Product strategy is not just about creating a roadmap or setting goals; it's about understanding the market, the competition, and the customer needs. It's about making informed decisions that will drive the success of the product.

Product strategy is not just about creating a roadmap or setting goals; it's about understanding the market, the competition, and the customer needs. It's about making informed decisions that will drive the success of the product.

One of the biggest challenges in product strategy is the need to influence others. Whether it's convincing stakeholders to invest in a new feature or getting a development team on board with a new direction, the ability to influence is crucial. However, influence is not always easy to achieve.

Influence is not about forcing your ideas onto others; it's about understanding their perspectives and finding common ground. It's about building relationships and trust so that others are willing to listen to your ideas. It's about being a good storyteller, able to weave a compelling narrative that resonates with others.

One of the key elements of influence is having an advisor mindset. This means understanding the frameworks and principles that others use to make decisions and finding ways to align your ideas with those frameworks. By showing others how your ideas fit into their existing decision-making processes, you can increase the likelihood that they will be open to your influence.

Another important aspect of influence is the solver mindset. This involves proving to others the positive impact of making a particular decision. It's about showing them how your ideas will solve their problems and bring value to their work. By demonstrating the benefits of your ideas, you can make it easier for others to see the value in what you're proposing.

It's important to note that different people have different natural inclinations when it comes to influencing others. Some people naturally lean towards advising, while others lean towards solving. The key is to recognize the right mindset for the right context. Managers, for example, should aim for an advisor mindset with their reports, empowering them to make decisions and not taking decisions away from them. On the other hand, reports should aim for a solver mindset with their managers, reducing the decision burden for them.

In the world of product strategy, influencing others is crucial to success. It's not enough to have great ideas; you need to be able to communicate those ideas effectively and get others on board. By adopting an advisor mindset and a solver mindset, you can increase your influence and drive the success of your product.

In conclusion, influencing others is a key skill in the world of product strategy. By understanding others' decision-making frameworks and proving the positive impact of your ideas, you can increase your influence and drive the success of your product. Here are three actionable pieces of advice to help you become a more influential product strategist:

• 1. Develop your storytelling skills: Learn how to weave a compelling narrative that resonates with others. Use storytelling techniques to engage and persuade your audience.

• 2. Build relationships and trust: Take the time to understand others' perspectives and build strong relationships. Trust is crucial in influencing others, so focus on building trust with your stakeholders, team members, and customers.

• 3. Show the value of your ideas: Demonstrate the positive impact of your ideas by providing clear examples and evidence. Show others how your ideas will solve their problems and bring value to their work.

By incorporating these three pieces of advice into your approach to product strategy, you can enhance your ability to influence others and drive the success of your product. Remember, influence is not about forcing your ideas onto others, but about understanding their perspectives and finding common ground.