Writer’s block is a sworn enemy of product managers. It never gets easy, but can be tamed. 1) Understand it’s rooted in fear: -I don’t know enough -my ideas aren’t good -I’ll be criticized 2) Set a low bar. Start writing. Say it’s OK if it’s junk 3) Write when energy is high.
Type 2 docs are optimized for the writer. Their *apparent* polish isn't high. But, they make up for that by being up-to-date and overall more useful than Type 1 docs that get quickly outdated. Consider Type 2 for: - Daily updates - Mkt research - Screenshots - Index pages etc.
Too many tech companies' interview process is at least partially designed & implemented to make the *interviewer* feel smart & secure about the job they have. Interviewers ought to approach interviews with an attitude of curiosity & assessment rather than hierarchy & judgement.
Modern leadership: Intent > Talent Context > Content Inception > Orders Why > Who > What Ears > Eyes > Mouth Questions > Answers Prevention > Solution Presence > Multitasking Self-mgmt > People-mgmt LHS isn't always right. And RHS isn't bad. But pick priorities wisely.
The 10 Commandments of Product Management: pic.twitter.com/ZNrxj1h8l9
A meta-thread of the top N threads I've written, based subjectively on these factors (most important first): (a) how enjoyable it was to write (b) my estimate of its unique impact (c) reader feedback Will start with the top 10. 👇🏾
Clubhouse has lower signal-to-noise ratio than podcasts Note that this is a feature, not a bug Why? 1) Feels more authentic 2) You don't feel the pressure to pay as much attention 3) You can turn it on whenever Clubhouse is designed to allow multi-tasking without the guilt.
10 causes of PM stress (by high → low control) 1) Busy calendar 2) Job is lonely 3) Can always be doing more 4) High stakes meetings 5) Having to say no 6) Need versatile skills 7) High ambiguity 8) Aggressive targets 9) Lack of staffing control 10) Scarce recognition
3 quick tips for product discovery:
At the 2000 Sydney Olympics, the British rowing team unexpectedly won the Men’s Eight Rowing gold medal. One simple question was instrumental in their success. “Will it make the boat go faster?” This question could also be vital for your early-stage team & company. 1/15👇🏾 pic.twitter.com/9Dw60Yn4mT
Okay folks, here's a theme we need to normalize in high-stakes meetings: ”I don't know” ”There is no way to be certain about that” ”We will do our best, based on what we know” It's fine to say these things when they are true. In fact, it's best. Certainty theatrics are bad.
Convenient illusion: Inputs + Outputs = Outcomes Inconvenient reality: (Inputs + Outputs) × Market = Outcomes
We need to stop pretending that *all* product decisions require mathematical proof. Trust me, it's fine to use instinct & creative insight for major product decisions. And if you like moving fast, it's often required. The trick is when to do it, who does it & how it gets done.
If you’re a Startup trying to compete with a Megacorp—the 800-pound Gorilla in the space—you need to understand the tax inherent to being a Gorilla And then you need to make that tax work against the Gorilla—with your product's positioning & features A thread on Gorilla taxes👇🏾 pic.twitter.com/rk7H4zmIpV
A thread of 15 principles for product work (most of which I learned the hard way) 👇🏾
As a product person, almost nothing can match the fun of working on a B2B Product at a Product-Focused Company B2B ⇒ Much higher likelihood of success than Consumer Product-Focused ⇒ Everyone cares deeply about user experience ⇒ You get to build a product you can be proud of
Product failure is expensive. And look around, it’s common. Why do products fail? Is it becos we can't build the product? No Is it becos we launched it N weeks late? Almost never So what is it? The 7 Biases of Product teams, a very visual thread: pic.twitter.com/tXMmXd8zu7
On the many ways to invite misery twitter.com/shreyas/status…
I’ve made many mistakes in picking companies to join. For talented ppl, such mistakes can be costly. Heres what I’d tell my younger self: Join a company with 1) the highest caliber people you can find 2) a high growth rate 3) in a large market that is itself growing A thread:
Product metrics categories: 1. Health metrics 2. Usage metrics 3. Adoption metrics 4. Satisfaction metrics 5. Ecosystem metrics 6. Outcome metrics When conceiving your metrics, consider each of these categories & pick the right metrics across them. A product metrics primer👇🏾
I’m starting to call these the “apple pie positions” => the personal risk of pushing back is so high that almost everyone nods “yes”, even though it is rarely the right answer for the team / company / user. Great example in the quoted Tweet. Will add more in the thread below: twitter.com/can/status/123…
Something I’ve observed over the years: Product Managers who always win real-time debates about product issues — with their quips, eloquent arguments, bulletproof analogies & metaphors — tend to build surprisingly mediocre products, with mediocre outcomes.
To get better at product work 1. Create a habit of deep work 2. Build more user empathy 3. Become a domain expert 4. Understand good design 5. Spec out your skill stack 6. Get more even keeled 7. Learn negotiations 8. Know stats basics 9. Enhance listening 10. Improve writing 📈
Time for a meta-thread on the Product Management content I’ve posted over the past 6 months. This one is long, but I hope it can serve as a useful & quick reference for PMs. It has 4 sections: 1. The PM Role 2. PM Skills 3. Strategy 4. PM Leadership Are you ready? 👇🏾
A universal aspect of Product Management that people don't expect is just how lonely it feels to be a PM. You could be working with a team of 100 people, be in 10 meetings a day, and yet often feel super-lonely because no one else shares your struggles or truly understands them.
What I learned in my 30s—the game of life, in 1 tweet: 1⃣ I accept this 2⃣ I know this is temporary 3⃣ I take responsibility 4⃣ I have the power 5⃣ I have much to learn 6⃣ I am not my thoughts 7⃣ I love my self 8⃣ I am present 9⃣ I am insignificant 🔟 I am perishable by design
In life, don’t mistake: 1. Job for Career 2. Career for Identity 3. Net-worth for Self-worth 4. Rewards for Purpose 5. Purpose for Meaning 6. Opinion for Truth 7. Flattery for Friendship 8. Proximity for Presence 9. Intelligence for Wisdom 10. Your Mind for Your Self
Just a few notes to myself (a driven & ambitious person):
There are many books for Product Managers📚 And many book lists too. Here’s my list. What I hope makes it different: • Books with very high signal-to-noise ratio • Books that'll 𝘥𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘭𝘺 enhance PM skills • Books that are unlikely to be in typical 📚lists for PMs 👇🏾
More than 8 years after my last public talk on product management, I spoke about PM career management at Products That Count. What follows is a long tweetstorm with the key content. It isn't for the faint of heart. Are you ready? pic.twitter.com/khXcgYmvll
