MARGARET HOLLENDONER
Coaching Services
Assess and diagnose issues, brainstorm solutions & commit to actions that make sense for you and your organization - all using industry best practice and Margaret's own experience to ensure you achieve your goals.
Organization Transformation
Are you looking to introduce the Product Operating Model across your organization?
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Moving to Product is worth it but it is hard! It requires setting up new teams, skillsets, expectations and processes (both with tech teams and stakeholders). There is no single, right way, but there are anti-patterns to avoid and best practices to try. ​​
Work with cross-functional Product Leaders (PM, Engineering, Design), coaching will focus on setting and achieving goals to: * Create & communicate clear Product Strategy in line with organizational objectives * Redesign team topology, staffing, expectations and processes * Tackle performance management issues and coach your team leads * Set up cross-functional forums, comms, product reviews, templates and feedback * Upskill teams through development sessions, such as strategy reviews, XFN roles and responsibilities or discovery best practices​ ... While staying accountable as problems arise to find ways to break out of old habits.
Elevate your Product Leadership
Are you building or leading a product-led organization for the first time?
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Or, trying to operate in a product-led way, breaking everyone out of old habits?
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Or, perhaps you've inherited a product team and need to shift their mindset and ways of working...​
Assess your challenges and development goals, and commit to actions that will uplevel your own leadership, as well as the performance of your teams: * Create long-term product vision and strategy * Review and potentially overhaul team scopes and staffing * Frame clear objectives for teams to explore & execute * Review product plans to align on gaps and expectations * Identify topics, create templates and add forums for team reviews and development
Product Therapy
Are you one of only a few Product Leaders in your organization?
Are you looking for a thought-partner, sounding board or mentor to brainstorm with or to hold you accountable to longer term goals?
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Affectionately nicknamed 'Product Therapy' by several clients, one-to-one sessions will address top-of-mind issues, blockers and opportunities.
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Get new ideas for tackling problems, as well as reassurance and advice on best practice. * Structure narratives and decision recommendations * Debate strategy trade-offs and priorities * Brainstorm team topology options * Talk through tough performance management conversations * Discuss strategies for difficult stakeholders
What To Expect
60 to 90 minute one-to-one sessions - Diving deep into the product, the team, the strategy and vision of your organization in order to align on your biggest challenges, some development goals and agreed actions to try.
Lots of questions - I need to understand your culture and challenges, as well as the characters you’re managing.
Requests for context and information - Share your work-in-progress product strategy, team topology drafts, objectives or product review templates. Being specific and getting into the details helps create actionable ways to break out of old habits for you and your teams.
Intros to your peers, stakeholders or teams - Product is a team sport - and I’m often keen to meet with your engineering partner, manager, designer, stakeholder or team member for context and advocacy to help us move forwards.
Team session facilitation - Sometimes it’s helpful to bring an outside perspective to your leadership team meetings to review best practice or brainstorm new ways of working.
Total confidentiality and active listening - We’re each unique, and what is easy for some, is challenging for others. It helps to identify what you’re nailing as well as diagnosing where to focus on improvements.