Stepping Into Leadership

Every product manager wants to move into leadership — but nobody wants to hire a leader without leadership experience. So how do you break the cycle?

In this episode, Teresa and Petra unpack the practical, often-overlooked ways individual contributors can build real leadership skills right now, without waiting for a title change. Petra shares a surprisingly simple starting point: understand what your organization actually expects from its leaders, then begin deliberately practicing those behaviors in your current role.

The conversation goes deep on two of the most foundational leadership skills — the art of saying no with evidence and clarity, and the ability to provide directional clarity at increasing time horizons. Whether you're setting direction for a sprint today or hoping to own product strategy someday, this episode gives you a clear path to get there.