There are numerous strategies and approaches teams can employ to ensure their idea evolves into a tangible, impactful product. However, there's something more fundamental that actually helps with this—our ability to notice patterns, affinity for rituals, and endurance to pain. In this conversation, Lane Shackleton (CPO, Coda | Athlete ) and I delve deep into the role rituals play in product building.
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Merging Multidimensional Experiences
From an environmental consultant and mountain climbing guide to a creator of digital products, Lane's multifaceted journey to his role as the CPO of Coda is as diverse as it is fascinating. The varied experiences have enriched his perspective, making him value the concept of non-linearity and the lessons embedded in each experience.
Lane emphasizes that everyone is essentially a product of their experiences. His journey, starting from environmental consulting in Australia to starting a wine business and then guiding people through treacherous mountain trails, offered him invaluable lessons.
Embracing the Power of Rituals
Lane's experiences across different roles have allowed him to embrace the power of rituals and habits in his personal life, and how they can be applicable in professional settings. He has found that rituals help channelize these nonlinear paths into constructive growth while building products and managing teams.
Rituals act as familiar anchors in the rapidly changing domain of technology. They provide a structured lens to view the world, offer a rhythm to our work, and deliver a sense of ownership and continuity. Moreover, they help bind team members, fostering a shared understanding and a culture of collective growth.
For instance, Lane mentions rituals that Coda employs, such as Two-Way Write-ups or Decision Docs inspired by Amazon’s six-pager ritual. By developing a norm of writing ideas in prose and discussing them forthrightly, questions are efficiently addressed, ensuring everyone is on the same page.
Another powerful ritual is the creation of a 'Team Hub.' A central space where all critical aspects like meeting notes, tasks, and decisions are consolidated, enhancing team visibility and collaboration.
Developing a Mindset for Growth
Beyond the concept of rituals, Lane emphasizes the importance of these experiences in shaping what he calls a 'growth mindset.' He found parallels in the endurance required in survival situations and endurance in problem-solving, goal setting, and empathizing with customers while designing a product. Facing challenges, enduring the pain of learning through mistakes, and learning to love that process underscore the importance of this mindset.
Lane channels this growth mindset into building technology that empowers creators. He stresses the significance of being open to serendipitous connections that arise when authentically engaging with a community. He emphasizes on two aspects for sincere community engagement:
(1) expressing oneself authentically, and,
(2) being open to serendipity.
Throughout this conversation, the running theme is about staying committed to the journey rather than focusing on the endpoint. Whether you're scaling a mountain, developing a product, guiding people, or creating something unique, it all comes down to being vulnerable and authentic while navigating the path to the goal. That is how product leaders make waves.
