Mauricio Steffen, Senior Director of Product Management at Ericsson, shares his fascinating journey from a corrections officer to a tech leader. He underscores the crucial role of empathetic listening in product management and emphasizes the importance of understanding true customer needs beyond their stated requests. The discussion highlights innovative ways to scale customer feedback using AI, effective stakeholder management, and the art of communication. Mauricio encourages breaking free from organizational blinders to facilitate meaningful change.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Career Transition from Corrections to Tech
Mauricio Steffen transitioned from a corrections officer to tech product management by leveraging his active listening skills.
His varied career helped him understand customer needs deeply and shaped his product management style.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Engage Stakeholders Actively
Always make your stakeholders feel heard and include their input in decisions.
This approach reduces resistance and promotes alignment around product direction.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Leverage AI to Scale Feedback
Use AI tools to analyze and synthesize large volumes of customer feedback for pattern recognition.
Combine this with direct conversations and user groups to deepen understanding of customer needs.
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In this episode of UX Leadership by Design, Mark Baldino talks with Mauricio Steffen, Senior Director of Product Management at Ericsson, about the crucial role customer research and empathy play in successful product management. Mauricio shares his unique career path, transitioning from corrections officer to frontline support, then into product management, highlighting how deep, empathetic listening skills have been essential across all roles. The conversation explores how to scale customer feedback processes, synthesize insights effectively, and navigate stakeholder management. Mark and Mauricio challenge the common misinterpretation of Henry Ford’s quote about customer research, emphasizing the importance of genuinely understanding underlying customer needs. Practical advice is offered for breaking through organizational blinders, advocating for meaningful change, and maintaining balance when strategic initiatives seem misaligned with immediate customer requests.
Key Takeaways
Empathy and Active Listening: Genuine empathy and active listening are key skills that transcend industry and job function, essential for product management success.
Scaling Customer Feedback: Utilize scalable methods like AI (LLMs) to analyze and summarize customer feedback at scale, uncovering patterns and root causes effectively.
Root Cause Analysis: Go beyond surface-level customer requests by digging deeper to uncover true underlying problems and needs, rather than just stated wants.
Stakeholder Engagement: Engage stakeholders early, make them feel heard, and clearly communicate decisions to achieve alignment and minimize resistance.
Embracing Customer Feedback: Treat customer feedback as a valuable gift; show appreciation and continuously demonstrate that input shapes your product decisions.
Admitting Mistakes: Develop the courage to pivot or stop projects when customer and market feedback indicates potential failure; maintaining an honest, reflective process is key to sustainable success.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Mauricio Steffen
02:09 Career Journey: From Corrections Officer to Product Management
06:57 The Role and Philosophy of Product Management
09:59 Influencing Stakeholders: Education, Listening, and Empathy
12:42 Scaling Customer Feedback and Leveraging AI
15:34 Why “Faster Horse” Is a Cop-Out: Understanding Customer Needs
22:49 Breaking Organizational Blinders with Customer Insights
26:07 The Challenge of Admitting Mistakes and Changing Course
29:37 Root Cause Analysis: From Wants to True Customer Needs
35:33 Empathy as the Key Skill for All Stakeholder Management
UX Leadership By Design 