How leaders unintentionally erode trust

Christian sits down with product leader Shreyas Doshi to dig into a perspective-shifting idea: Most product problems are actually product leadership problems. They unpack how new leaders unintentionally erode trust, why saying “I don’t know” is treated like a crime in many companies, and how judgment, courage, and listening shape outcomes more than any framework.

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Today’s episode will discuss:

• Why so many “product problems” are really leadership problems in disguise
• How new leaders unintentionally erode trust
• Healthier ways to handle situations where you don’t have all the answers
• How great leaders use judgment, courage, and deep listening to change outcomes
• What “framework theater” is – and why it fails
• The unexpected way AI is changing product leadership

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References:

• Anthropic: https://www.anthropic.com/
• ChatGPT: https://chatgpt.com/
• Google Gemini: https://gemini.google.com/
• Marty Cagan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cagan/
• Stripe: https://stripe.com/

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SVPG on product leadership:

• Articles: https://www.svpg.com/insights/product-leadership-articles/

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Where to find Shreyas Doshi:

• “World Class Product Sense” Maven course: https://maven.com/shreyas-doshi/product-sense
• “World-class Product Strategy for Founders & Executives” Maven course: https://maven.com/shreyas-doshi/product-strategy-with-shreyas
• Shreyas’ Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ShreyasDoshiVideos

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Where to find Christian Idiodi:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cidiodi/

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Where to find SVPG:

• SVPG’s newest book, TRANSFORMED: https://www.svpg.com/books/transformed-moving-to-the-product-operating-model/

• Other books: https://www.svpg.com/books/

• Articles: https://www.svpg.com/articles/

• Workshops: https://www.svpg.com/

• Videos: https://www.svpg.com/videos

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Timestamps:

(00:44) How product leaders build trust

(01:25) When new leaders erode trust

(07:54) The true cost of saying “I don’t know”

(10:45) How insincerity manifests in the workplace

(16:12) The need for modeling great leadership

(18:30) How to accurately diagnose problems

(27:22) The insurgence of “framework theater”

(32:03) How AI has radically changed leadership

(35:20) AI isn’t going anywhere

(41:35) The critical skills any leader must learn

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Disclaimer:

While this podcast is named “Product Therapy”, it is not hosted by licensed therapists or mental health professionals, and it is in no way a substitute for professional mental health services. We recognize the importance of mental well-being and encourage anyone facing personal difficulties to seek support from qualified professionals. See https://findahelpline.com/

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Production:

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