How To Succeed In Product Management | Jeffrey Shulman, Red Russak & Soumeya Benghanem

In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman and The Product Management Center advisory board members Red Russak and Soumeya Benghanem welcome Arvind Dutta (Microsoft) to talk about roadmaps and prioritization. A roadmap isn’t simply a to-do list that anyone can change or check off. It is a consolidated plan and execution that helps the product team prioritize and progress through the product development more organized and productive.    Support for How to Succeed in Product Management is brought to you by Apptentive, which enables product managers to measure shifts in customer emotion and gather actionable feedback across the mobile customer journey. To learn more, go to Apptentive.com/UW.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 03:05 Why roadmapping and prioritization are important 06:23 Who owns the roadmap? 09:11 Avoid turning the roadmap into a to-do list 16:39 Know the audience the roadmap is aimed at 24:09 Question-based approach roadmap 33:14 The product team should make the roadmap work for them 39:43 Other tools effective in implementing a roadmap 42:41 Providing updates to the upper management 48:39 Where the real value lies 51:02 The ability to prioritize and drive clarity through roadmap   

In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman and The Product Management Center advisory board members Red Russak and Soumeya Benghanem welcome Martie K. Burris (Salesforce) to discuss product management interview strategies. To land the best PM role in the best company, you have to master the art of acing any and all product management interviews. Listen in to the techniques experienced PMs use, their strategies that have worked, and their proven and tested frameworks.   Support for How to Succeed in Product Management is brought to you by Apptentive, which enables product managers to measure shifts in customer emotion and gather actionable feedback across the mobile customer journey. To learn more, go to Apptentive.com/UW.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 02:10 The Inclusive Product Management Accelerator program 06:10 PM interviews have evolved over time 09:11 What is the purpose of a PM interview? 13:36 Lead PM interviews focus more on the strategy   14:48 The type of questions to prepare for 17:25 Find resources and practice with other people 20:14 The Do’s and Don’ts of PM interview 24:20 Summarize your answer at the end 26:03 Your framework should be your natural thought process  31:01 How to handle rejection 33:47 Is MBA a necessary requirement? 39:55 Strategies to get into the right interview 45:43 Interview people with empathy and listen more  48:45 Be mindful that people are trying to understand your thought process

Consider hiring diverse talent from the Inclusive Product Management Accelerator – https://hire.info.foster.uw.edu/   In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman, The Product Management Center advisory board member Soumeya Benghanem, and Associate Director Kara Fichthorn welcome Xilin Zhang (Protocol Labs) and Chetana Desai  (NEAR Protocol) as they discuss Blockchain Product Management. Blockchain technology plays a crucial role in product management by offering transparent, secure, and decentralized data storage and management solutions. Its ability to provide real-time tracking and verification of products throughout the supply chain enhances efficiency. By employing smart contracts, blockchain automates payment and delivery processes, reducing administrative burdens and fostering trust among stakeholders. Furthermore, blockchain's potential extends to safeguarding intellectual property rights and revolutionizing conventional marketplaces by facilitating the creation of decentralized platforms for product transactions.   Disclaimer: All opinions of the speakers are their own.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 05:28 What is blockchain? 07:32 Blockchain and product management 11:36 Skills to learn to be a good PM in Web3 16:25 Difference between Web2 and Web3 17:57 What industries can Web3 and Blockchain transform? 20:13 The different layers of Blockchain 25:10 How to become a PM in Web3 32:25 Working in a constantly changing environment 37:11 The future of the financial side of blockchain 39:39 Open source for blockchain 43:41 Blockchain technology to innovate the HR space 45:19 Final thoughts

In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman and The Product Management Center advisory board member Soumeya Benghanem welcome Michele Lundahl (T-Mobile) as they discuss how to empower good decision-making. Product managers play a crucial role in empowering good decision making within their teams. By fostering a culture of trust, collaboration, and open communication, they enable team members to contribute their diverse perspectives and insights. Empowering decision making encourages ownership and accountability, leading to better outcomes and innovation. By providing the necessary guidance and resources, product managers ensure that their teams have the autonomy and support needed to make informed decisions that align with the overall product vision and goals.   Disclaimer: All opinions of the speakers are their own.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 01:17 Why should we empower good decision-making? 04:26 Inclusivity in decision-making 07:12 Pushbacks on decision 09:19 Three opportunity rule 10:56 Framework to better understand different types of decisions 13:47 Coaching teams to feel empowered about their role 15:36 Handling unavoided impacts 17:33 Training ourselves to be willing to empower others 19:08 Strategic and execution decision 22:37 Leaders in decision-making 25:43 Should leaders get into the weeds? 27:51 How can leaders share knowledge in a way that empowers good decision-making? 30:00 What is a good decision? 31:31 When someone is not in favor of your decision 33:34 Decision processes within product organizations 36:03 How do you help your team to not overthink a decision? 39:05 When a bad decision is made by your team 45:20 Final thoughts

The application window for the Inclusive Product Management Accelerator runs June 8, 2023 to June 20, 2023. Learn more and apply at http://ipma.info.foster.uw.edu   In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman and The Product Management Center advisory board members Red Russak and  Soumeya Benghanem and Associate Director Kara Fichthorn welcome Christopher M. Barnes (Foster School of Business) as they discuss how sleep could affect different aspects of our life and being a PM. Lack of sleep impairs cognitive functions such as decision-making, problem-solving, and creativity, which are vital skills for PMs. Sleep-deprived individuals may struggle to focus and prioritize tasks effectively, leading to poor decision-making and decreased productivity. Additionally, sleep deprivation can negatively affect communication and collaboration skills, as fatigue can hinder effective teamwork and stakeholder management. Overall, sleep deprivation undermines the ability of PMs to perform their roles efficiently and effectively, ultimately impacting the success of their projects and teams.   Disclaimer: All opinions of the speakers are their own.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 05:02 Understanding sleep and its effect on PM 08:37 Cyberloafing 09:16 Opportunity and identification as it relates to sleep 12:13 Sleep and creativity 15:03 Should I sleep on it? 16:06 Effects of sleep on leadership 20:09 Taking naps 22:36 Alternatives for sleep 25:36 Working on sleeping hours 31:21 The quality vs. quantity of sleep 33:11 Sleep disorders 40:41 Other treatments for sleep apnea 45:45 Starting work at different times 50:29 Final thoughts

Applications for the Inclusive Product Management Accelerator open June 8th. Learn more at foster.uw.edu/ipm-accelerator   In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman and The Product Management Center advisory board members Red Russak and  Soumeya Benghanem welcome Avinoam Zelenko (LinkedIn) as they discuss the emotional side of product management. Successful PMs understand user frustrations, desires, and aspirations, using emotional insight to improve the product. They foster collaboration and motivation through empathy, active listening, and effective communication. Moreover, they prioritize self-care, embracing self-compassion to navigate challenges and setbacks, benefiting personal growth and effective leadership.   Disclaimer: All opinions of the speakers are their own.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 02:38 Emotional side of product management 07:43 ELMR framework 11:39 Focus on internal work too 13:40 Kindness is clarity 16:04 How to be kind when others are not? 20:20 Get feedback from close people and mimic how others interact with certain personalities 22:15 How salespeople manage their emotions? 26:42 Balancing emotions of external and internal stakeholders 33:58 Let your team be comfortable to ask questions 35:02 Showing your emotions when applying for a remote PM role 41:24 “Intuition is more important than being data driven…” 50:51 Can emotions help measure success and risk? 53:35 Final thoughts

Leslie Thomas Jr. from Microsoft discusses how product managers manage their energy and mental health in this episode. Topics include identifying energy drainers, bringing the team along in the journey, gratitude, separating from work, using anxiety to advantage, setting boundaries, and strategies for mental well-being.

In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman and The Product Management Center advisory board members Red Russak and  Soumeya Benghanem welcome Michael W. Lam (Zoom) as they discuss how to thrive in a product led organization. PMs can thrive in a product-led organization by adopting a data-driven mindset, leveraging customer insights to inform decision-making, and prioritizing cross-functional collaboration to align teams and drive innovation. By staying attuned to market trends, embracing agile methodologies, and fostering a customer-centric culture, PMs can navigate the dynamic landscape, deliver exceptional products, and achieve long-term success in a product-led organization.   Disclaimer: All opinions of the speakers are their own.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 05:54 What’s a product led organization? 06:54 Important for the customer vs. PMs 09:15 Building instead of outsourcing 17:34 Aligning product teams for success 21:37 How to thrive in a product led organization 24:31 Product leaders protecting their products from salespeople 25:37 Recognize the product you’re building and who it is for 29:47 Main differences between product led organizations and other organizations 32:09 Data vs. Emotions 40:04 Free trials and free tiers products 45:06 Risk Assessment Framework 51:40 Final thoughts

Join us in Seattle for the Inclusive Product Management Summit on May 12th and May 13th. Info at https://summit.info.foster.uw.edu/   In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman welcomes Michael Broome (Vituity) and John Mark Nickels (Waymo) as they discuss how PMs can develop a team culture. PMs play a critical role in creating and shaping the culture of their teams. Team culture refers to the shared beliefs, values, attitudes, and behaviors that shape the way a group of individuals works together towards a common goal. As a PM, it is important to be intentional about creating and shaping the culture of your team to ensure that it aligns with the values and goals of the organization.   Disclaimer: All opinions of the speakers are their own.   Resources: Foster the Product: Leading teams and aligning stakeholders toward a common vision - Foster Blog (uw.edu) Lead from the Core: The 4 Principles for Profit and Prosperity - Jay Steinfeld   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 05:00 How PMs can develop a team culture 06:34 When does a team culture become important 08:43 The right time to start developing a team culture 09:59 Learning team dynamics through sport 12:26 The four ingredients of a team 15:12 When it works for the team but not for an individual 20:07 How to have difficult conversations with your team 21:30 Getting a group to work together 23:58 Having a strategic goal 25:58 The importance of clarity in vision and strategy 29:34 How to learn and celebrate from mistakes 34:31 Frameworks to bring out the best in you 39:00 Motivating teams to reach their potential and set aside personal ego 41:08 Tips to develop a team culture 43:00 Having difficult conversations with people you report to and incentives for a team 47:41 Final thoughts

Join us in Seattle for the Inclusive Product Management Summit on May 12th and May 13th. Info at https://summit.info.foster.uw.edu/   In this episode of the How to Succeed in Product Management Podcast, marketing professor Jeff Shulman and The Product Management Center advisory board member Soumeya Benghanem welcomes Tatyana Mamut (Reforge) as they discuss being in a product-led organization. Becoming a product-led is crucial for PMs because it puts the customer experience at the forefront of decision-making. By focusing on building products that users love and find value in, product-led organizations can drive growth, increase customer loyalty, and gain a competitive advantage in the market. This approach requires a deep understanding of customer needs, constant experimentation, and a willingness to prioritize the long-term success of the product over short-term gains. By adopting a product-led mindset, product managers can build products that not only meet customer needs but also drive business success.   Disclaimer: All opinions of the speakers are their own.   What to Listen For: 00:00 Intro 04:38 What is a product-led organization? 06:28 From customer-centric to being product-led 09:12 The difference between the needs of the business and the needs of the customer 10:36 Should everyone in the organization have a product-led mindset? 14:27 The Hooked Framework 18:49 What role should people play in building a product-led mindset? 22:06 Balancing customer needs and revenue 26:48 The biggest challenge for a PM in a product-led organization 35:27 Can a lean product development process fit within a product-led organization? 38:25 Minimum viable product vs. Minimum lovable product 40:18 The best way to start a product-led team 43:57 Build something that somebody will be willing to pay for 45:38 Metrics that matter in a product-led organization 47:48 Other resources to learn more about product-led organizations 49:32 Final thoughts