9 / Culture is a product input

Welcome to Issue 9!

There’s this reflex in product teams I’ve seen over and over again: something’s not working? Add a process.

One more doc. One more meeting. One more workflow. Then we’ll be cooking with gas.

But here’s the thing, process isn’t always the problem. In fact, most of the time, it’s not.

On this week’s Technically Lit episode, Ryan Holdaway put it beautifully:

If you're trying to ship faster, reduce errors, or get more aligned, those are rarely process problems. They’re cultural ones.

When clients come to us, they almost always want to go faster. So we ask what they’ve tried. The answer? Diagrams, tools, charts, and, everyone’s favorite, more meetings.

But when we ask things like:

• How do you celebrate wins?

• How do you learn from losses?

• Are expectations clear to everyone on the team?

• Is there a bias for action?

• Do people feel ownership over outcomes?

We usually get blank stares.

Culture isn’t just a vibe. It’s the soil that everything grows in. You can optimize your workflows all you want but if the roots aren’t healthy, you’re never going to grow.

So, next time you’re feeling stuck, don’t add a process–start a conversation.

Talk to your team. Get clear on expectations. Celebrate something. Ask someone what’s slowing them down.

Culture is a product input. It’s time we all start treating it like one.

Let’s get Technically Lit,

Nick

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Just a big fan of the titled screenshot in this hero section.