Episode 16: Dear Melissa - Answering Questions About Growing as a Product Manager
In this Dear Melissa segment, Melissa answers subscribers’ questions about managing roles that you don’t have expertise in yourself, setting yourself up for success in the first 90 days of a new job, and thinking about what comes next after a career in product management.
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Q: As a CPO, what should I think about when managing disciplines I’m not an expert in? [1:08]
A: As you rise up to leadership levels of executive teams, you’re going to have a lot more scope, which means you might be managing some functions that are not necessarily just product management related… I think one of the hardest parts about managing a discipline that you're not an expert in is making sure that you understand how people do their jobs, how you can judge them for success, and how you can help people grow in their careers. When you're thinking about rounding out your team, definitely look for some senior members in the areas that you're not as strong in so that they can make sure that they're mentoring and coaching those people and they have an opportunity to learn at your company. [1:26]
Q: Do you have any tips on how to set up good 30-60-90 day SMART goals as a product manager for a mature startup? [7:00]
A: Start by having a conversation with your managers about what they need you to do… And when you're thinking about 30-60-90 day goals, you want to think about some quick wins you can get in there to help establish yourself at this company and in the good graces of your managers as well… I suggest that along those 30-60-90 days, you get to know who your stakeholders are, what the lay of the land is, you meet with everyone who’s been on the team before, you learn the history of the product, so when you come out of the 90 days with a plan, people see that you actually have context. [7:25]
Q: What advice do you have in evaluating next steps in moving on to a career after product management? [14:51]
A: I think the key thing is that no matter what you do, you have to figure out what gaps you have in your knowledge. If you’ve been a product manager but not a CEO, what do CEOs know that you don’t?... There’s tons of different things to do as a CEO that are not just product management related… Gain the skills you need in order to make a shift in your career. I’d focus on… understanding all different types of work. [16:52]
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