Brian de Haaff's Blog, page 3

How to Be Bored at Work

“If you cannot get out of it, get into it.” This is a simple yet powerful saying that I think is particularly applicable to work. Because even if you are passionate about what you do, you will not be energized by every single project or task. So unless you want to get out entirely, adopting a positive attitude can help you get into it.

If you want to achieve sustainable happiness, you have to find a way to derive meaning from whatever it is you are doing.

It is easier to be engaged when you...

Founder’s Paradox: How Do You Stay Vulnerable When You Achieve Tremendous Success?

One of the strongest materials on Earth is also the lightest. I am talking about graphene — an extremely thin sheet of carbon atoms arranged in two dimensions. It is about 100 times stronger than the strongest steel and yet is remarkably lighter in weight. It conducts electricity and is almost transparent. Light yet strong. Electric yet clear.

I am always struck by this kind of duality — seeming vulnerabilities that are intrinsic to resilience.

I hear from a lot of people these days due to...

Aha! Donates $127,093 to Support Those Most In Need

A world of caring communities. This is what we envisioned when we announced our philanthropic initiative which is appropriately named Aha! Cares last year. Our first year was an incredible success. We gave more than $100,000 in 2019 to community-based nonprofits. And collectively, Aha! teammates clocked 794 hours of service — everything from packing meals for at-risk kids to improving housing for victims of domestic violence.

As a fast-growing and profitable company, I believe we have a...

Vision vs. Strategy vs. Roadmap

Roadmaps are beautiful. Not just because they are aesthetically pleasing, but because of what they represent. Roadmaps clearly show what you want to achieve and how you will get there. You can create excitement for a big idea and package it in a way that others can understand. But a roadmap is still just a visualization. You need to have a vision and strategy behind the plan.

Vision, strategy, and roadmapping — you need to deeply understand the purpose of each in order to build something...

The Top 10 Most-Loved Products Have This in Common

What products do you love? How about one you truly adore? I ask every person who joins Aha! these two questions during onboarding and most people can only come up with a few. I posed this question to recently and the results were the same — just a handful of companies listed. When probed for details, you would think it is the features of the product itself that people say they love. But you would be incorrect.

Most companies are special to customers because of the people...

The Hiring Bot Does Not Like You — But We Do

“People are our greatest asset.” Many company founders say this, but how many actually mean it? I am fortunate to lead People Success at Aha! — where we strive to treat everyone with kindness and transparency. But I know that many companies do not do the same. Some even take a cold and impersonal approach to interviewing and hiring.

The hiring process at many organizations is lacking something essential — a human-centric approach.

We are fortunate at Aha! —many folks are interested in...

Product Manager vs. Product Owner vs. Project Manager

Product vs. project. The amount of confusion these two words can cause never surprises me. If you are a product manager, you know where I am going with this. I bet you have been called a “project manager” more times than you can count. And the confusion only grows in companies where there is a product owner on the team too.

But clarity about these roles is vital to effectively collaborating and bringing a product to market.

To be sure, there is not one universally accepted definition for...

The Founder’s Paradox: How to Create Good Anxiety

Any adventure worth taking involves a bit of risk. Because part of the thrill of doing something new is the knowledge that it has not been done before. For a company founder, that daring feeling is two-fold. What will happen if you do not succeed? And what will happen if you do?

Think of it this way —to benefit from a trampoline you need to jump. And then you need to keep jumping.

As companies grow, the adventure changes. Things get more complex. You may notice that it is harder for people...

What Does Team Spirit Look Like When You Only See Your Co-Workers Twice a Year?

Team spirit. In theory, it refers to a positive company culture. But many companies treat it more like recruiting lip service than a value to actively foster. It has become just another corporate buzzword. Team spirit should not just be an abstract concept or a lure — it is something that is real and palpable. But what exactly does it look like?

Team spirit is when everyone believes in a shared set of values and supports one another to accomplish a common goal.

I find that folks frequently...

Showcase Your 2019 Product Management Success With These 4 Reports

It creeps up on you and then it is over. The end of the year is in the distance, you achieve a major release, and then everyone looks ahead. What will 2020 bring? But wait. Pausing to consider the work you have done and the team’s accomplishments is a valuable exercise — especially if you are a product manager.

The end of the year is an excellent time to showcase how the product team met goals and delivered new functionality.

Of course, what it is you actually report back on will depend...