🎾 John Cutler’s Real-World Learning Review, Lenny’s Layoff Toolkit, Uncovering the Secrets of Amazon’s Early Days With David Cancel

+ really solid, no-nonsense ChatGPT scenarios

This is Sunday 1-1-2-3 with George.

Each week, you get a blast of ideas that push your product craft forward, or so I hope.

It’s like a Sysyphean task simulator. Every week we push that rock up the hill, again and again.

Today we have:

• Real-World Learning Review With John Cutler

• Amazon Wasn’t Disciplined At First

• Layoff Tools and Helpers from Lenny

• Big Thread on Roadmaps

+ a great set of articles on ChatGPT

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📚 Real-World Learning Review With John Cutler

TBM 3/52: Real-World Learning Review

I think you’ll like this real-world example of a learning review done by John on one of his portfolio companies.

It includes a discussion about the company's metrics, goals, assumptions, product, customer challenge, and strategic reset.

They also discussed the importance of understanding customer challenges and leveraging opportunities, as well as the need to resist the urge to "just build".

It’s quite rare to see such sessions done so well, without any menacing agenda behind it. Pure learning and clarity.

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👀 Amazon Wasn’t Disciplined At First

This video has very few views. It’s a crime. Drift’s CEO David Cancel interviews the writers of “Working Backwards”, that book every PM influencer probably told you about.

Worth a listen, especially the Discipline portion:

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🍪 Quick Bites

Lenny Rachitsky @lennysan

For anyone recently laid off, a few things to help you get back on your feet: 1. Curated directory of product coaches 2. Talent collective 3. 25% discount off my newsletter 4. 10 select posts to read, on interviewing, influence, strategy, product sense, ideation, more Read on

Shreyas Doshi @shreyas

The day you became a clearer thinker, you: -started by identifying the real goal -decomposed vague concepts -framed the right questions -sought more data or experience -listened to multiple perspectives -assessed upsides & downsides -examined your own biases -acted like an owner

Janna bastow@mastodon.social @simplybastow

Most roadmaps are setting up their product teams to fail. That's because, even today, most roadmaps still follow the dreaded *timeline roadmap* format 😱 And here's why that sucks. THREAD 👇

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🤖 ChatGPT Corner

Ethan Mollick @emollick

Over the last month, I have been exploring how to use ChatGPT to actually do stuff. Here are some guides: 💡Generate ideas: oneusefulthing.substack.com/p/how-to-use-a… 🧑‍🏫Teach new skills: oneusefulthing.substack.com/p/how-to-use-a… 🧑‍💻Help launch a startup: oneusefulthing.substack.com/p/chatgtp-is-m… ✍️Write better: oneusefulthing.substack.com/p/how-to-use-c…

oneusefulthing.substack.comHow to... use ChatGPT to boost your writingThe key to using generative AI successfully is prompt-crafting

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That's a wrap for today. Stay focused and see you next week! If you want more, be sure to follow me on Twitter (@nurijanian)

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Who's George?

It’s me

I’m an underdog product manager.

Product management in New Zealand (where I live) is still a relatively immature discipline. I also came into it late via data science and UX. I may be older than others, but I often feel like a rookie.

To become better at my craft, I learn and explore new ideas relentlessly.

Then I share high-quality, tried-and-true ideas that can be used right away.

How I can help you:

• If you’re learning about product as a cross-functional leader, I’ve compiled my best actionable finds in prodmgmt.world.

• Get some help via prodmgmt.help. People ask about How to prioritise, How to do market research, how to work with engineers, how to go from a service to a product, how to develop a deep coherent product strategy, what books to read and courses to take on product topics & design systems product management.

see you next week.

— George.