Brian de Haaff's Blog, page 22

15 Best Product Management Blogs of 2017

Woosh. 2017 was intense. So much happened in current events and business and everywhere else. We saw product managers take on a more critical role within companies than ever before. Yet amid all the topsy-turvy there was one thing that did not waver — the power of the written word.

We love writing on the Aha! blog because it gives us a chance to thoughtfully document topics that are on our minds and that are important to us all.

We also love looking forward and planning for the future. (We...

What This CEO Learned After Writing More Than 100 Blogs in 2017

I have a hard time slowing down. A voice in my head always says, “Why wait? Keep going.” So, I almost never stop. I quickly move forward from finishing one project to starting the next. Always focused on the next big goal, the next big step for our company. It has worked for us so far. Aha! is one of the fastest growing software companies in the U.S. — and yet…

All that constantly-moving-forward work makes it hard to stop and appreciate the “now.” And this is something I need to do more of —...

The One Thing Successful Founders Do to Create Winning Teams

Were you an awkward teenager? Not yet an adult but not a kid anymore. I know there were times when I was not quite sure where I fit in and what my role was. This is the beauty of growing up — you have time to try and figure it out (only to realize that the answer is never clear).

Well, the same is true for businesses. The transition from startup to established company and the years in between can be exciting and awkward too.

Those transitional years for an emerging company can catch leaders...

Hey Customer: Stop Treating Me Like a Jerk

Angry customers. I have encountered a few. And I bet you have too — even if it was just in passing. Have you ever overheard a customer ranting at their waiter about a meal? Walked into a store while a rage-filled return was in progress? The reason for this anger is usually not whatever the customer is yelling about. The core issue typically stems from something that happened earlier in the day and not feeling valued. The frustration is simply redirected. Unfortunately. 

And at one point in y...

Use These 4 Words to Be More Productive in 2018

One day. Then two more. Still silence. This was several years ago when I was working at a large software company. I had sent an email to a colleague, hoping to address an important customer question about an advanced feature. The silent treatment continued. I was busy but I finally figured it out. Can you guess what happened next?

My colleague responded … a whole week later. They had made a mental note to respond to me but then forgot. “Sorry!” This mental note held us both back — stalling w...

6 Signs You Love Your Job

“You cannot improve what you do not measure.” This is what I wrote the first time I asked our team at Aha! to evaluate our own company. I wanted to know how people really thought and felt. Not just polite conversation — honest opinions. So, we sent out our first Employee Lovability Survey. What does that mean? Good question.

My co-founder Dr. Chris Waters and I always wanted to create a place where people would love to work and love their work. The goal of the survey was to confirm if we wer...

Hey Boss: You Are Setting Me Up for Failure

A terrible first day at a new job. You show up only to find your wonderful new boss is not ready for you. Nobody greets you. I would like to say I am making this up — but it happened to me. I once sat in the lobby for over an hour waiting to get going at a new job after graduate school.

A bad first day is a sign — it points to a company that is operating under chaos and does not seem to mind it.

The chaos continues well past day one. Usually, second and third bad days follow, as the firehose...

The Product Manager vs. the Business Analyst

“What is the difference between a product manager and a …?” You can fill in the rest of that question with more than a half dozen job titles — engineering manager, scrum master, project manager, business analyst, and more. Lots of aspiring product managers want to know the answer to these questions. It makes sense that people are curious about the overlap between different job titles. Why?

Well, it is only natural. Product management is one of the newer disciplines in technology companies....

How to Be Transparent at Work (Without Making People Cry)

Extreme openness. This was the original intention of the open-office design. Breaking down walls would also break down barriers — everyone could exchange ideas throughout the day. The organization would realize a hyper-state of transparency where the best ideas would always win. But I bet you have experienced a different reality with this floor plan.

More whispered conversations. More dodging into conference rooms to make a private call. More dreaming of working remotely. More germs floating...

Your Company Is Not a Democracy

We are living in unsettling times. In 2016, you may have found yourself saying “What?!” out loud a lot. And I am betting that this year your knee-jerk response has become, “Now what?” But uncertainty in the world is nothing new. And it definitely is no stranger to business.

As the Greek philosopher Heraclitus wrote, “Everything changes and nothing stands still.” Resilient people and organizations learn to focus on what they control. These leaders choose to be great even in the face of chaos....