertainties. At the same time, the use of AI-based management tools offers a revolutionary way to optimize decision-making processes and enhance efficiency. This presentation explores the need for a new leadership style that integrates both human skills and technological innovations. We will discuss how empathetic and agile leadership contributes to a resilient organizational culture and the role AI-powered systems can play in decision-making and tracking. Learn how modern leaders can combine these elements to not only tackle current challenges but also sustainably shape the future of their organizations. Dive into the world of Leadership 4.0 and discover the synergies between humans and machines for efficient and adaptable management.

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Here in Germany, May is a month full of public holidays, other people just hanging out at the Biergarten, etc., and I - with good reason (hello, long-term vision!) - need to do a lot of 'being adult' stuff. So it seems quite timely that I stumbled over these reflections recorded last November about how to 'self-parent' vs. acknowledging the needs of our inner child. How would you set the ratio for a disciplined vs. laissez-faire approach? Would you help yourself be an adult and let the kid run outside and play? I'd assume this is a topic many of us can relate to and sometimes struggle with... Let me have your hints and tips on how you get yourself coached through periods in which you need to get the shit done.... #entrepreneurslife #selfcoaching #pushthrough #discipline

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Had a great time chatting with the brilliant Leah Tharin on her podcast about what product management looks like in 2024 and beyond! We discussed many interesting topics, from navigating founder mode and balancing control with empowerment to why traditional tools just aren't cutting it anymore and how AI is set to transform product management. If you're curious about scaling teams, unshipping features (yes, that’s a thing!), or the future of product leadership, give it a listen👇 and let me know what you think 😉. #productmanagement #leadership #AI #foundersjourney #futureofwork

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When working on larger projects and / or those with high outcome uncertainty, many org cultures (surprisingly pervasive even in many startups) tend to prioritize tackling low-hanging fruit or default to taking a consensus path ironically termed "the path of least resistance". This approach of solving easy sub-problems ("known unknowns" as Donald Rumsfeld fmr. US Sect of state, would have termed it) builds in sunk costs & illusions of progress, creating inertia to course correct. Most modern project or program operations turn out to be successful if we view them as a portfolio of risks (sorted by highest impact, high uncertainty to lowest impact, high uncertainty). Tackle the ones at the top first. Prove or disprove your hypotheses. Source of image: First round review #product #bets #operating #principles

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John Cutler - Thank you for taking about empowerment. As I see it, European individualism is dramatically different from American version of that. In product management, I see a lot of American influence that is a poor fit for the inherent social solidarity principles here, especially in Germany. While collective consciousness and narrative building remain relevant in both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, the collective power dynamics are fundamentally different - A reason why some of the advice from Silicon Valley product gurus has to be interpreted with nuance here in Europe. USA , at least in the workplace, is more of a mono-culture. Europe is more heterogenous and the workplace tends to have more space for varied voices. This means balancing space for individual decision making and collective active does require more interpersonal investment. The 'mini-ceo' archetype is even less likely to be successful on a sustained basis in Europe. Europe is better at generating ideas and possibilities but it's diversity handicaps scaling; USA, on the other hand, is better at picking, adapting and scaling someone else's ideas. Tells us something about how empowerment works in varied ways within both societies championing the individual.

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Have you been curious about leadership coaching but not sure: - When to work with a coach? - How to find a good coach? - How to get the most of working with a coach? - Common mistakes when selecting and working a coach At Sounding Board, Inc. we cracked the code on all of this for our enterprise customers. But we often heard from individual leaders or smaller organizations that they wanted access to our coaches given our reputation for high quality, high impact leadership coaching. But we were focused on organizations so we didn't have an easy solution to sign up online. Well.. now we do. We just opened up early access to Accelerate, our award-winning, personalized 1:1 leadership coaching for individuals! Accelerate is designed to empower you to take charge of your leadership development journey, regardless of whether your company offers coaching or not. If you use the code EARLYACCESS10 you can get 10% off your first engagement. In addition, on May 7th, our head of Leader Transformation, and an experienced coach, Lauren Morley Hutto, CPCC, PCC (she/her) and I will be hosting a livestream where we can answer all your coaching questions live. Just follow Sounding Board, Inc. on Linkedin to get updates and a link to the livestream! Learn more at:  https://lnkd.in/gmEMQvgT

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It's time we founders recognize that healing ourselves is a priority. It doesn't come "after" the exit. After 10 years of intense stress running a company, 3 years of coaching, and 18 months suffering a chronic illness, I'm finally understanding what stress does to us and our work. After battling a severe illness that reached its pinnacle between January 2022 and April 2023, I've been on a slow but steady physical recovery. Now, with regained stability, I'm ready to face the emotional healing that's been waiting for me and find a coach or therapist. How did I realize that I need to start on my next healing journey? I'm diminishing my life's fullness—I get a lot of anxiety when I approach surfing or intense physical exercise, likely due to how my body couldn't tolerate exercise when I was sick. My perception of time is skewed—I tightly manage my day to maximize energy before I experience an afternoon crash, which was common during my illness. I can't relax or slow down. Now that my energy levels are stable, I find my inner planner is rushing me in its attempt to be productive. My sense of safety and tranquillity is compromised—When was the last time you felt safe in your body? This prompt helped me realize that I get fleeting moments of safety, but otherwise I live with shakiness and constriction in my body. It feels like there’s a constant alarm bell going off that no one else hears. I ran a company for 10 years. I’m really good at suffering. Most leaders tolerate a lot of suffering (arguably, we seek it out, too). But suffering reduces our capacity to handle life's toughest challenges, including the ups and downs of running a startup. Facing challenges head-on—be they fundraising, company pivots, or conflicts—is crucial in entrepreneurship. Unhealed trauma diminishes our ability to be present and see the world how it actually is. Healing ourselves as leaders doesn't just benefit us—it transforms our companies. The more we heal, the more capacity we gain - to lead, to be present, and to make better decisions. I'm committed to sharing my healing path as I walk it, amidst the chaos, rather than reflecting from a place of completion. I won't just showcase the healed past; I intend to share the messy present. My current vantage point isn’t a gorgeous horizon with a clear path of light. Instead the messy present is filled with caves I hide to for safety, mountains that block the sunlight, and a few meadows where I find pockets of relaxation. This is the landscape of healing, and I invite you to explore your own terrain—right alongside me. Does this resonate? Have you walked your own path before or in tandem with being a founder or leader? #womenentrepreneurs #coachingbusiness #leadershipcoaching #leadershiplessons

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I love building products and helping product teams be more effective. But a key aspect of making "products" themselves successful is the story behind them. These stories describe the value of the product and how they solve real customer problems. That is product marketing. Here is another brilliant perspective from Marty Cagan 's Silicon Valley Product Group about the importance of product marketing. #product #productmarketing #productoperatingmodel #storytelling

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John Mark Nickels is a Senior Director of Product Management at Uber. Previously, he was Head of Product for Commercialization at Waymo and led product teams at DoorDash. JM is also a coach and advisor focused on conscious leadership. In our conversation, JM shares: 🔸 What is “conscious leadership” and how to practice it 🔸 Practical techniques for managing stress 🔸 How to sharpen your vision and strategy skills 🔸 The power of emotional intelligence in leadership 🔸 Lessons from working at Uber, Waymo, and DoorDash 🔸 Keys to living a successful and fulfilling life 🔸 Much more Listen now 👇 - YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gWwcewch - Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gABwfUbM - Apple: https://lnkd.in/g2q_yVuw Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for supporting the podcast: 🏆 Pendo.io — The only all-in-one product experience platform for any type of application: https://www.pendo.io/lenny 🏆 WorkOS — Modern identity platform for B2B SaaS, free up to 1 million MAUs: https://workos.com/ 🏆 Vanta — Automate compliance. Simplify security: https://vanta.com/lenny Some key takeaways: 1. Take the time to define what truly matters to you—your personal “objective function.” Reflect on your values and long-term goals. Ask yourself, “What will matter most to me in five years?” Use this clarity to guide your daily decisions, prioritizing relationships and experiences over temporary achievements. 2. Conscious leadership involves becoming more aware of your interior world—your thoughts, emotions, and biases. Recognize that everyone has influence, regardless of their formal role or title. Take responsibility for how you impact those around you by asking yourself daily, “How am I influencing others?” Cultivating this awareness is the first step toward being a more effective leader. 3. While optics matter (how you present your work is important), don’t let them overshadow the work itself. Focus on delivering value and making an impact. The best presentations are grounded in genuine passion for the work, not just flashy slides. 4. To improve your vision and strategy skills: a. Immerse yourself deeply in your domain for an extended period. Depth of knowledge allows you to understand nuances that surface-level knowledge won’t. b. Challenge the status quo by asking, “Why are things the way they are?” Break down existing assumptions and explore the underlying reasons behind them. c. Set aside quiet time to think about what the world will look like in 5 or 10 years. Use this reflection to create a vivid picture of your ideal future in your field. d. Once you have a solid vision, share it with your team. Engage in collaborative brainstorming sessions where everyone can contribute ideas and insights. Create a safe space for discussion where no idea is too outlandish.

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How to handle anxiety at work? Today, Gaia asks: — "I’m often anxious at work. How do I handle it without burning out?” — Welcome to Episode 211 of AskMatty! Here’s my answer, Gaia: — Let’s try these 4 steps. They’ll help you gain clarity and find a solution. 1.    First, take a moment and ask yourself: →    What kind of situations trigger my anxiety? Some things that might set it off are: →    Job interviews →    Public speaking →    Conflicts with loved ones →    Certain business meetings Just take a bit of time to reflect on your triggers. 2.    Now, ask yourself: →    What thoughts typically run through my mind when I feel anxious? For example, some thoughts could be: →    “I might mess up” →    “I’m not sure I can do that” →    “People might be really critical of me Ever had these thoughts? “Um, yeah Matty…” No worries — it’s totally normal. It’s okay to have those thoughts sometimes. The important thing is to be aware of them. After all, how can we improve if we’re not aware, right? “Right!” Awesome! Let’s move on to the next step. 3.    Now, take a moment and ask yourself: →    How does my body physically respond when I feel anxious? For example, you might notice things like: →    Sweaty palms →    Or your heart starts to race →    Or maybe you feel tightness in your chest We just need to be aware of our physical responses. You know why? “Um, why…?” Because when you recognize anxiety in the moment, you can address it right away with the right tools. 4.    Alright, now we have a clear idea of: →    Our triggers →    Our thoughts →    And our physical responses Guess what we’re gonna do now? “Um, I don’t know…” Well, we just need to ask ourselves this question: →    What’s one thing I can do when anxiety shows up unexpectedly? Now you might wonder: →    Why ask this question? Well, because preparation is an incredible antidote to anxiety. What we’re doing now is setting ourselves up for “next time.” So, ask yourself: →    What’s one thing I can do when anxiety shows up unexpectedly? For example, you can: →    Practice the 4-7-8 breathing technique →    Recall previous situations where you succeeded →    Repeat some gentle reminders you’ve created before The most important thing is to prepare ourselves now. We can’t wait until “next time” to try one of these tools. We need to practice them in advance and integrate them into our “anxiety toolkit.” This way, when anxiety knocks on the door, it won’t catch us unprepared. We’ll be ready :) — Alright! Thanks for your question, Gaia. Question of the day: →    Ever tried the 4-7-8 breathing technique? Let me know in the comments :) “Let’s build a world where everyone belongs through the power of wellbeing!” – Matty

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🚀 New Episode Release: On the Hardest Lesson in Product Development! 🚀   In this video, Drew Falkman shares a key lesson learned the hard way—why validating ideas with users early can save time, money, and runway. Perfect for startups and product teams! 🌟   🔑 What You’ll Learn: Fail Fast, Learn Fast: The power of testing ideas quickly. Validate Before You Build: Why skipping user validation is costly. Lessons from Experience: How assumptions can derail your progress.   ✨ Catch it here: https://lnkd.in/efJxRRDj 🎥 And stay tuned every Friday for new episodes featuring more product leaders!   👉 What’s your go-to method for validating product ideas? Let’s discuss in the comments!   #FailFast #ProductManagement #StartupLessons #UserValidation #Agile

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Monetization sits at the intersection of your teams. ➗ Yet building a flexible way to implement monetization models is considered a chore rather than a feature. 🤷 It’s an operational and commercial feature that needs to be elevated to the same level as the rest of the product.🔝 💬Check out my chat with Fynn Glover about the struggles of product and engineering teams when it comes to executing pricing.

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Leading with influence: What, why and how The ability to influence others is a key trait for leader and one I explicitly look for when hiring. Compared to leading with authority, leading with influence builds stronger teams, develops better ideas, and ultimately delivers more for the organization. As someone who has worked for and managed many leaders over the years, I can attest that the best leaders exert influence more than they wield authority. That's why I wrote my latest blog post about how to build influence and why it should matter to you as a leader. Check it out and let me know in the comments how you approach leadership through influence. #Leadership #Influence #Authority

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Are we helping or hurting? That is a question many residents of San Francisco ask ourselves in the midst of a stark and increasing equity gap. As a parent, community member, and incoming board member of the Horizons at San Francisco Friends School, I’m keenly aware of the potential learning loss our public school students in the Mission District experience in the summer months without our support. Our city is undergoing another crisis - looming budget cuts threaten vital programs like Horizons at SFFS that provide equitable learning for Mission youth. We urgently need your support to secure bridge funding and ensure our summer enrichment continues. Our scholars and families are relying on Horizons' high-quality academics and social-emotional growth.  Horizons has been successfully leveraging the months when students are out of school to stem summer learning loss for children in San Francisco for ~10 years. The program has also intentionally increased impact by supporting their scholars through their educational journey during the school year and into High School. Last year, Horizons impacted 150+ scholars with targeted small classroom instruction, confidence-building, and joyful community enrichment experiences- thanks to our dedicated summer education workforce. But we can't continue without you. Please join me in supporting Horizons at SFFS today to expand partnerships, engage more crisis-impacted families, and grow our supportive community stronger. In past years, the SF Department of Children, Youth and Families has been a partner to increase access to education for our students. This summer, as we face a potential 40% loss to our summer program due to DCYF funding cuts that have impacted so many vital programs in our city, we’ve decided to celebrate Horizons Giving Day, the whole month of May. Please join me in our movement - your gift saves the summer for San Francisco scholars and helps bridge the educational equity gap in our city. Let’s help together. In gratitude, friendship and community, Aneesha #GiveTheGiftofSummer #SparkPassions #HorizonsGivingDay https://lnkd.in/gJAYnibC Links for reference: Horizons at SFFS: https://lnkd.in/gfsdugDX Impact Report: https://lnkd.in/gZc2jn85 Press Release on DCYF Loss of Funding: https://lnkd.in/gNprpSyB

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We are recording episodes on a weekly basis now. Here are the last two we recorded. Let me know in the comments which one are you more likely to listen to. Decisions in meetings: https://lnkd.in/ebuJXd3f The role of executives in meetings https://lnkd.in/eBwv-BJx

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What's the difference between functional and dysfunctional teams? Bradley Belford — Director of Product at SurveyMonkey is sharing his perspective on recent Growthmates episode 👇 "Shared representation and ownership are key to a functional team. When one function dictates the agenda, it leads to imbalances and missed opportunities. Encourage every team member to contribute to the backlog. Regularly pause to ask, 'What are we missing?' and welcome diverse inputs. This approach ensures that all perspectives are considered, driving more valuable and user-focused outcomes." Find more insights beyond this in a full episode: 🔹 SurveyMonkey Growth Evolution over the last 8 years 🔹 How they transitioned to Product-Led Growth 🔹 What's the role of Design and Research with valuable insights from Erica Weiss Tjader … and more Listen now on Apple, Spotify and YouTube (links in comments) 👇 #plg #growth #collaboration #teamwork

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👉 Just Product Conference is almost here! Proud of our line-up 🤩 Join us in Munich or via the FREE Livestream with the following speaker: ✅ Bob Moesta Pioneer of the Jobs-To-Be-Done Theory, Bob has shaped my thinking in profound ways. His approach to customer interviews is transformative, and it's a rare opportunity to see him live in Europe. Don’t miss this chance! ✅ David Pereira Author of "Untrapping Product Teams," David is a Munich-based thought leader who has inspired product professionals globally. His experience is grounded in hands-on learning and reflection, making his insights incredibly valuable. We’re lucky to have him on stage! ✅ Nimisha Sharath Sharma Nimisha brings expertise from top US tech companies like Microsoft, Instacart, and now Uber. She’ll be sharing her knowledge on how leading companies build AI products—can’t wait to gain insights from her experience! ✅ Kristina Walcker-Mayer As CPO at AILY LABS, Kristina leads one of Munich’s most successful B2B startups, leveraging AI to drive data-informed decisions. I'm eager to learn how she structures her AI product teams to achieve such impressive results. ✅ Millie Zah Millie, Head of Product at DAZN, will share how an entrepreneurial mindset drives product success. Flying in from London, she’ll offer unique insights into how to apply entrepreneurial thinking to your product journey. I consider myself as an entrepreneur and think, that entrepreneurs are great product manager. That's why I super curious about her thoughts. ✅ Sebastian Borggrewe Sebastian has coached over 200 product professionals and will reveal the most common struggles PMs face and how to overcome them. Expect a talk filled with real-life stories that will resonate with every Product Manager. ✅ 🦔 james hawkins James, co-founder and CEO of PostHog, has established a radically transparent leadership style. His team shares their vision, goals, and roadmaps etc. publicly—an approach I’m excited to learn more about. Stoked to have him and see insight out, what the fruits and struggles of his leadership style are. Get your ticket or join the FREE Livestream. I don't care which option you go for - just go 😜

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Agreed with the entire response. The major distinction I see is more about time horizon and where the founder's attention is focused. In Founder Mode, it is much more immediate and near-term. In Manager Mode, it is further out, depending on the scale and velocity. Maybe another way of thinking about it is starting with Tactical Mode (because the important decisions come fast and furious) with a bit of strategy on direction. That then blends / evolves into Strategic Mode where there are (hopefully) fewer decisions (that have a bigger impact to employees, customers, and investors) and a bit of tactical in keeping the organization aligned and operating efficiently.

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