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14 habits of highly effective Product Managers
A thread
A thread
1/ Great PMs take pride in the clarity and conciseness of their documents, emails, presentations, and meetings.
They know that people judge the quality of their thinking by the quality of their writing/speaking, and that effective communication is the most fundamental PM skill.
They know that people judge the quality of their thinking by the quality of their writing/speaking, and that effective communication is the most fundamental PM skill.
2/ Great PMs build an aura of “I’VE GOT THIS.”
They rarely drop balls, they come prepared, and their colleagues know that when they take on a task, it’ll get done.
They rarely drop balls, they come prepared, and their colleagues know that when they take on a task, it’ll get done.
3/ Great PMs hold the bar high for the work they, and their teammates, do.
They resist the urge to settle for good enough. They push their team, and themselves, to make documents clearer, to make meetings more valuable, and to help people do the best work of their lives.
They resist the urge to settle for good enough. They push their team, and themselves, to make documents clearer, to make meetings more valuable, and to help people do the best work of their lives.
4/ Great PMs hunt for misalignment and quickly push everyone back into alignment.
They know that team disfunction is often rooted in people having different information, motives, or priorities. They know that rooting these out is some of the highest-leverage work they can do.
They know that team disfunction is often rooted in people having different information, motives, or priorities. They know that rooting these out is some of the highest-leverage work they can do.
5/ Great PMs always have a point of view, loosely held.
They know they aren’t on the team simply to coordinate other people’s work—that their team is looking to them to push their thinking. They also know they need to be ready to quickly change their POV when they have new data.
They know they aren’t on the team simply to coordinate other people’s work—that their team is looking to them to push their thinking. They also know they need to be ready to quickly change their POV when they have new data.
6/ Great PMs ruthlessly prioritizes, both the team’s work and their own.
They know that there are always more ideas than time, and that the greatest gift they can give their team is *focus*.
They know that there are always more ideas than time, and that the greatest gift they can give their team is *focus*.
7/ Great PMs endlessly look for blockers to unblock.
They’re always on the hunt for bottlenecks, unmade decisions, and anything that is keeping their team from operating like a well-oiled machine.
They’re always on the hunt for bottlenecks, unmade decisions, and anything that is keeping their team from operating like a well-oiled machine.
8/ Great PMs build a tight leadership triad with their EM and DM.
They know that their team operates best when the leaders of the team speak with one voice, and because most of the team reports to the Eng. and Design Manager, it’s essential that they work as a team.
They know that their team operates best when the leaders of the team speak with one voice, and because most of the team reports to the Eng. and Design Manager, it’s essential that they work as a team.
9/ Great PMs frequently remind teammates of how their work connects to the mission.
They know that people don’t work at companies to pull levers, move metrics, or hit goals.
They know that people don’t work at companies to pull levers, move metrics, or hit goals.
10/ Great PMs speak with their customers regularly.
They know that no matter how confident they are about what their customers want, they are frequently wrong.
They know that no matter how confident they are about what their customers want, they are frequently wrong.
11/ Great PMs anticipate what’s around the corner so that they can get ahead of it.
They know that the most successful PMs are the most prepared PMs, and the best way to be prepared is to have more time to prepare.
They know that the most successful PMs are the most prepared PMs, and the best way to be prepared is to have more time to prepare.
12/ Great PMs make sure everyone has a chance to be heard.
They know that most of the best ideas won’t come from them, and that the simple act of listening goes a very long way.
They know that most of the best ideas won’t come from them, and that the simple act of listening goes a very long way.
13/ Great PMs amplify the successes and contributions of team members.
They know that a PM's success is measured primarily by the success of their team.
They know that a PM's success is measured primarily by the success of their team.
14/ Great PMs bring good vibes to the team.
They know that they are the unofficial-but-de-facto leader of the team, and that the vibes they bring trickle down throughout the team.
They know that they are the unofficial-but-de-facto leader of the team, and that the vibes they bring trickle down throughout the team.
15/ For much more, including tactical advice on how to build each of these habits, check out the full post https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/14-habits-of-highly-effective-product
