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I recently completed 1 year at @khatabook.
A thread on journey and learnings so far from transitioning from an engineer to a product manager.
A thread on journey and learnings so far from transitioning from an engineer to a product manager.
Before Khata, I was an engineer(professionally) and a failed entrepreneur(multiple failed attempts in scaling the product).
Being an engineer & entrepreneur, I used to build products & iterate very fast. This shifted my profile more towards a hacker who can build MVP very fast, talk to users and iterate. But I never thought of considering this hacker profile as a career option.
Joining Khata changed my perspectives for a lot of things.
The first month, built & managed the personalized greetings campaign.
https://twitter.com/spadjay/status/1230762133861720065
Greetings campaign was the first project where I was not coding but doing everything else(product & marketing stuff).
The first month, built & managed the personalized greetings campaign.
https://twitter.com/spadjay/status/1230762133861720065
Greetings campaign was the first project where I was not coding but doing everything else(product & marketing stuff).
Things started to change and slowly it became more about figuring out what to do and getting things done, rather than doing myself.
This was a fundamental shift in mindset. Earlier, I used to do a lot of things on my own for work & venture attempts. But now it wasnt the case.
This was a fundamental shift in mindset. Earlier, I used to do a lot of things on my own for work & venture attempts. But now it wasnt the case.
I had to learn how to delegate, how to prioritize work and how to keep a balance between innovation & speed.
TBH, the transition wasn't easy.
At times, I felt like the urge to do it myself, at times to give up and move back to an engineering role.
TBH, the transition wasn't easy.
At times, I felt like the urge to do it myself, at times to give up and move back to an engineering role.
But then this time, I decided to hold for a longer period and then reflect.
This decision was partly aligned with my goal(of startup) and partly because "good things take time".
So I kept working as a product person and kept learning/adapting things on the fly.
This decision was partly aligned with my goal(of startup) and partly because "good things take time".
So I kept working as a product person and kept learning/adapting things on the fly.
@vedpy9 would always suggest that "Consider each day as day 1".
This quote is so simple but changes the entire perspective of how you see things.
This quote is so simple but changes the entire perspective of how you see things.
A couple of learnings from this year long journey:
1. Dealing with computers is relatively easier than dealing with humans, partly because of the motivation. Each human is different. Their motivation to do the work varies a lot.
1. Dealing with computers is relatively easier than dealing with humans, partly because of the motivation. Each human is different. Their motivation to do the work varies a lot.
Till the point, your responsibilities and their expectations don't align, they will mostly not give their 100%.
This alignment is different but needs to be done & consistently revisited. Both responsibilities and expectations change with time.
This alignment is different but needs to be done & consistently revisited. Both responsibilities and expectations change with time.
2. Everything around you will always be broken.
Either you can crib or you can think of fixing at least 1 thing.
People will always show up with "I can do this thing, but there is one problem". Your job is to help them figure a way out.
Either you can crib or you can think of fixing at least 1 thing.
People will always show up with "I can do this thing, but there is one problem". Your job is to help them figure a way out.
3. Communication. This is super important, prefer written communication and always extra communicate.
A dev suggested to change the name of the event, write and share.
Prefer a doc(notion/google) instead of slack message (difficult to find in future).
A dev suggested to change the name of the event, write and share.
Prefer a doc(notion/google) instead of slack message (difficult to find in future).
4. Your job does not end at extra communication.
Humans are prone to error. You will have to follow up and make sure that whatever is communicated, is implemented.
Humans are prone to error. You will have to follow up and make sure that whatever is communicated, is implemented.
5. You will fail & miss on timelines. But you have to keep moving and parallelly reflect as to why you failed & what can be improved.
In most of the cases, a process needs to be implemented/improved.
In most of the cases, a process needs to be implemented/improved.
6. Showing up daily is very important. No matter whatever be the circumstance, you have to show up for your team.
7. How important it is to have the entire visibility and then placing bets for solving problems.
Solving problems is a function of (user pain point or impact, team capabilities, time at which it is solved).
Solving problems is a function of (user pain point or impact, team capabilities, time at which it is solved).
8. How to keep a balance between innovation & speed. This is super critical in a fast-growth environment.
9. You will have to learn how to thrive in ambiguity.
Keep the ambiguity and pass on utmost clarity.
Also, keep the criticism, but pass on the appreciation.
Keep the ambiguity and pass on utmost clarity.
Also, keep the criticism, but pass on the appreciation.
Overall this year has helped me a lot in improving my people skills.
Thank you @ravishnaresh for letting me a part of this rocketship.
More to go.
Thank you @ravishnaresh for letting me a part of this rocketship.
More to go.
