Can we be brave together?

Dear brave adventurer,

I often think about my own growth (or lack of it). Who am I? What traits should I develop??I believe we all have the ability to access the qualities needed to succeed — attitudes, beliefs, habits, and behaviors — but some come more naturally than others. And there are times when you need to lean heavily into a certain trait to move forward, even if it is a struggle that requires digging deep.

Courage is a good example. It is more difficult (and more needed) to harness in tough times. Yet it is something we all need to cultivate right now — no matter what you do.

Companies need courage to make smart investments when markets are uncertain. Product builders need courage to launch new solutions when customers are distracted by that uncertainty and have less money to spend. And of course individuals need courage to thrive after a layoff.

Courage is a great differentiator in life and work

Going boldly is a core value for me. It is needed to pursue many of my passions — adventure in wilderness and in business. My co-founder Chris and I embraced fearlessness when we founded Aha! and it is instilled into every aspect of the company. (It is the second principle of?The Responsive Method, our framework for personal and business growth.)

If you are familiar with our journey then you already know that it took courage to build the company the way we did back in 2013. No outside funding, no offices, no salespeople — with an exceptionally talented and entirely distributed team working remotely.?

Today we are well-past $100 million in ARR, the team is 125 people, and more than 700,000 people use our product development software. As much as we needed courage in the early days, I find it is even more relevant for our current reality. Every decision we make — from hiring a new teammate to shipping a feature — is an act of courage because it has a greater impact on so many other product builders who in turn need courage to build for their own customers.

I was curious where product managers muster courage most in their daily work. The results of the poll above made sense to me in many ways. Defining user stories is a happy place for most of us. It is those tougher areas where?many people are involved?that challenge us greatly. Seeking insights from others, go-to-market launches, and reporting on performance? Bravery is needed.?

So I wrote a brand new blog post about how you can channel a gutsy attitude in your daily product development work. →?My four best tips for your success.

I enjoyed reading through your advice in the comments on that poll as well. There were many thoughtful reactions as well as a few to-the-point responses to the question of when do product managers need the most courage.

You said…

Any adventure demands courageous acts every day

We know courage is how great companies and tech are built. It is expressed in big actions and seemingly small choices. At Aha! we have the honor of?providing tools?and expert support that enable others to find their courage and take a risk building what they think is right. It was energizing to work with the team on expressing this in a refresh of our homepage —?here is a sneak peek of what we will be launching soon.?

“Dare to deliver.” It is something that our team has been saying to each other for some time now — a rallying cry that exemplifies the folks who are brave enough to build, courageous enough to begin an adventure. I am excited to fly the courage badge more freely and celebrate product stars everywhere.?

So tell me: What is your most daring moment? Who exemplifies courage to you?

Adventurously yours,

Brian