Building Championship-Level Product Teams: Strategies for Success
Product Team Success - A podcast by By Ross Webb
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In this episode, Ross Webb, former product leader at Amazon and Just Eat, reveals how successful product organizations mirror championship sports teams through intentional collaboration, defined roles, and productive tension. Five experienced product leaders share their strategies for building and leading high-performing teams. Key Topics Discussed: Creating natural cross-team collaborationBuilding genuine engineering partnershipsManaging productive tension between teamsRemote team relationship buildingDesigning complementary team structures Featured Guests: Phil Hornby introduces his innovative "3 hats" approach to breaking down silos and encouraging natural collaborationBecca Cooke shares insights on creating true engineering partnerships beyond simple delegationBrian Flanagan explains how to balance product and engineering relationships through healthy tensionKatherine Cunliffe reveals strategies for building strong relationships in remote teamsMel McVie demonstrates how to build diverse teams that complement each other's strengths Key Insights: The importance of dedicated collaboration time through "office hours"How to empower engineers through problem-solving vs prescriptionThe distinction between product owning "what" and engineering owning "how"Building personal connections in remote environmentsThe value of hiring for complementary strengths Actionable Takeaways: Implement the 3 hats approach to create natural collaborationCreate dedicated office hours for cross-team supportFocus on problems rather than prescriptive solutions with engineeringPrioritize informal connections in remote settingsHire for your blind spots to create stronger collective teams Join the Top Prods Community: Take your product leadership journey to the next level by joining our community at https://www.top-prods.com. Connect with mentors, access structured guidance, and accelerate your career growth alongside fellow product leaders. Resources Mentioned: Top Prods Community4 Pillars of Product Success Guide Connect with our guests on LinkedIn to learn more about their approaches to building high-performing product teams.
