“At the end of the day, your job is to build enterprise value as a CPO.” - Jodi McDermott

In this episode of Hard Calls, three-time CPO turned product and board advisor, Jodi McDermott at Switchback Advisory, talks with host Trisha Price. Together, they explore how to navigate the tough decisions product leaders face and what it takes to be a successful product leader today.
Here's what you'll discover:

The hard calls that protect team culture. The tough talent decisions every leader eventually faces: removing a high-performer who's quietly poisoning the team culture, and reassigning a beloved team member who is simply in the wrong role for them and for what the team needs.

When to walk away from a product. Not all revenue is good revenue, and a product leader needs to know when to say no in order to focus resources on what can actually scale.

Why financial acumen is a product leader's biggest flex. Product leaders must act as P&L owners, not just product visionaries. Learn the ideal investment distribution for most products: 30% maintain, 30% sustain, and 40% growth.

The strategic power of Product Operations. A good product ops team can be an extension of a CPO, setting the operating standards for the team, collecting and analyzing data, so the team can be free to explore and spend more time with users.

How to build connected teams. Embrace servant leadership and vulnerability to foster genuine connections with team members spanning the globe.

Episode Chapters

• (00:00) Introduction
• (01:05) The Hard Call: The Culture Hire or the High Performer?
• (04:30) The Right Person in the Wrong Role
• (07:45) Proving the ROI of R&D to PE-backers
• (11:00) Balancing Investments with Maintain, Sustain, Grow Distribution
• (15:00) Product Ops and How it Extends the CPO’s Strategic Influence
• (18:30) Building Vulnerability-Based Trust Across Teams
• (25:40) The #1 Skill Gap for Aspiring CPOs (and It’s More Than Curiosity)
• (30:45) AI Disruption: Internal Tools, Product Strategy & Changing Perceptions
• (36:45) The One-Way vs Two-Way Door Metaphor to Decision Making

Love the episode?

Drop us a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review, and share this episode with a teammate navigating their own leap to leadership. Every download and subscription helps more product leaders find the show!

Presented by Pendo. Dive deeper at pendo.io or connect with Trisha Price on LinkedIn