When collaboration stalls, I fix the system.
Recently, our front-end team was blocked for weeks waiting on backend data.
I proposed a 1-hour weekly sync to solve it. The bottleneck disappeared and the other PO called it “the smartest fix we’ve made all year.”
Very often, these kind of seemingly easy fixes are all you need. We tend to try and come up with complex solutions but often, that's not needed at all.
Problem: 4-week delays due to dependency bureaucracy.
Solution: Added weekly 1-hour unblock sessions.
Result: Delivery speed improved, friction dropped, team morale up.
Problem: Misaligned priorities between business goals and user needs.
Solution: Introduced customer journey workshops to prioritize impact.
Result: Clearer focus, faster iteration, happier stakeholders.
Problem: Dev teams overwhelmed by unclear requirements.
Solution: Created visual story maps that clarified scope instantly.
Result: Reduced rework, stronger ownership, smoother delivery.
If it feels slow, unclear, or frustrating it’s people tend to blame other people. But the problem is the system.
I listen deeply, spot friction, and co-design small tweaks that unlock flow.
Big changes start with small, human fixes.
I’m Erik! A Product Owner obsessed with creating momentum.
I love the moment a stuck team suddenly clicks again.
Outside of work, I explore how systems thinking and human psychology can make teams and individuals make the best of themselves.
You’re looking at mine right now. A living portfolio that shows real results instead of job titles and diplomas.
The Proof Stack is a framework and newsletter that helps professionals do the same:
build proof and showcase impact, so you can actually attract opportunities that align with who you are.
Your résumé won’t survive the next layoff wave. This will.
👋 Want to talk about removing friction in your team?
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