4. Product Leadership at Pipefy - Practical Example and Contextual Leadership Tips

In this section, I'll explain how product leadership works at Pipefy, providing a practical example of our processes. I'll also share useful tips for leading with context rather than control, which is crucial for empowering teams and achieving better outcomes.

Planning Cycles at Pipefy

At Pipefy, we operate with semi-annual planning cycles, with a quick quarterly review. The reason behind this semi-annual cycle is to align product planning with the company’s strategic planning processes, which also occur semi-annually. These processes include budget review, OKR revision, and SWOT analysis, ensuring that the strategic context is integrated into product planning.

Engaging with Leadership and Cross-Department Input

Every six months, we engage with the company leadership to understand the current status of results, expectations from the product team, and areas where the product is doing well or needs improvement. We share what we have discovered from our research and from the "voice of the customer," highlighting user feedback and insights. We also ask leadership questions such as:

Other departments, like Support and Sales, also provide input. Support may report frequent customer complaints, while Sales might mention challenges that lead to lost deals. This collaborative process helps us gather a holistic view of the business context, which is critical for effective product planning.

Sharing Context with the Product Team

After gathering input from leadership, we then share the updated strategic context with the product team. This involves explaining changes in OKRs, linking specific OKRs to individual squads, and outlining changes in company positioning. I typically record videos to provide a clear and documented understanding of the business context, product updates, and planning dynamics for the upcoming semester. This documentation helps distribute information widely and allows team members to watch it on demand.

We give the product squads a space to reflect on the business and product context and then propose their own OKRs, mission, opportunity trees, and roadmaps. This exercise fosters ownership and deep involvement in shaping their work direction.

Portfolio Management and Feedback Loop

Once the squads propose their plans, the product leadership team—together with Design, Engineering, and our CEO—reviews these proposals. We assess dependencies, risk levels, and overall alignment with company goals. This process of managing the product portfolio helps ensure that we are making strategic investments and that the risks are balanced. We then provide feedback to the squads, aligning on the best course of action for each squad and the product team as a whole.

The final strategy is then communicated across the company, starting with the product team, followed by key departments such as Support, Sales, Marketing, and Finance.

Tips for Leading with Context

1. Create Structured Ceremonies for Information Exchange

Creating ceremonies for exchanging information ensures institutionalized and consistent communication. Define the objective of each ceremony, the participants, the frequency, and how it will be documented. For example, after gathering input, it's important to return to stakeholders to share outcomes and decisions. Think of these ceremonies as information flows that keep everyone aligned.

2. Don’t Strive for All the Answers Right Away

Leading with context doesn't mean having all the answers immediately. Start by drafting a product vision, gather feedback, iterate, and gradually improve. The goal is not to achieve perfection instantly but to foster a collaborative environment where ideas evolve over time.

3. Align Planning with Company Strategic Cycles

Synchronize product planning with the company’s strategic cycles. At Pipefy, we begin product planning a month before the company’s strategic planning cycle starts. This allows us to engage in those meetings with intentionality, having identified our questions and objectives beforehand.

4. Document Critical Points and Agreements

Documenting agreements and decisions is vital. Whether through emails, videos, or Slack channels, this documentation helps keep everyone on the same page. It also serves as a reference to track decisions and ensure alignment over time.

5. Facilitate and Encourage Incremental Improvements

Evolve incrementally rather than making drastic changes. This approach ensures that everyone can keep up with changes, understand the strategic context, and avoid feeling overwhelmed by new processes or methodologies.

6. Build Alliances and Manage Stakeholders Closely

When dealing with stakeholders who have strong opinions, engage with them closely—before, during, and after major discussions. This approach helps prevent bias, ensures that differing opinions are heard, and facilitates decision-making. It's also crucial to step in when necessary to guide discussions and prevent the team from feeling undermined by external input.

7. Own Your Role as a Product Leader

Finally, as a product leader, it's your responsibility to take ownership of ambiguous situations and make decisions when necessary. Even if there are differing opinions, you need to be decisive and lead the way forward, ensuring that everyone understands how decisions will be evaluated and iterated upon.

Consistency is Key

Leading with context is about fostering a consistent flow of information and collaboration. Establishing ceremonies, documenting decisions, aligning with strategic planning, and evolving incrementally all contribute to a well-functioning product leadership practice. Remember that consistency will always outweigh sporadic attempts to "get everything right" in a single cycle. This steady approach helps build trust and clarity across your teams and stakeholders.