Waqas Sheikh
@waqas.bsky.social
product guy, seeking nuance. long-form essays on product building @ https://waqas-sheikh.com
Pinned
🚢 Shipped the ability to filter my essays based on 5 core capabilities of PM that matter the most IMO:
🗺️ strategy
🧠 judgement
🧭 leadership
🤝 collaboration
💪 craft
Also I decided to add deep-linking too, because... well, why not?
Give it a whirl ⬇️
waqas-sheikh.com/browse#craft
🗺️ strategy
🧠 judgement
🧭 leadership
🤝 collaboration
💪 craft
Also I decided to add deep-linking too, because... well, why not?
Give it a whirl ⬇️
waqas-sheikh.com/browse#craft
November 8, 2025 at 5:17 PM
🚢 Shipped the ability to filter my essays based on 5 core capabilities of PM that matter the most IMO:
🗺️ strategy
🧠 judgement
🧭 leadership
🤝 collaboration
💪 craft
Also I decided to add deep-linking too, because... well, why not?
Give it a whirl ⬇️
waqas-sheikh.com/browse#craft
🗺️ strategy
🧠 judgement
🧭 leadership
🤝 collaboration
💪 craft
Also I decided to add deep-linking too, because... well, why not?
Give it a whirl ⬇️
waqas-sheikh.com/browse#craft
“Always” statements are almost always wrong. or incomplete. Or naïve. I encourage you to avoid absolutism in your thinking. See what I did there?
November 8, 2025 at 2:05 AM
“Always” statements are almost always wrong. or incomplete. Or naïve. I encourage you to avoid absolutism in your thinking. See what I did there?
How our energy shifts through any big change…
November 6, 2025 at 10:26 PM
How our energy shifts through any big change…
Are resources fungible? Only if you believe macroeconomic theory is a good strategy for you to make financial decisions for your family.
What may be true at large scale may not be true at small scale. For product teams, make resourcing decisions at the right scale.
What may be true at large scale may not be true at small scale. For product teams, make resourcing decisions at the right scale.
November 3, 2025 at 4:11 PM
Are resources fungible? Only if you believe macroeconomic theory is a good strategy for you to make financial decisions for your family.
What may be true at large scale may not be true at small scale. For product teams, make resourcing decisions at the right scale.
What may be true at large scale may not be true at small scale. For product teams, make resourcing decisions at the right scale.
This diagram will explain most of the challenges you face, in aiming for your product team(s) to be more “outcome-oriented”.
November 2, 2025 at 3:03 PM
This diagram will explain most of the challenges you face, in aiming for your product team(s) to be more “outcome-oriented”.
If you fail fast, then failure is guaranteed but success isn’t.
If you want to succeed, you need to adapt fast, more than just failing fast.
And if your aim is to adapt fast, then you need to learn fast.
But learning fast doesn’t need you to fail first.
So, learn fast.
If you want to succeed, you need to adapt fast, more than just failing fast.
And if your aim is to adapt fast, then you need to learn fast.
But learning fast doesn’t need you to fail first.
So, learn fast.
November 1, 2025 at 5:32 PM
If you fail fast, then failure is guaranteed but success isn’t.
If you want to succeed, you need to adapt fast, more than just failing fast.
And if your aim is to adapt fast, then you need to learn fast.
But learning fast doesn’t need you to fail first.
So, learn fast.
If you want to succeed, you need to adapt fast, more than just failing fast.
And if your aim is to adapt fast, then you need to learn fast.
But learning fast doesn’t need you to fail first.
So, learn fast.
Reposted by Waqas Sheikh
✍️ New essay published: The OKR Olympiad
OKRs aren't one-size-fits-all, but we sometimes treat them that way. Your OKRs should reflect which game you're actually playing.
More in the essay here: open.substack.com/pub/waqaswri...
OKRs aren't one-size-fits-all, but we sometimes treat them that way. Your OKRs should reflect which game you're actually playing.
More in the essay here: open.substack.com/pub/waqaswri...
October 13, 2025 at 6:08 PM
✍️ New essay published: The OKR Olympiad
OKRs aren't one-size-fits-all, but we sometimes treat them that way. Your OKRs should reflect which game you're actually playing.
More in the essay here: open.substack.com/pub/waqaswri...
OKRs aren't one-size-fits-all, but we sometimes treat them that way. Your OKRs should reflect which game you're actually playing.
More in the essay here: open.substack.com/pub/waqaswri...
✍🏻 Peeking perils
How do you know when to pivot vs. when to stay the course? Whether it's strategy, team challenges, or your own career - the answer comes down to discipline around three things: clear hypothesis, predefined burden of proof, and giving time.
open.substack.com/pub/waqaswri...
How do you know when to pivot vs. when to stay the course? Whether it's strategy, team challenges, or your own career - the answer comes down to discipline around three things: clear hypothesis, predefined burden of proof, and giving time.
open.substack.com/pub/waqaswri...
October 26, 2025 at 7:43 PM
✍🏻 Peeking perils
How do you know when to pivot vs. when to stay the course? Whether it's strategy, team challenges, or your own career - the answer comes down to discipline around three things: clear hypothesis, predefined burden of proof, and giving time.
open.substack.com/pub/waqaswri...
How do you know when to pivot vs. when to stay the course? Whether it's strategy, team challenges, or your own career - the answer comes down to discipline around three things: clear hypothesis, predefined burden of proof, and giving time.
open.substack.com/pub/waqaswri...
✍️ New essay published: The OKR Olympiad
OKRs aren't one-size-fits-all, but we sometimes treat them that way. Your OKRs should reflect which game you're actually playing.
More in the essay here: open.substack.com/pub/waqaswri...
OKRs aren't one-size-fits-all, but we sometimes treat them that way. Your OKRs should reflect which game you're actually playing.
More in the essay here: open.substack.com/pub/waqaswri...
October 13, 2025 at 6:08 PM
✍️ New essay published: The OKR Olympiad
OKRs aren't one-size-fits-all, but we sometimes treat them that way. Your OKRs should reflect which game you're actually playing.
More in the essay here: open.substack.com/pub/waqaswri...
OKRs aren't one-size-fits-all, but we sometimes treat them that way. Your OKRs should reflect which game you're actually playing.
More in the essay here: open.substack.com/pub/waqaswri...
If you convince yourself that doing things the right way is either “too slow” or “too intensive” - then the solution to that is to find ways to do things the right way faster or more efficiently. Not to do things the wrong way.
October 5, 2025 at 2:22 AM
If you convince yourself that doing things the right way is either “too slow” or “too intensive” - then the solution to that is to find ways to do things the right way faster or more efficiently. Not to do things the wrong way.
By focusing on the speed & efficiency benefits of AI, we are conditioning ourselves to be lazy users & expect instant gratification. The best results from AI tend to come from context and thinking, not clock-speed. One-shot can feel magical, but the real magic is building leverage with your time.
September 21, 2025 at 2:48 AM
By focusing on the speed & efficiency benefits of AI, we are conditioning ourselves to be lazy users & expect instant gratification. The best results from AI tend to come from context and thinking, not clock-speed. One-shot can feel magical, but the real magic is building leverage with your time.
Waqas Sheikh
Product-building, systems-thinking and leading teams with integrity | Waqas Sheikh
waqas-sheikh.com
September 13, 2025 at 6:43 PM
Many PMs think alignment is binary—you either have it or you don't. But alignment is actually two-dimensional: it's about Affinity (do they believe in it?) and Commitment (will they act on it?)
✍️ New essay: Beyond binary: the four faces of alignment.
open.substack.com/pub/waqaswri...
✍️ New essay: Beyond binary: the four faces of alignment.
open.substack.com/pub/waqaswri...
August 29, 2025 at 8:28 PM
Many PMs think alignment is binary—you either have it or you don't. But alignment is actually two-dimensional: it's about Affinity (do they believe in it?) and Commitment (will they act on it?)
✍️ New essay: Beyond binary: the four faces of alignment.
open.substack.com/pub/waqaswri...
✍️ New essay: Beyond binary: the four faces of alignment.
open.substack.com/pub/waqaswri...
The inevitable has happened. I have become *scratch* built a ChatGPT wrapper 🚢
You can now use 🔍 semantic search to find essays tailored to your specific context or the situation that you’re working through.
Give it a whirl - all feedback welcome!
(Link in profile)
You can now use 🔍 semantic search to find essays tailored to your specific context or the situation that you’re working through.
Give it a whirl - all feedback welcome!
(Link in profile)
August 10, 2025 at 6:49 PM
The inevitable has happened. I have become *scratch* built a ChatGPT wrapper 🚢
You can now use 🔍 semantic search to find essays tailored to your specific context or the situation that you’re working through.
Give it a whirl - all feedback welcome!
(Link in profile)
You can now use 🔍 semantic search to find essays tailored to your specific context or the situation that you’re working through.
Give it a whirl - all feedback welcome!
(Link in profile)
✍️ New essay published: Playing the headcount accordion
This essay is for product leaders who are trying to navigate the tension of organizations wanting to run leaner and faster, while so many incentives & constraints are pushing us to keep growing our teams.
🔗 open.substack.com/pub/waqaswri...
This essay is for product leaders who are trying to navigate the tension of organizations wanting to run leaner and faster, while so many incentives & constraints are pushing us to keep growing our teams.
🔗 open.substack.com/pub/waqaswri...
August 3, 2025 at 11:39 PM
✍️ New essay published: Playing the headcount accordion
This essay is for product leaders who are trying to navigate the tension of organizations wanting to run leaner and faster, while so many incentives & constraints are pushing us to keep growing our teams.
🔗 open.substack.com/pub/waqaswri...
This essay is for product leaders who are trying to navigate the tension of organizations wanting to run leaner and faster, while so many incentives & constraints are pushing us to keep growing our teams.
🔗 open.substack.com/pub/waqaswri...
The evolution of product teams - from tribes, to guilds. And what that means for us: constructing our personal talent stacks.
🔗 open.substack.com/pub/waqaswri...
🔗 open.substack.com/pub/waqaswri...
July 15, 2025 at 6:00 AM
The evolution of product teams - from tribes, to guilds. And what that means for us: constructing our personal talent stacks.
🔗 open.substack.com/pub/waqaswri...
🔗 open.substack.com/pub/waqaswri...
Your product org is an OS.
July 6, 2025 at 8:39 PM
Your product org is an OS.
Reposted by Waqas Sheikh
The best teachers consider themselves students more so than teachers. It is their curiosity that sets them apart, not their knowledge.
July 2, 2025 at 3:11 PM
The best teachers consider themselves students more so than teachers. It is their curiosity that sets them apart, not their knowledge.
Reposted by Waqas Sheikh
Hey 👋 - I'm running a survey, "The State of B2B Product Management 2025", to try to work out what's going on out there. Please fill it out if you have a few spare minutes, and share with any friends or frenemies!
b2bproduct.io/state-of-b2b...
b2bproduct.io/state-of-b2b...
The State of B2B Product Management 2025
Tell us what's going on in B2B product management. What's working well? What's on fire? How is AI shaping your role?
b2bproduct.io
July 4, 2025 at 6:31 PM
Hey 👋 - I'm running a survey, "The State of B2B Product Management 2025", to try to work out what's going on out there. Please fill it out if you have a few spare minutes, and share with any friends or frenemies!
b2bproduct.io/state-of-b2b...
b2bproduct.io/state-of-b2b...
Enjoying how this project has been coming along!
Mostly design & visual upgrades this time to waqas-sheikh.com
Mostly design & visual upgrades this time to waqas-sheikh.com
July 4, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Enjoying how this project has been coming along!
Mostly design & visual upgrades this time to waqas-sheikh.com
Mostly design & visual upgrades this time to waqas-sheikh.com
The best teachers consider themselves students more so than teachers. It is their curiosity that sets them apart, not their knowledge.
July 2, 2025 at 3:11 PM
The best teachers consider themselves students more so than teachers. It is their curiosity that sets them apart, not their knowledge.
the prototype will not replace the prd. but the combination of a living prototype and a living prd will replace weeks & months of work-about-work. we should see these as connected, not in conflict.
June 29, 2025 at 2:13 PM
the prototype will not replace the prd. but the combination of a living prototype and a living prd will replace weeks & months of work-about-work. we should see these as connected, not in conflict.
There is no such thing as “objective prioritization”. Prioritization is, at its core, an opinionated exercise and muscle.
June 28, 2025 at 9:43 PM
There is no such thing as “objective prioritization”. Prioritization is, at its core, an opinionated exercise and muscle.
The soft bigotry of low ambition.
When we set our sights too low, we do ourselves an invisible disservice. We settle now, only to remain unsettled thereafter. Setting your ambition too low is how your current self discriminates against your future self. Slowly, insidiously.
Keep raising your bar
When we set our sights too low, we do ourselves an invisible disservice. We settle now, only to remain unsettled thereafter. Setting your ambition too low is how your current self discriminates against your future self. Slowly, insidiously.
Keep raising your bar
June 26, 2025 at 3:30 AM
The soft bigotry of low ambition.
When we set our sights too low, we do ourselves an invisible disservice. We settle now, only to remain unsettled thereafter. Setting your ambition too low is how your current self discriminates against your future self. Slowly, insidiously.
Keep raising your bar
When we set our sights too low, we do ourselves an invisible disservice. We settle now, only to remain unsettled thereafter. Setting your ambition too low is how your current self discriminates against your future self. Slowly, insidiously.
Keep raising your bar
Weathering the storm
“They are still in the forming-storming phase”
open.substack.com
June 19, 2025 at 6:56 PM