Communication is the Answer with Francesca Cortesi

In this episode, host Joao Moita sits down with Francesca Cortesi, a seasoned product leader with a rich background spanning the fashion industry to product management. Together, they dive deep into thought-provoking topics such as psychological safety in teams, the evolving role of product managers, and strategies for fostering effective communication and collaboration across functions. Francesca shares her candid thoughts on why the “CEO of the product” mindset is flawed and offers actionable insights on creating impact as a product leader. Whether you’re looking to challenge conventional thinking or refine your leadership approach, this conversation is packed with lessons you won’t want to miss. Key Takeaways 1. Rethinking the Product Manager Role Francesca challenges the traditional “CEO of the product” narrative, emphasizing that the essence of product management lies in facilitating decisions, not centralizing them. 2. Psychological Safety and Team Dynamics Francesca explains psychological safety as the foundation of open communication, where team members feel safe to disagree, share challenges, and flag issues. Practical advice is offered for building psychological safety both within teams and across departments, including fostering trust and addressing conflicts proactively. 3. Balancing Curiosity with Boundaries While product managers must engage with stakeholders and ask the right questions, Francesca warns against overcommitting and provides strategies for managing workload and maintaining focus. 4. Facilitating Effective Cross-Functional Collaboration Francesca discusses the importance of creating forums for collaboration and social activities to foster relationships between teams. She shares her approach to resolving conflicts by shifting discussions from personal to professional contexts and acting as a facilitator when tensions arise. 5. Trust as a Leadership Tool Francesca highlights the role of trust in creating collaborative environments and offers her perspective on reframing challenges with the assumption of good intentions. Timestamps: 00:00 Coming Up 00:42 Intro 03:49 From Fashion to Product Management 07:13 Rethinking the Product Manager Role 16:59 The Role of a Product Manager 27:43 Psychological Safety in Teams 34:50 Building Trust Across Departments 41:12 Closing Remarks