S2:E9 - Practice Like You Play: How Product Teams Win with Clarity, Conflict, & Staying in the Game

In this episode of Practical Product Management, we’re joined by one of our closest friends and former colleagues, Geno White, founder of Dockett Ellis Consulting, technology strategy consultant, and all-around force of nature. Geno’s spent the last two decades leading complex product initiatives across Microsoft, Amazon, Expedia, Moderna, and more. He joins us to talk about the real work of product management in context: how to bring clarity to complexity, why rigor matters, and what it takes to lead lasting change inside an organization. We also talk about conflict (and how to move through it), asking better questions, and why good product leaders know when not to raise their hand.

Key Takeaways

1. Rigor Isn’t a Buzzword—It’s a Commitment Everyone wants to “build like Amazon” until they realize how much discipline and accountability that really requires. Geno reminds us that frameworks don’t fix culture. Rigor does.

2. Clarity Beats Complexity Complex systems are solvable. Complicated BS is not. Geno breaks down how asking simple (and persistent) questions exposes misalignment—and builds shared understanding.

3. You Were Hired for a Reason—Act Like It One of Geno’s most famous pieces of advice? Don’t raise your hand too early. You don’t need to prove your worth by doing everything. Wait until you know how to win, then go all in.
   

Reflection Questions for Product Managers

• Are you clear on the why behind your team’s current goals—or are you chasing someone else’s framework?

• What problem are you really solving—and are you aligned with others on that answer?

• Are you trying to prove yourself… or are you setting yourself up to win?

Leave us your thoughts or ideas here or on our Ask Us page.