S06 E13 Cliff Hazell on Lessons from working at Spotify

SummaryThe conversation covers topics such as dealing with remote teams, clear communication in remote work, the future of remote work, managing information overload, maintaining structure in communication tools, the importance of facilitation in meetings, balancing autonomy and alignment, the danger of focusing on shiny new tools, the shift from output to outcome, optimizing what we build, measuring output, outcomes, and impacts, finding the balance between autonomy and constraints, funding and budgeting agile work, and balancing autonomy and constraints in product design. In this conversation, Cliff Hazell shares insights on Spotify's product development approach and the challenges of implementing change in organizations. He emphasizes the importance of empowering product owners and managers to make decisions and secure the necessary budget. Cliff also discusses the need to treat investments differently, depending on the desired outcomes. He highlights the cultural challenges of working in diverse teams and the importance of open communication and understanding. The conversation also touches on budgeting in government organizations and offers advice on how to increase the chances of getting hired at Spotify.

Takeaways

• Invest in good, clear, written communication in remote teams.

• Focus on outcomes rather than just output.

• Balance autonomy and alignment in organizations.

• Avoid over-focusing on shiny new tools and frameworks.

• Regularly review and measure the impact of the work being done.

• Create a balance between autonomy and constraints in product design.

• Consider a rolling window approach to funding and budgeting work.

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