Product Thinking

Episode 175: Evolution of Product Management and the Importance of Diverse Backgrounds with Ryan Johnson of CallRail

Jun 12, 2024

Product strategy expert, Ryan Johnson from CallRail, discusses the evolution of product management, importance of transparency, collaboration, and diverse backgrounds. He shares insights on moving to Chief Product Officer, effective communication of product roadmaps, and challenges of balancing innovation with growth goals and implementing AI technology.

48:26

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Episode guests

Ryan Johnson

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Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Product executives should focus on financials, strategy, and shared goals with the executive team for success.

Balancing project managers and Scrum Masters in product teams is crucial for managing build activities and product strategy effectively.

Product operations should prioritize cross-functional collaboration, process efficiencies, and project coordination for large-scale initiatives.

Deep dives

Balancing Product Leadership and Business Strategy

Product executives need to think of themselves as business leaders and steer the ship forward with the executive team. Focusing on financials and product management, setting and deploying strategy, and establishing shared goals in executive teams are vital for product success.

Intro

2min

Exploration of Scrum Masters, Project Managers, and Product Operations in Product Management

4min

The Role of Scrum Masters in Product Management and Focus on Product Operations

2min

Transitioning to Chief Product Officer at CallRail

20min

Guidance on Learning Financial Aspects for Chief Product Officers

3min

Effective Communication of Product Roadmaps

14min

Evolution of Product Management, Diversity, and AI in Product Development

4min

In this episode of the Product Thinking podcast, host Melissa Perri is joined by Ryan Johnson to enjoy a thorough exploration of product strategy, communication, and innovation within a company. The pair discuss the importance of transparency, collaboration, and the role of diverse backgrounds in product management. For Ryan, boardroom presentations are all about storytelling in these modern times, and to tell a comprehensive story of the progress your company is making, collaboration is absolutely vital. Ryan is all about involving his teams in creating the storyline and presentation to get the best result.

Ryan shares his experiences as the Chief Product Officer at CallRail and highlights the significance of connecting with other C-level executives and aligning goals. They also touch on the evolution of the product management role and the challenges of balancing innovation with growth goals and the implementation of AI technology.

You’ll hear them talk about:

10:07 - Moving from being a VP to Chief Product Officer had a realigning effect on what Ryan thought made a good C-suite leader. Previously he had thought that the role of a Chief Product Officer was to be a dominant presence and a visionary sort of figure, wielding power and making things happen through immense talent and force of will. But this slightly overblown vision of the role changed, as he himself made the transition and realized that the principal desirable quality of someone in that position is to be a trusted business partner. Ryan now sees that a successful Chief Product Officer is someone with whom all the other members of C-suite feel absolutely comfortable approaching with their problems and goals. The more honest and trustworthy that relationship is, the more frank and productive the conversations had at that leadership level can be.

22:16 - Ryan previously discussed how he feels that the role of product managers has developed since he started his career, and that where before a couple of years ago there was no such thing as a product manager degree, nowadays there are lots of classes, boot-camps and other avenues to learn and get into the field in a more straightforward intentional manner. Nonetheless his takeaway advice for budding Chief Product Owners is to first look internally. Getting your head around the financial element will be vital to progress down the road, so speak to the financial and accounting departments at your work in advance of the change to your duties.
26:44 - One of the biggest and most interesting changes that Ryan has noticed in his time with CallRail is the way different departments present their reports in board meetings. He has been a part of the company for around six years and where in the past he has noticed the various departments presenting their updates in a fashion that was quite divorced from the rest of the company, now he points to an emphasis on storytelling and presenting a united cross-department front.

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Previous guests include: Shruti Patel of US Bank, Steve Wilson of Contrast Security, Bethany Lyons of KAWA Analytics, Tanya Johnson Chief Product Officer at Auror, Tom Eisenmann of Harvard Business School, Stephanie Leue of Doodle, Jason Fried of 37signals, Hubert Palan of Productboard, Blake Samic of Stripe and Uber, Quincy Hunte of Amazon Web Services

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Product Thinking

Episode 175: Evolution of Product Management and the Importance of Diverse Backgrounds with Ryan Johnson of CallRail

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

Balancing Product Leadership and Business Strategy

The Role of Project Managers in Product Teams

Product Operations versus Project Management

Financial Insights for Product Success

Innovating with AI and Product Strategy

Get the Snipd
podcast app

AI-powered
podcast player

Discover
highlights

Save any
moment

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Product Thinking

Episode 175: Evolution of Product Management and the Importance of Diverse Backgrounds with Ryan Johnson of CallRail

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

Balancing Product Leadership and Business Strategy

The Role of Project Managers in Product Teams

Product Operations versus Project Management

Financial Insights for Product Success

Innovating with AI and Product Strategy

Get the Snipdpodcast app

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