“No sensible decision can be made any longer without taking into account not only the world as it is, but the world as it will be.”
-Isaac Asimov
#Quotes
Remember: “Mistakes” are inevitable. They’re how we discover what does or doesn’t work (albeit sometimes quite viscerally).
It’s how we respond to mistakes that defines our success.
“We should be taught not to wait for inspiration to start a thing. Action always generates inspiration. Inspiration seldom generates action.”
-Frank Tibolt
#Quotes
“Rules are made for the convenience of those who are playing. What is fair at one time or in one game may be inhibiting later on. It’s not the game that’s sacred, it’s the people who are playing.”
-Bernard De Koven, writing about playing games but easily applied to agile software development
#Quotes
“Make a mistake? Release the guilt, remember the lesson.”
-James Clear
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Talking about the times you failed as a product manager and what you learned from them is always more interesting than talking about your successes.
Forget the highlight reel. Share your bruises and cuts.
“The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who cannot read them."
-Mark Twain
#Quotes
“If we really care about our users, we’ll help them do what they want, not what we want.”
-Kathy Sierra
#Quotes #ProductManagement
Great products solve problems.
Exceptional products anticipate them.
Think about what happens to your customers when they no longer have to worry about these problems. How do they change?
Some of the best advice I ever received from a manager:
“Hope? I get to ‘hope’. You need a plan.”
Make sure you always have a plan.
“Our world is random and messy. Collecting data does not make it more perfect or more controllable.”
-Giorgia Lupi
#Quotes
Remember: nostalgia is an expensive commodity.
Perhaps contrary to popular belief, you don’t just write product specs and plot roadmaps as a product manager.
You’re also a storyteller. You create narratives that inspire your team and excite your clients about the future you’re collectvely building.
“The opposite of courage is conforming.”
-Brian Collins
#Quotes
“You get an astronaut’s life whether you want it or not. Leave it all behind for a world you know nothing about. That’s just the deal."
-Joe Hill
#Quotes
As a product manager some of the most important time you spend is talking to users or poring over feedback to uncover their most pressing challenges. Then you prioritize solutions to address those issues.
That’s how you make sure you’re delivering real value.
It’s about being prepared and staying agile in a fluid environment. Think about the future. Anticipate challenges. Identify potential risks before they become problems.
“Point of view is worth 80 IQ points.”
-Alan Kay
#Quotes
“Indeed, no one can thwart the purposes of your mind - for they can’t be touched by fire, steel, tyranny, slander, or anything.”
-Marcus Aurelius
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“Fairy tales do not tell children the dragons exist. Children already know that dragons exist. Fairy tales tell children the dragons can be killed.”
-G.K. Chesterton
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