Empower Your Reflection.
Master Your Path.

Book titled '52 Steps: Your Companion for Self-Reflection as a Product Manager' with a black pen resting on top.

52 STEPS is not just a journaling workbook; it's the essence of real-life-tested practices by Thomas Gläser and Torsten Sosat.Their decade-long journey in journaling has supercharged their careers. And now, it's your turn:

  • Sharpen Your Strategic Edge: Boost decision-making and problem-solving skills through continuous self-reflection.

  • Lead teams with Confidence: Elevate self-awareness to effectively guide teams and navigate stakeholder interactions.

  • Accelerate Your Career: Turn personal insights into actionable strategies for growth and innovation.

Why Choose 52 STEPS as Your Guide?

A book titled '52 STEPS: Your Companion for Self-Reflection as a Product Manager' leaning against a wall on a flat surface, with a gradient blue and orange cover design.

52 STEPS streamlined the way Product Managers approach self-reflection. Unlike traditional, unstructured journaling, this workbook provides a clear, easy science-driven framework. Each step is designed to maximize your reflection efficiency, transforming just 15 minutes a week into a powerful tool for personal and professional development.

With 52 STEPS, you're not merely writing down thoughts; you're engaging in a strategic process that sharpens your decision-making and enhances self-awareness. Make this smart investment in your career and begin seeing tangible changes in your approach to challenges and opportunities already in just a few weeks.

Make it Happen with 52 STEPS

Open booklet titled '52 Steps' with subtitle 'Your Companion for Self-Reflection as a Product Manager,' lying on a dark gray table. The cover has a gradient background with a red circle in the center.
Open weekly planner notebook with handwritten prompts and lines for writing, placed on a light grey surface with shadows.
Open book resting on a black and grey surface.
Two blue books titled "52 Steps" placed on a light gray surface, with one book on top of the other, slightly angled. The cover features a gradient background with a central orange blurred circle.

Formats of Reflections

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1) Weekly Checkin

Dive into weekly sessions of five recurring questions. Additionally, each check-in provides you with key aspects of Product management as opportunity to reflect, question, and evolve.

A flag planted in the ground on a stick.

2) Monthly Milestone Marker

Every great journey begins with a single step. Celebrate your courage to start every month! Take a moment to pause, reflect and make your progress tangible.

Close-up of a black measuring tape with a yellow sliding marker.

3) Quarterly Growth Review

Engage in a comprehensive retrospective every quarter. Assess key skills, express gratitude for growth, and align personal and professional goals.

Industry Leaders' Journal Examples

A weekly work reflection sheet titled 'Example 1: Associate Product Manager at Google' for the week of January 1-7, 2024. It includes sections with handwritten notes on work satisfaction, accomplishments, insights, impacts, goals for next week, and additional comments, all in black script font.
A handwritten weekly progress report for January 15-21, 2014, detailing work at Amazon on AI projects, team meetings, goals for next week, lessons learned, and a note on holiday challenges, titled 'Strategic Innovations'.
A weekly reflection sheet titled 'EXAMPLE 3: SENIOR PRODUCT MANAGER AT APPLE' with handwritten responses for the week of December 18-24, 2023, including sections on work satisfaction, accomplishments, lessons learned, goals, and additional notes.
A weekly reflection worksheet titled 'Example 4: Director Product at Meta' for the week of November 7 to December 3. It includes sections on work satisfaction, accomplishments, lessons learned, impact of external coach, and goals, with handwritten notes and printed prompts related to adaptation amidst change.
A handwritten weekly review sheet summarizing an employee's accomplishments, goals, and reflections, titled 'Navigating with Resilience' for the week of February 5th to 11th.

Through the lens of five industry leaders, 52 STEPS demonstrates practical, impactful journaling best practices:

  • Embrace Reflective Writing & Learning: Capture key insights from meetings, leadership strategies, and team dynamics for growth.

  • Set Specific, Achievable Goals: Define clear objectives, like surpassing customer satisfaction targets or boosting team productivity.

  • Balance Challenges with Positivity: Acknowledge difficulties and celebrate successes in product development and team leadership.

  • Explore Emotions and Personal Impact: Reflect on personal feelings and emotional work aspects, boosting self-awareness and morale.

  • Utilize Descriptive Language for Clarity: Vividly describe experiences to understand and convey the impact on users and stakeholders.

About the Authors

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Torsten Sosat

A mindful leader and product enthusiast, has been transforming ideas into successful products for over a decade. Currently driving transformative initiatives at Wayfair, Torsten’s journey reflects a commitment to continuous improvement. Beyond his role at Wayfair, Torsten’s leadership spans XING, where he directed Growth and led impactful product teams. A dedicated father, coffee enthusiast, and music lover, Torsten stands out not only for his career milestones but for his intentional commitment to mindfulness. With a daily meditation routine spanning two years and over a decade of weekly self-reflection as PM, Torsten’s leadership is a harmonious blend of outcomes and introspection, creating a unique footprint in the product management landscape.

Black and white portrait of a man wearing glasses, smiling, with short dark hair, dressed in a black shirt.

Thomas Gläser

A strategic product leader and innovative thinker, has shaped the digital product space through roles at New Work SE, BMW, Mozilla, JetBrains, and Arduino. Known for his ‘big picture’ thinking, open-minded approach, and ability to synchronize teams.Thomas excels in turning complex ideas into simple, actionable strategies. His method involves deep analysis, unconventional approaches, and inspiring leadership to minimize risks and maximize profits, focusing on unique product reorientations for sustainable business value. A champion of innovation.Thomas is driven by a vision of efficiency and effectiveness in product development.

A person holding a book titled '52 STEPS: Your Companion for Self-Reflection as a Product Manager,' by Torsten Sosat and Thomas Gläser, with a colorful gradient cover

Feeling Stuck or Need a Reflection Partner?

We're here to help. If you find yourself needing guidance or someone to reflect with, don't hesitate to reach out. Contact us at help@52steps.me – let's navigate your journey together.