Support System for Product Leaders

Key Topics Covered:

• Why product leaders struggle to scale themselves
• The hidden cost of “doing it all yourself”
• Executive assistants: why product leaders rarely have them — and why that’s a problem
• Delegation as a leadership skill, not a weakness
• How to identify the work only you can uniquely do
• Research and data support for strategy work
• Coaches as shortcuts for clarity, accountability, and skill-building
• Communities of practice as leverage for leaders
• The “professional athlete” mindset for product leadership
• When AI helps — and when humans still matter
• Letting go of perfection: “80% done by someone else is 100% awesome”

Notable Quotes:

• “You are a pro athlete. It makes sense to think about how you scale your impact without adding more to your calendar.” — Petra Wille
• “As you get busier, it becomes more important to focus on the value only you can bring.” — Teresa Torres “80% done by someone else is 100% awesome.” — Dan Martell (quoted)

Practical Takeaways for Product Leaders:

• Audit your time: what work truly requires you?
• Experiment with small amounts of support (even a few hours a week)
• Delegate outcomes, not just tasks
• Keep the hands-on work you love — but be intentional about it
• Use peers, coaches, and communities to learn how others delegate
• Don’t wait until burnout to build your support system

Resources & Links:

• Follow Teresa Torres: https://ProductTalk.org
• Follow Petra Wille: https://Petra-Wille.com

Mentioned in the episode:

• Petra’s Coaching for Product Leaders
• Dan Martell’s book Buy Back Your Time