How to succeed as a first time Product Manager (Shobhit Chugh) ProductCamp Boston 2014
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First time as Product Manager Shobhit Chugh VP Product, High Start Group @shobhitchugh [email protected]
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18-Oct-2014 -
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I have done several things that worked well as a first time product manager. And done several things that failed spectacularly. This is a set of reflections on those things, and my advice for people starting their Product Management Careers.
Transcript of How to succeed as a first time Product Manager (Shobhit Chugh) ProductCamp Boston 2014
First time as Product ManagerShobhit ChughVP Product, High Start Group@shobhitchugh [email protected]
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/47850814760834849/
About Me
Congratulations!You got your first time PM Job
It might feel like this at times
It might feel like this at times
It might feel like this at times
It might feel like this at times
But sometimes
The 4 Rs of Product Management success
Clarify your Role
Establish Relationships
Build your Reputation
Deliver Results
The 4 Rs of Product Management success
Clarify your Role
Establish Relationships
Build your Reputation
Deliver Results
Welcome to your first product management role
http://www.mindtheproduct.com/2011/10/what-exactly-is-a-product-manager/
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Three Primary Product Management Roles
1. ADVOCATE for the Voice of the Customer in the company
2. ORCHESTRATOR who coordinates the activities of the various resources to define, develop and deliver product that customers need and generate profit for the company
3. ENTREPRENEUR who articulates the product’s vision and manages his/ her product as a business
Clarify your role!
Varies by company
Do not accept vague descriptions. Ask questions. LOTS of questions
What are the deliverables needed at each stage? How important are they?
Who does them?
Why should you them?
DecisionsWhat decisions can you make?
What decisions do you need to drive with a set of stakeholders?
The 4 Rs of Product Management success
Clarify your Role
Establish Relationships
Build your Reputation
Deliver Results
Relationships
Stakeholders
Customers
Manager(s)
Stakeholder Relationships
Establish early – first 30 days
Take all stakeholders out to lunch. Do NOT talk about product
Get to know them
Next ask them about stuff relevant to their jobsWhat are their top goals?
What does the company need to do better?
What do they need to do better?
Where does product management fit in?
Ask them who else you should talk to?
Customers
Insist that you have personal relationships with top customers
Type of relationships matter! Customers are not for dictating you requirements. You are peers. You are here to listen to their problems and help solve the ones that align with your company strategy
First go on customer meetings (early!)Go from silent listener and observer -> contributor
Then establish your own meetingsProduct council with customers
Prospect calls
One on one customer feedback sessions
http://www.pinterest.com/jefflash/product-management-comics/
ManagerGuide
How does work actually get done at the company?
What processes are important?
What meetings and decisions are important?
SupporterPromote what you are doing to the executive level
Help influence the right people
Coach. Honest about how you are doing?
Workload?
Attitude?
Results?
The 4 Rs of Product Management success
Clarify your Role
Establish Relationships
Build your Reputation
Deliver Results
Reputation
Establish your personal brand
Earn your seat at the table
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/480055641500953367/
Personal Brand
What do you want to be known as?
What activities promote it?
What activities detract from it?
Example personal brand - Strategic
What helps?Lay out vision and communicate endlessly
Outlines how do we get there
Get to the root cause of problems + solve for long term
What hurts?Jumping to action and conclusions too fast without enough thought
Focusing on next week vs. next year
Agreeing too soon
Earn your seat at the table
Everyone else is responsible for something concrete
You have a vague objective – ensure the success of the product
So you need to earn your placeMarket knowledge. Do you know customers better than anyone else?
Competitors knowledge. Are you subscribed to their blogs? Emails? Read every announcement?
Product knowledge. Do you know product in and out? Top differentiators? Challenges?
Strategy knowledge. Can you articulate how things line up with the strategy of the company?
The 4 Rs of Product Management success
Clarify your Role
Establish Relationships
Build your Reputation
Deliver Results
Results
Deliverables
Decisions
Difference
Deliverables
There is an LONG list of things you could be doing at any point in time
All of these are NOT required
Again, confirm what is critical, what is good to have, and what is useless crap that just takes your time
Decisions
What decisions can you make?Does it tie with strategy? Vision?
What you should avoid making?Tactical e.g., what bugs to prioritize
N = 1
Those you can set guidelines for
What you need to drive?
Meetings!!
4 typesShare Information
Make decision
Generate ideas
Get Feedback
Meetings!!
PrepareONE Objective
Agenda
Slides
Assume they know less than you and have forgotten EVERYTHING you spoke about the last time
Pre-brief
Manage the flowAgenda + how important is it to stick to it?
Questions from beginning or presentation first?
Send follow up notes
Difference
Making a difference comes down to one thing – FOCUS
In the beginning there is a temptation to do EVERYTHING and take on tons of new initiatives. Ask yourself for each initiative
Is it my role?
Can I make a significant difference?
Is n>1?
The 4 Rs of Product Management success
Clarify your Role
Establish Relationships
Build your Reputation
Deliver Results
What do engineers want?
Vision
Less thrashing + more clear specs
Want to know that it matters
They get blame when things go wrong but much less recognition. Recognize them. Individually
Other advice
Have a set of advisorsWithin the company
Outside the company
Senior + peers
Guide to first 90 days
30 days – observe, learn
60 days – participate
90 days – act, change
