There are no Silver Bullets — An Interview about Product Management, Design Thinking and Growth

This interview was originally published February, 17th 2020 by Alexander Bock on LinkedIn under the title How to keep an open mind: There are no silver bullets and “it depends”​ — Lisa Mo Wagner’s perceptive view.

Photo by Clark Tibbs on Unsplash

In today’s interview we talk to Lisa Mo Wagner. As a Hidden Champion she provides amazing insights on product management, combining various fields for her exceptional work and perspective: a master design thinker with a growth hacker mindset, digital nomad and facilitator. She writes deeply inspiring articles combining her fields of expertise with a personal view and thus creating new perspectives.

Hi Lisa, hope you are doing fine. We have a little tradition on the way Hidden Champions like you introduce here, so here is my question for you: if you would be a city or a landscape, which one and why?

Hi Alex, thanks for having me! This is a tough question, maybe the sea, ever-changing. It can be fun and relaxing when you spend a day at the beach, but it can also be stormy and wild. And it’s full of plastic? I just like the sea in any kind of weather it shows its beauty in its own way. It never stops moving and changing and I would see it as unapologetic. I am not so much anymore since living in Canada.

I was inspired by your post and article about how you plan 2020, in which you outlined the process. I did this myself and thought about sharing, but it was too personal for me. How do you find the strength to open up in such a remarkable way? And is there some kind of general idea, philosophy behind it?

It has definitely been a process for me. When I wrote my very first article I didn’t think anyone would be interested. A few people liked it. Every time I published a new post I was anxious to see if people actually read it and found it useful. I fairly quickly learned that any time I added a more personal note, like an anecdote, readers were more engaged. This gave me the confidence to share more personal details.

When I read other people’s posts I usually hold it in high regard if someone shares their feelings, it shows their human side and I feel a deeper connection.