How to build trust within cross-functional teams: leadership insights from Shopify’s Mamuna Oladipo

Insights Unlocked

In this episode, Nathan Isaacs talks with Mamuna Oladipo, VP of Product at Shopify, about building trust within an organization.

Episode web page

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Episode Description: In this insightful episode of Insights Unlocked, we sit down with Mamuna Oladipo, the VP of Product at Shopify. Mamuna shares her wealth of experience from her journey through various tech roles and companies. She delves into the crucial topic of building trust within cross-functional teams and offers practical advice on networking within a company. Whether you’re a product manager, UX designer, or an executive, Mamuna’s insights on leadership and team dynamics are sure to resonate and provide valuable takeaways.

Key Themes and Ideas:

1. Introduction to Mamuna Oladipo:

• Mamuna introduces herself and shares her background in tech, highlighting her roles in design, product management, engineering, data, and research.

1. Building trust in teams:

• The importance of building trust slowly and steadily.
• Tips on how to genuinely understand team dynamics and create personal connections.
• Emphasizing one-on-one meetings and being fully present to build strong relationships.

1. Networking within a company:

• Mamuna’s strategy for building a robust internal network by meeting different people and seeking further introductions.
• The significance of maintaining these relationships and periodically checking in.

1. Leadership concerns and strategies:

• Key concerns for leaders, including team impact and alignment with company goals.
• The necessity of continuous communication and staying deeply involved in team activities to prevent misalignment.
• Proactive steps to ensure teams stay on track and avoid long-term issues.

1. Advice for leaders:

• The importance of knowing your team members and understanding their challenges and workflows.
• How this understanding drives both individual and team impact, aligning efforts with broader organizational goals.

Notable Quotes:

• "Take the time to learn and understand your team, understand the dynamics. Understand how you can differentiate, just how the team has been operating."
• "Building a network within the company is vital. You need to have connections to understand the company culture and gather insights."
• "Ensuring continuous communication and staying ahead of potential issues by being deeply involved in team activities is crucial."

Episode Links:

• Mamuna on LinkedIn
• Shopify
• UXDX
• The First 90 Days

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