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Hey,

This week, I have recorded the second episode of the Reverse Podcast. During this episode, I had an insightful chat about Product Management Knowledge, Career Advice, Gamification and New Technology Trends.

I also finished a chapter of my book, which was long overdue.

Remember that you can give me feedback anytime on the newsletter here, and you can participate in the Reverse Podcast here

Thanks for being part of the journey!

Where to start as a Digital Leader and what to do to develop your skills?

This article is one of the first chapters of the book. I have been sharing extracts of this book in the last newsletter.

If you want to read the full version of the article, go directly to the blog post by the link below.

Read the web version here

Now, where to start if you want to be a digital leader? My goal is to give an overview of where to start.

Where to start as a digital leader?

It took me more than a decade to find my leadership style. It took me time to transform, test, experiment and grow in a role that fulfilled and suited me.

This change starts by focusing on you first. Where you are right now and then, the three areas of digital leadership are true productivity, people mastery and digital expertise.

Before diving into the three dimensions, we must explore only one task you can do now.

Create your hero

I love games.

When playing games, everything is possible. As kids, we could imagine we were everything we wanted the way we wanted. Science and limitations had no place.

Games and stories have a lot in common.

The best games have incredible stories, immersing you in your character’s skin.

The best stories start by presenting the context, the world and the protagonist.

The protagonist is you. You are the hero of your story and about to embark on an epic journey.

The first task is to create your character sheet.

Create your hero with skills, experiences, expertise and superpower.

Your CV is a good starting point. Yet, more than one side of your character is needed to represent you fully.

1. What is your personality?

You have aspirations, a background, a story, motivations, fears, strengths and weaknesses.

So, before looking at your CV and the work experiences. I recommend doing a personality test: https://www.16personalities.com/.

This free website will let you do a personality test in a few minutes.

The test will give you an overview of your strengths and weaknesses.

The exciting part is recognizing what you think about your character. Talk to your friends to see their perspective and what they believe is true.

The personality test doesn’t tell everything.

You had a particular upbringing, DNA and aspirations. This is just one facet of what you are as a hero.

2. What is your quest?

Why do you want to be better? What is lacking? What is your calling?

Every hero who embarks on an adventure has a calling. They want to change or explore the world.

They are ready to jump into the unknown after meeting someone who has triggered something in their life.

It’s sometimes what people call a purpose.

Your purpose needs to be a virtue as opposed to a sin.

You must transform your first thoughts from a sin to a virtue.

Giving you an example:

“I want to make more money.”

The question here is why?

Is it to have a better life?
Is it to be able to travel?
Is it to protect your family?

Generally, one thought or desire we have is rooted in one problem. You don’t have to find it right now. You will discover it along the way.

In my case, I want to transmit what I learn and give a chance to people from the same background as me. I also want to protect and provide for the people around me.

I need to transform to reach that goal and make it come true.

A fundamental purpose will give you the energy and resilience necessary for the journey.

3. Make an inventory of your traits

We need a starting point on who we are and what we are missing. What are the things we need to improve? Where do we feel we lack power?

Most of the SWOT analyses are done from the point of view of a business or a product.

On my side, I like to see it from a personal perspective.

Use the canvas below to identify your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.

4. Identify your accomplishments

This is where the CV comes in handy.

I work with my mentee and advise them on reviewing their CV. It is a long work, and everyone has the same problem.

People need help recognizing their accomplishments.

There are multiple reasons:

Lack of confidence

Unaware of the impact people had

Impostor syndrome

Thinking it’s arrogance

None of this matters if you are stating facts.

To state facts, I generally use the following structure:

Action verb + description of the impact + Significant numbers + Outcome business/users

This straightforward formula will help you describe what you have done.

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Embarking on your digital leadership journey necessitates initiating a review of your skills. Identify areas that are lagging. Talk to your teams, family, and friends, gather their insights, and create a personal vision.

Let’s go on a ride and develop the three aspects of digital leadership: true productivity, people mastery and digital expertise.

The following chapters will be based on those three aspects, and it is your choice to use and jump from one another the way you see fit.

Digital leadership is about guiding your organization through the ever-evolving digital landscape with vision, adaptability, and a collaborative spirit. So, dive in, stay curious, and lead the change.

Read the web version here

Reverse Podcast episode 2 - Gamification, Career Advice and What Future to Focus on in Product Management?

In this second episode, my guest, Cesar, puts me in the hot seat to discuss what the future lies for product and what expertise to develop as a product manager.

In this episode, Cesar and I discuss multiple questions: - What is gamification, and how do you apply it to your life and to product? - What are some of the skills I will develop to assure me a great future in product? - How would I start working in product management if I was in his position?

We also talk about the different resources available.

We hope you’ll find this episode interesting and fun to listen to!

Remember, you’re the expert in this Reverse Podcast.

I can’t wait to hear your thoughts and ideas!

Tell me what you think about this topic, and send me any questions you have:
In the meantime, as we discover this topic together:

You can access my website and productivity system here
Sign up to participate in the Reverse Podcast here
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