Career progression in product - Alex Watson on The Product Experience
Sep 13, 2023
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Guest Alex Watson, Product Director at Spotify's Core Experience, discusses career progression in product management, including self-definition, managing team members, and balancing creative and managerial aspects. They explore challenges in prioritizing and articulating product decisions and the value of keeping track of achievements. They also touch on the 5050 rule for time management and effective calendar management.
Career progression should be individualized and motivated by a genuine desire for growth, not just external expectations.
Balancing day-to-day tasks with tackling high-impact problems is crucial for a fulfilling product management role.
Deep dives
Career progression and finding the story of your career
In this podcast episode, Alex Watson, Product Director at Spotify, discusses career progression for product people and finding the story of your career. He emphasizes that career progression is individual and questions the motivation behind seeking progression. Additionally, he explores the challenge of measuring a product career and suggests that the transformation and impact created through solving problems can be the core of one's story. Watson also discusses the importance of balancing the product and management aspects of the job for a fulfilling role.
The importance of defining one's approach as a product person
Watson delves into the different ways product people can approach their role. He explains that while early in their careers, product managers may focus on shipping impactful products, as they progress, it is crucial to shift towards focus on transformation and leadership. Watson references his experiences at Spotify, where they emphasize having a balance between managing day-to-day tasks and dedicating time to solving high-leverage problems. He highlights the value of continually evolving one's approach and finding the right balance between being hands-on and driving others' decision-making.
Crafting the narrative of your product career
Watson addresses the challenge of presenting and measuring product achievements. He suggests moving away from solely listing bullet points and accomplishments on a resume and instead focusing on crafting a narrative that tells the story of one's career. This narrative should highlight the transformative contributions made and how they have changed the expectations of stakeholders. Watson recommends reflecting on personal approaches to problem-solving and selecting a central theme that showcases one's unique value. He also emphasizes the importance of keeping track of accomplishments and reflecting on weekly achievements to avoid forgetfulness.
The 50/50 rule for effective time management
Watson introduces the 50/50 rule, which advocates for balancing time spent on day-to-day operations and tackling high-leverage problems. He explains that dedicating 50% of one's time to routine tasks allows for the smooth running of projects and teams, while the other 50% should be devoted to solving complex, high-impact problems. Watson reflects on his own experiences at Spotify, where this balance fosters a hands-on approach and ensures that even senior managers are well-versed in the details. He suggests actively managing calendar time and repurposing meetings to create focused working sessions.
In this week's episode, we sit down with Alex Watson, Product Director at Spotify's Core Experience. Together, we unpack the tools and mindset necessary for anyone navigating a career in product management. We delve into the critical aspects of understanding your motivation for career progression and the unique benefits that different levels of seniority hold.
Featured Links: Follow Alex on LinkedIn | The Wired Jester | 'Managing Internal Communications for Big Projects'feature at Mind The Product | Alex's thoughts on 'Self development and Career Progression as a PM in Spotify'
Our Hosts Lily Smith enjoys working as a consultant product manager with early-stage and growing startups and as a mentor to other product managers. She’s currently Chief Product Officer at BBC Maestro, and has spent 13 years in the tech industry working with startups in the SaaS and mobile space. She’s worked on a diverse range of products – leading the product teams through discovery, prototyping, testing and delivery. Lily also founded ProductTank Bristol and runs ProductCamp in Bristol and Bath.
Randy Silver is a Leadership & Product Coach and Consultant. He gets teams unstuck, helping you to supercharge your results. Randy's held interim CPO and Leadership roles at scale-ups and SMEs, advised start-ups, and been Head of Product at HSBC and Sainsbury’s. He participated in Silicon Valley Product Group’s Coaching the Coaches forum, and speaks frequently at conferences and events. You can join one of communities he runs for CPOs (CPO Circles), Product Managers (Product In the {A}ether) and Product Coaches. He’s the author of What Do We Do Now? A Product Manager’s Guide to Strategy in the Time of COVID-19. A recovering music journalist and editor, Randy also launched Amazon’s music stores in the US & UK.
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