Lenny's Podcast: Product | Career | Growth

Tristan de Montebello, co-founder and CEO of Ultraspeaking, achieved a remarkable feat by reaching the finals of the World Championship of Public Speaking in just seven months. He shares insights on why public speaking is a transformative meta skill. Listeners learn about engaging techniques like the Accordion Method for talk preparation and the Bow and Arrow Technique for impactful presentations. Tristan emphasizes overcoming speaking anxiety through practical exercises and games, making public speaking enjoyable and effective.

Raiza Martin, Senior Product Manager for AI at Google Labs, leads the innovative NotebookLM project. She dives into its origin as a 20% project and how it evolved into a popular tool with a vibrant community. Raiza discusses the unique dynamics of Google Labs, future enhancements for NotebookLM, and the engaging new feature, 'Audio Overviews.' The conversation also touches on navigating the ethical challenges of AI and the excitement of collaborating with author Steven Johnson, making for a compelling exploration of tech and creativity.

John Mark Nickels, Senior Director of Product Management at Uber and former Head of Product at Waymo and DoorDash, shares insights on conscious leadership. He explains how self-awareness and emotional intelligence can transform leadership styles. Nickels discusses the evolution of Uber's culture from fear to collaboration, the importance of embracing emotions for professional success, and practical strategies to sharpen vision and execution. The conversation underscores the value of relationships and personal fulfillment in navigating career challenges.

Alex Komoroske, a strategic leader with a rich background at Google and Stripe, shares his insights on product development by advocating a 'gardening' mindset over a 'building' one. He highlights the importance of nurturing innovation and fostering open communication within teams, comparing organizational dynamics to the adaptability of slime molds. Alex also discusses the significance of reflection for personal growth and how AI will reshape product creation, urging teams to embrace the 'adjacent possible' for incremental success.

In this discussion with Benjamin Lauzier, an experienced product and growth leader from Lyft and Thumbtack, listeners gain insights into the intricacies of building successful marketplaces. He shares strategies for balancing supply and demand during the early growth stages and emphasizes the importance of measuring liquidity to ensure ongoing engagement. Lauzier also contrasts the dynamics of product management in the U.S. versus Europe, illustrating lessons from notable platforms. Plus, he introduces his new health tech venture, Nura, which aids users in navigating health care.

Tamar Yehoshua, the President of Product and Technology at Glean, brings her wealth of experience from Slack, Google, and Amazon to discuss essential lessons in product leadership. She shares insights on building strong cross-functional relationships, emphasizing collaboration with engineers for effective product development. Tamar delves into the transformative role of AI in tech, advocating for embracing new tools for enhanced productivity. She also reflects on leadership principles from industry giants like Jeff Bezos while encouraging flexibility in career growth in today's fast-paced landscape.

Tal Raviv, a seasoned product manager and former co-founder of a profitable SaaS company, shares his unique journey as an individual contributor. He discusses the rise of 'super ICs' and the support they need to thrive in their roles. Tal emphasizes the fulfillment he finds in staying an IC rather than moving into management, and offers insights on using AI to boost productivity. He also shares strategies for building self-reliant teams and lessons learned from his career, balancing professional growth with personal satisfaction.

Eli Schwartz, a leading SEO consultant and author of Product-Led SEO, shares his insights on the evolution of SEO in the AI era. He discusses how businesses must adapt their strategies for keyword research, emphasizing mid-funnel tactics and understanding user intent. Eli highlights the need to treat SEO as a product while debunking common myths. He also explores the impact of recent legal challenges on Google's dominance and how younger generations are shifting away from traditional search engines toward social media for information.

Camille Fournier, author of 'The Manager’s Path' and former CTO at Rent the Runway, shares her wealth of experience in tech leadership. She discusses the common frustrations engineers have with product managers, like communication breakdowns and misallocated credit. Camille offers insights on avoiding major rewrites in software, the transition from engineer to manager, and the importance of clear collaboration with platform teams. She also emphasizes striking a balance between effective management and personal well-being, topped off with tips for new managers.

Phyl Terry, author of "Never Search Alone" and CEO of Collaborative Gain, shares invaluable insights for job seekers. He emphasizes the importance of not navigating the job market alone and introduces job search councils as supportive communities. Phyl discusses determining your candidate-market fit, conducting a listening tour, and practical negotiation tactics to stand out. He highlights the power of collaboration and peer support in enhancing career growth, encouraging listeners to embrace vulnerability and seek help during their journey.