Product Leadership is Still a Choice - Even When It’s Hard
- Ronke Majekodunmi
- Jun 15
- 4 min read
“Leadership doesn’t happen all at once. It’s not a one-time decision or a title you earn and never question. It’s a series of choices you make over and over again, especially when things get uncomfortable”.
In part one of my Product Leadership series, I shared that product leadership is a choice. This time, I want to talk about what it looks like to keep choosing leadership when it’s inconvenient, uncertain, or even a little terrifying. Because that’s when it matters most.
Say yes to the things that scare you.
Not because you’re fearless, but because you know growth lives on the other side of fear. It’s easy to say yes to things you’re good at. The real challenge is saying yes to the things that stretch you: public speaking, feedback conversations, strategic pivots. Courage compounds.
Say yes to difficult conversations.
Avoiding hard conversations doesn’t make them go away. It just delays the inevitable. Real leadership means leaning in when things feel tense. It means addressing misalignment early and often. When you say yes to the hard stuff, you build trust that lasts.
Celebrate the successes and failures of your team.
Don’t only cheer when things go right. Celebrate the experiments that didn’t work. The prototypes that failed fast. The guts it took to try in the first place. That kind of celebration creates a culture where people don’t hide their failures. They learn from them.
Don’t micromanage your direct reports.
You hired smart people. Trust them to be smart. Let go of the need to have a hand in everything. Micromanagement crushes creativity and slows velocity. Empowerment speeds everything up.
Ask your direct reports what would make them perform at their best.
It’s easy to make assumptions about what motivates people, but assumptions often miss the mark. Some team members need more structure and regular check-ins. Others do better with more space and flexibility. Instead of guessing, ask directly. What helps you do your best work? What kind of support feels most useful? These questions not only improve performance but also show your team that you care enough to lead them as individuals, not just roles on a chart.
Failures teach you valuable lessons.
There’s no faster way to learn than falling flat. Failing doesn’t make you less of a leader. Refusing to learn from it does. Leaders who talk openly about failure create space for reflection, iteration, and resilience.
Go after the impossible.
Even when the data says no. Even when everyone else thinks it can’t be done. Some of the most impactful ideas started as long shots. If it feels impossible, that might mean you’re on to something.
Bring your team along on the journey.
People can always tell when something is shifting. Whether it’s a new strategy, a leadership change, or just a tough sprint, your team knows when things feel different. The worst thing you can do is act like nothing is happening. Instead, invite them in.
Talk about what’s changing, why it matters, and how it might impact their work. You don’t need to have all the answers. You just need to be honest and present. When you share the journey, you build stronger alignment and more resilient teams.
Embrace “see one, do one, teach one.”
This old teaching model still works. Watch how it’s done. Try it yourself. Then teach someone else. When your team starts teaching each other, you’ve built something scalable. And more importantly, something lasting.
Tell the story of your work.
Every product, every sprint, every decision leaves a trail. Learn to connect the dots. What problem did you solve? Why did it matter? What did you learn? Your story is your leadership signature.
Be the leader who’s willing to fall.
It’s one thing to say you support failure. It’s another to let your team see you stumble and keep going. When leaders pretend to have it all together, it creates pressure for everyone else to do the same. But if you’re willing to admit a mistake, share what didn’t work, and explain what you’re doing differently next time, you create a culture where learning is more important than perfection. That kind of leadership invites experimentation and builds real trust.
Build real relationships.
Know your people. Not just their skills, but their motivations, quirks, and values. When you understand what your direct reports need from you, not just what you need from them, you build the kind of trust that withstands pressure.
Don’t wait for the exit interview.
Ask the real questions at the start. Why did they join? What made them say yes? What would keep them? When you care enough to ask upfront, people are more likely to stay - and stay engaged.
Leadership is built in the everyday decisions - the ones that ask you to trust your team, to speak up when it’s uncomfortable, to keep moving even when the path isn’t clear. It’s in how you respond to failure, how you invite others in, how you stay curious, and how you choose transparency over control. These moments, taken together, are what shape you as a product leader. Not through perfection, but through practice. Choosing leadership when it’s hard is what sets the tone for your team, your culture, and your impact. And it’s a choice worth making every time.
