[thenerdhead]

I think more people in product positions or even leadership positions would really benefit from learning comedy improv. Even just the most basic ideas like "Yes, And" can go very far if you understand them in the sense of "accept the reality and add upon it".

Communication is really important, but it's not the end all be all for the job. It sounds like the author was "too busy" to communicate effectively and the lessons learned are what happens when you aren't listening, immediately shut down an idea, or tell someone to do something without knowing what you're after.

You live and learn. That's how you gain experience.

[reidalert]

Well said - I'd say the hardest part of the job is balancing listening/gathering feedback, and maintaining a core vision for the product that's not just a wish-list of feature requests. There's a dark art of making someone feel listened to, without necessarily doing anything about it.