What is your process of setting a vision when you join a new company?

Every new job I've taken has had a pretty specific challenge I was hired to solve, and I was fortunate to have that clarity (at least at a high level).  When I start in the new role, I focus on the following elements: Build relationships with my team and cross-functional partners Learn about the industry Study competitors Explore the product in detail Collect as much customer feedback and usage data as I can get my hands on And last but not least, find all the skeletons (or as many as I can).- W ...Read More

I’m assuming the question is about setting a ‘team’ vision/mission and one doesn’t exist yet. The mission statement is the “What” and the vision statement is an ambitious future state of what the world might look like when you accomplish your mission. A crisp vision/mission statement serves as a strong identity for your team and guides them during critical moments of decision making, gaining alignment, prioritizing resources etc. Here is a framework that I’ve leveraged in the past to arrive at a ...Read More

Wow, this is a really interesting question. I hadn't really thought about this before. I love the bravado and the eagerness to jump right in. That's a really strong action bias and it's great to see. I guess I'd kind of caution you a few things. I'm kind of of two minds here. Number one, I do want to say, yeah, absolutely go for it. Start thinking about what this market is, what people want, what types of solutions, you know, might be useful. Really ideate and try to stretch your thinking becaus ...Read More

I joined Anima recently, and here’s the approach I used during onboarding: Understand the Product and Market: Review product features, the roadmap, customer feedback, and analyze the competitive landscape to identify opportunities. Assess Development and Metrics: Evaluate development processes, methodologies, and key metrics to identify gaps and areas for improvement. Refine the Product Vision: Collaborate with the executive team to align the product vision with company goals and ensure it refle ...Read More

If you're new or are attacking sacred cows in a vision update that is required, you need the org to buy into the change. It starts with you getting your thoughts together. I like building a doc answering fundamental questions such as "Who are we?", "What is our mission?". As you build this, you get your thoughts together and can then start sharing these. When you now you're going to change something big, I'd call it out. You may build this into a separate doc later but it's important to go deep ...Read More

The process that I go through when setting a vision when I join a new company is: Listen & Learn Research & Optionality Draft & Edit Share Listen & Learn It is very hard to write a product vision with no context. When I start at a new company, I try not to make any decisions for 30 days. I start by doing a listening tour around the company. I ask everyone the same set of questions - and always finish with "who else do you think I should talk to?" The goal of this 30 days is to le ...Read More

I like to start by understanding the historical context and how teams arrived at where they are. What decisions were made and why. What worked well and what didn't go according to the plan. Starting there also enables me to build early relationships with key stakeholders and understand the collective vision for the product area.  Then, I like to take a fresh look at things by taking an outside-in look. This is when I research market trends and competitor strategies. This helps me learn from othe ...Read More

When joining a new company, I would start by aligning the vision with the company's mission and values, ensuring it supports broader strategic objectives. I’d engage key stakeholders, leadership, teams, and customers to understand pain points and opportunities. After analyzing market trends and the current product offering, I’d develop a clear, data-driven vision that leverages the company’s strengths while addressing emerging needs. Finally, I’d ensure the vision is actionable, with defined mil ...Read More

Right off the bat, the very first thing here to do would be a deep dive into market trends, competitive landscape, and internal data. You need a holistic view of where the company stands and where it needs to go. Then, involve senior leaders, cross-functional teams, and relevant stakeholders early on. This isn’t about consensus but ensuring alignment on pain points, goals, and opportunities. When everyone is on the same page, build your vision around what the company does best. Look for key diff ...Read More