Waqas Sheikh
@waqas.bsky.social
product guy, seeking nuance. long-form essays on product building @ https://waqas-sheikh.com
🚢 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
The strategy you can use to address those problems: cooperative cohesion.
November 6, 2025 at 10:26 PM
The strategy you can use to address those problems: cooperative cohesion.
The problems that happen when change is navigated through the org
November 6, 2025 at 10:26 PM
The problems that happen when change is navigated through the org
How changes cascade through parts of an org…
November 6, 2025 at 10:26 PM
How changes cascade through parts of an org…
How our energy shifts through any big change…
November 6, 2025 at 10:26 PM
How our energy shifts through any big change…
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”.
✍🏻 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...
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.
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
May 25, 2025 at 2:27 PM
✍️ New essay published: The mechanical advantage of PMs
Reflecting on the relationship between the "input forces" of our teams and our role as PMs in being the "levers" to amplify them - so we can carry lift heavier objects, together.
Link below 👇
Reflecting on the relationship between the "input forces" of our teams and our role as PMs in being the "levers" to amplify them - so we can carry lift heavier objects, together.
Link below 👇
May 19, 2025 at 3:29 PM
✍️ New essay published: The mechanical advantage of PMs
Reflecting on the relationship between the "input forces" of our teams and our role as PMs in being the "levers" to amplify them - so we can carry lift heavier objects, together.
Link below 👇
Reflecting on the relationship between the "input forces" of our teams and our role as PMs in being the "levers" to amplify them - so we can carry lift heavier objects, together.
Link below 👇
April 20, 2025 at 4:34 PM
The convergence is a feature, not a bug. We need to color over the lines more, not stay hunkered down in our lanes.
April 20, 2025 at 2:48 PM
The convergence is a feature, not a bug. We need to color over the lines more, not stay hunkered down in our lanes.
On platforms as products. Link in quoted post.
April 14, 2025 at 1:12 AM
On platforms as products. Link in quoted post.
Be careful what you prompt for. You might get exactly what you want!
April 12, 2025 at 5:16 PM
Be careful what you prompt for. You might get exactly what you want!
April 10, 2025 at 1:33 AM
a learning for PMs - if you wish to escape the trappings & limitations of data *driven* decision-making, you can't just be a vibes guy. you need to develop a host of other skills the range from influential communication to inception & immersion to facilitation & synthesis and other such things
February 23, 2025 at 3:09 AM
a learning for PMs - if you wish to escape the trappings & limitations of data *driven* decision-making, you can't just be a vibes guy. you need to develop a host of other skills the range from influential communication to inception & immersion to facilitation & synthesis and other such things
Long-form writing at waqas-sheikh.com
February 18, 2025 at 3:43 AM
Long-form writing at waqas-sheikh.com