Paige Costello

How to ask the right questions, project confidence, and win over skeptics | Paige Costello (Asana, Intercom, Intuit)

Source 2382023-07-0910,475 words

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Opening
Lenny (00:00:00): You're often the youngest person in the room. What have you learned about how to garner trust and win over skeptics? Paige Costello (00:00:07): The thing I would say is bring the insight. Know thy customer. Know thy market. Know thy competitors. Know thy numbers. Know thy product. Lenny (00:00:15): I'm curious, what you find most holds back new PMs?...

The opener names the listener's problem first, then makes the guest useful to that problem.

Low-ego framing
Paige Costello (00:00:07): The thing I would say is bring the insight. Know thy customer....

Uses we/us, uncertainty, or learner framing instead of performing authority.

Accept praise cleanly
Lenny (00:04:23): I'll tell you right now. Big thank you to Jackie Bavaro, Yasmin who's on your team, and Montgomery and Steve Morin who is currently at Asana. Paige...

Accepts praise without shrinking from it or turning it into a performance.

Ask with curiosity
Paige Costello (00:40:08): Yeah. Lenny (00:40:09): How do you think about splitting up investment in AI exploration within the product team? Are you like, "Hey, team. Everyone should be...

Turns a moment that could become critique into a question about the guest's thinking.

Low-ego framing
Lenny (00:12:50): I've seen images of this in various places, but I don't know of any company that's actually using it as the process. Can you just describe what the Double Diamond Process is and...

Uses we/us, uncertainty, or learner framing instead of performing authority.

Accept praise cleanly
Lenny (01:02:01): Amazing. Paige, you are awesome. Thank you so much for doing this. Two final questions. Where can folks find you online if they want to reach out and learn...

Accepts praise without shrinking from it or turning it into a performance.