Leave Space for Contribution

The insight: Don't show up to strategy sessions with all the answers already figured out. Leave space for the team to actually contribute. Over-preparation can kill collaboration.

Why this matters: When you arrive with everything decided, you're not inviting collaboration—you're asking for rubber-stamping. People sense this and disengage.

What this looks like:

•Show up with a clear problem statement, not a complete solution
•Bring 2-3 options you're considering, not "the answer"
•Ask genuine questions you don't already know the answer to
•Give people time to think before demanding input

The balance: You need enough preparation to be credible, but not so much that there's nothing left to discuss. Prepare the framing, not the conclusion.

Related Insights

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The best product collaboration can't be scheduled. When engineers show natural enthusiasm for an idea, that's your window—don't wait for the next formal meeting.

CollaborationCatch the Moment, Not the Meeting

You can't force collaboration in formal settings. But when you hear an engineer getting passionate about something, you can jump on that moment and explore it right then.

CollaborationThe PM Superpower: Being Bilingual

CSMs can't run engineering planning sessions. Engineers can't run customer demos. But PMs do both. That's not because we're mediocre at everything—it's because our value is being the translator.