I’ve found that one of the more reliable traits to identify strong product leaders, is the ability to identify and manage risks.
Effective risk management means identifying barriers to success earlier on, which leads to better product decisions.
The hardest part of risk management? Building buy-in among stakeholders, especially those who are further away from the problem than you are.
Here’s what I found that helps when building buy-in:
🧠 Create a shared understanding: Communicate WHY a risk is harmful to the organisation, its potential impact and the likelihood of the risk materialising.
🧐 Build belief: Ask for questions and clarifications to ensure that the shared understanding has actually materialised, and that this has now become a shared belief, which people can make decisions on.
🎙️ Communicate your plans of mitigation: It’s easy to align on a solution once everybody has the same understanding!