Meta’s Head of Product (and 29th employee) on working with Mark Zuckerberg, early growth tactics, why PMs are like conductors, and more | Naomi Gleit | Lenny's Podcast: Product | Growth | Career (private feed for websong16@gmail.com) | Podwise
This episode explores Naomi Gleit's 19-year journey at Meta, from employee number 29 to Head of Product, emphasizing lessons learned from Facebook's early growth team and Mark Zuckerberg's leadership. Against the backdrop of Meta's exponential growth, Gleit shares insights into the company's data-driven, product-led approach to growth, highlighting the importance of retention and removing barriers to user engagement. More significantly, the discussion pivots to Zuckerberg's transformation and leadership style, characterized by a "learn-it-all" mentality and a focus on mission-driven collaboration within his "small group" of core executives. As the conversation progresses, Gleit details her "Naomi-isms," including "extreme clarity" and "canonical everything," offering tactical tips for running meetings, writing documentation, and simplifying complex projects. For instance, she advocates for numbered lists over bullet points and real-time editing of visuals during meetings to ensure shared understanding. Emerging industry patterns reflected in Gleit's experiences underscore the value of product-driven growth, the importance of clear communication, and the need for leaders to foster a culture of direct feedback and continuous learning.
