Read on Twitter
Time/energy management is one of the biggest challenges in product management.
How do you work more sustainably/effectively?
1/ Be hyper aware of soft commitments...
"I'll look into that!"
"Maybe we can..."
These are PIPs, promises-in-progress, and they can overwhelm you
How do you work more sustainably/effectively?
1/ Be hyper aware of soft commitments...
"I'll look into that!"
"Maybe we can..."
These are PIPs, promises-in-progress, and they can overwhelm you
2/ You *must* bake slack into your days and wks.
Unstructured time. Time to tackle emergent needs. Time you can repurpose with 24hrs notice (or less). Time to be an actual team member.
If your calendar is "stacked" like a Tetris board, you'll be forever spinning your wheels
Unstructured time. Time to tackle emergent needs. Time you can repurpose with 24hrs notice (or less). Time to be an actual team member.
If your calendar is "stacked" like a Tetris board, you'll be forever spinning your wheels
3/ That said, block things that are truly important.
Like customer calls.
Even if you don't have anyone scheduled.
I once found myself going weeks w/o customer contact due to a hastily thrown together calendar. The impacts lasted months/quarters.
...and team retrospectives
Like customer calls.
Even if you don't have anyone scheduled.
I once found myself going weeks w/o customer contact due to a hastily thrown together calendar. The impacts lasted months/quarters.
...and team retrospectives
4/ Most product managers/teams don't visualize upstream "planning" and refinement work.
It is all work.
The net effect is that the PdM is incredibly busy, but somehow never available for what matters.
Planning inventory should be kept at a reasonable level AND visualized
It is all work.
The net effect is that the PdM is incredibly busy, but somehow never available for what matters.
Planning inventory should be kept at a reasonable level AND visualized
5/ Related is a tendency to spin off parallel work while the rest of the team toils away.
Often because of impatience, and a barrage of requests.
The problem?
Eventually you'll need to re-integrate these and have the conversations all over again
Often because of impatience, and a barrage of requests.
The problem?
Eventually you'll need to re-integrate these and have the conversations all over again
6/ Can you turn your 1:1s into larger meetings?
I've met product managers who spend 30-50% of their week in 1:1s. Why? Lots of reasons - hey *everyone* is busy, "let's make this efficient" - but to me this is an anti-pattern.
Can you involve more voices in the conversation?
I've met product managers who spend 30-50% of their week in 1:1s. Why? Lots of reasons - hey *everyone* is busy, "let's make this efficient" - but to me this is an anti-pattern.
Can you involve more voices in the conversation?
7/ There's a very fine line between being pragmatic and a "can do" person, and burning out and/or introducing a level of co-dependence w/your team.
Always be thinking...how can I not be the blocker here?
Beware of being the heroic hole patcher
Always be thinking...how can I not be the blocker here?
Beware of being the heroic hole patcher
8/ If you find your calendar is a Tetris board ...
...always be thinking "how can I give enough context so others can make much better decisions without me around?"
Watch out for hoarding decisions.
Consider how much noise your stacked calendar throws off
...always be thinking "how can I give enough context so others can make much better decisions without me around?"
Watch out for hoarding decisions.
Consider how much noise your stacked calendar throws off
9/ Designers & developers are perfectly capable of making important product decisions (and are often better equipped to do so).
If you don't believe that, ask why?
Should you advocate for developing those skills? Hiring?
Everyone "too busy"?
Or is it about you letting go?
If you don't believe that, ask why?
Should you advocate for developing those skills? Hiring?
Everyone "too busy"?
Or is it about you letting go?
10/ PdMs often get caught in big swings.
They wait until the end of the quarter for quarterly planning. By keeping a continuous roadmap, and "always right" snapshot, you can limit these swings and hits on your time.
Imagine you'll have to present yr roadmap tomorrow. Always.
They wait until the end of the quarter for quarterly planning. By keeping a continuous roadmap, and "always right" snapshot, you can limit these swings and hits on your time.
Imagine you'll have to present yr roadmap tomorrow. Always.
11/ Preparation.
A well facilitated meeting can eliminate countless clarification meetings. Be laser focused on lack of coherence but don't rush convergence.
Forced convergence probably causes more problems in the long run, so block out the time for things to be messy.
A well facilitated meeting can eliminate countless clarification meetings. Be laser focused on lack of coherence but don't rush convergence.
Forced convergence probably causes more problems in the long run, so block out the time for things to be messy.
12/ Different efforts will require different cadences / meeting design / time investments. Beware of mono-process.
Encourage mission-specific working agreements vs. a "Standard Schedule".
Aside: This is a *huge* problem with >60% of teams i meet
Encourage mission-specific working agreements vs. a "Standard Schedule".
Aside: This is a *huge* problem with >60% of teams i meet
13/ Be very aware of the (small # of) decisions that will really, really matter. Often as PdMs we obsess over relatively inconsequential -- or best left to others -- decisions.
Invest time in these decisions. Invest in involving others in those decisions.
Invest time in these decisions. Invest in involving others in those decisions.
14/ Finally. Take a real vacation.
If you can't take 2 weeks off that is a HUGE problem and the symptom of so many things (many self inflicted). That should be your test of managing energy well.
If you can't take 2 weeks off that is a HUGE problem and the symptom of so many things (many self inflicted). That should be your test of managing energy well.
