As Product Leaders, the methods we use are fairly easy to understand but the collaboration with others to get to the desired results sometimes is a hard nut to crack in a complex software engineering world. This talk will provide insights in solution-focused coaching skills being used in the product role and break the common belief that coaching is only relevant for Agile Coaches. It will show how solution-focused coaching skills have been used to solve several challenges on individual, team and organizational level.

Target Audience: Product Leader, Product Owner, Product Executives, Agile Coaches, Scrum Master
Prerequisites: Experience in Product Management / Product Ownership
Level: Advanced

Extended Abstract:
In product management, there are a lot of methods we use (user stories, product backlogs, impact mapping, etc.) and usually they are easy to understand. However, to be truly successful we have to closely work together with people to get to the desired results and in a complex world - this sometimes feel tedious. We have to communicate strategy, manage different expectations, have to lead great user interviews, get devs and all other stakeholders on board, deal with "resistance" and emotional customers and users. Our stakeholders expect a lot from us and sometimes it just feels overwhelming.

Solution-focused coaching skills can help to improve communication towards stakeholders, deal with "resistance" in a helpful way, come to collaborative (and also better) results much faster and much more. The solution-focused mindset and toolbox helped me personally to improve collaboration not only in my Scrum team but also in the Product Leader team and the overall organization. It enabled me to benefit from emotional customers to the advantage of the product. I lead much more efficient meetings now and use the full potential of user interviews to get and understand the core need. And in the end, everything leads closer to the general goal of Product Leaders: maximizing the value for the user.

The goals of this talk are to provide insights in solution-focused coaching skills being used in Product Leader roles and break the common belief that coaching is only relevant for Scrum Masters and Agile Coaches. It will provide small learning nuggets (f. e. linguistic turns, powerful questions for "resistance") and real-life examples how solution-focused coaching skills have been used to solve several challenges on individual, team and organizational level.