Remember: Your products and services make the world a better place - and that’s a great way to spend your focus, time, and energy.
You and your team can’t anticipate everything as product managers.
Unexpected things will still happen.
When they do, remember to move out of the chaos as quickly as possible. Reorient - and then start iterating again.
Tactfully saying “no” is one of the most difficult skills to master as a product manager.
Not coincidentally, it’s also one of the most important, most valuable skills.
“Failure is the opportunity to begin again, more intelligently.”
-Henry Ford
#Quotes
Product roadmaps aren’t predictions.
They’re instrumentation of your thinking about the problems to be solved and the priorities at which they might be addressed, based upon estimated velocity, known dependencies, and identified risks.
Use them to align on the future of your product.
It’s difficult to convey just how useful it is to visualize your thinking in a shared space when you’re problem solving with other people.
Grab a flipchart or open up a shared whiteboard or Google doc and start illustrating your ideas as soon as possible.
Why is being a product manager such a great experience?
Each day is spent solving problems that really matter - whether it’s streamlining processes or enhancing user experiences or eventing new ways to accomplish goals.
You’re making a meaningful difference in the lives of your clients.
“A schedule defends from chaos and whim.”
-Annie Dillard
#Quotes
Whenever you will think other people are wrong about a given approach, check to see if you have any data available to validate your position.
If not, this is an ideal time for an experiment.
A big part of your job is to learn how to focus on the most important thing and ignore the noise.
Don’t underestimate the value of sharing how you plan to solve your customer’s problems with your fellow product managers.
Divergent opinions and unexplored alternatives only serve to hone the final product.
“Every act of creation is first of all an act of destruction.”
-Pablo Picasso
#Quotes
“The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool.”
-Richard Feynman
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Validating your hypotheses as a product manager isn’t about being right - it’s about learning.
It moves you out of chaotic uncertainty and into confident execution.
Discovery isn’t a checklist; it’s a conversation.
You listen actively, try to ask the best questions, and generally let curiosity be your guide.
As a product manager, you relish understanding the nuances of your clients’ needs.
“Wisdom is not a product of schooling but of the lifelong attempt to acquire it.”
-Albert Einstein
#Quotes
“Never let the guy with the broom decide how many elephants can be in the parade.”
-Merlin Mann
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- Collaboration.
- Experimentation.
- Small chunks of work.
Agility.
“Technique alone is never enough. You have to have passion. Technique alone is just an embroidered pot holder.”
-Raymond Chandler
#Quotes
Draw out the product planning calendar as far into the future as you can.
Dates will move and shift about as you continue to iterate but the calendar itself serves as the scaffolding upon which everyone can organize their work.
#ProductManagement