#8: The Role and Differences of Strategy in Agile and Product Led transformations - with author and leadership coach Sam McAfee

Over the last decade(s), many companies have started the different types of transformations, most of them going in the same direction: how to become more agile and make software-product development a first-class discipline they had to master.

To achieve such a transformation, many things are required, starting at the top with monetary resources, leadership commitment, and patience.

How is this related to 100 Product Strategies? Because Strategy is also needed to successfully complete such a transformation. In today’s episode, Sam McAffee tells us about the role strategy plays, and how in turn the different stages of the transformation effects the strategy.

We talked about:

• Their “strategy stack” and how they describe the interconnection of 3 layers: business, product, and technology strategies.
• A definition for strategy, and how it centers on saying what no to, and picking how you deploy your scarce resources to achieve your goals.
• Sam’s article, The dreaded reorg, and how transformation is an investment that requires resources and time to be successful.
• The key role of strategy is calling out the huge project transformation is, and making sure that important investment is not “squeezed into” everything else we want to do.
• What changes in Strategy formulation in a company pre and post such transformation.
• We discussed advice for product leaders undergoing this transformation. The first thing is having patience with people, who would not only need new training but also time to emotionally and biologically adapt to the new situation.
• The importance of building an environment of trust and true collaboration to make this strategies and transformations work.
• Sam’s recommendation of The Hero with a Thousand faces.

And many other things!

You can find Sam on Linkedin or at StartupPatterns.com.

Remember that you can find more info and material on 100productstrategies.com.

If you are eager to know more about product strategy, check out Product Direction: How to build successful products at scale with Strategy, Roadmaps, and OKRs

You can also contact or follow your host, Nacho bassino, at nachobassino.com (training, coaching, and more)