89: Empowering Good Decision-Making

In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman and The Product Management Center advisory board member Soumeya Benghanem welcome Michele Lundahl (T-Mobile) as they discuss how to empower good decision-making. Product managers play a crucial role in empowering good decision making within their teams. By fostering a culture of trust, collaboration, and open communication, they enable team members to contribute their diverse perspectives and insights. Empowering decision making encourages ownership and accountability, leading to better outcomes and innovation. By providing the necessary guidance and resources, product managers ensure that their teams have the autonomy and support needed to make informed decisions that align with the overall product vision and goals.   Disclaimer: All opinions of the speakers are their own.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 01:17 Why should we empower good decision-making? 04:26 Inclusivity in decision-making 07:12 Pushbacks on decision 09:19 Three opportunity rule 10:56 Framework to better understand different types of decisions 13:47 Coaching teams to feel empowered about their role 15:36 Handling unavoided impacts 17:33 Training ourselves to be willing to empower others 19:08 Strategic and execution decision 22:37 Leaders in decision-making 25:43 Should leaders get into the weeds? 27:51 How can leaders share knowledge in a way that empowers good decision-making? 30:00 What is a good decision? 31:31 When someone is not in favor of your decision 33:34 Decision processes within product organizations 36:03 How do you help your team to not overthink a decision? 39:05 When a bad decision is made by your team 45:20 Final thoughts