15: Product management is selling

I’m writing about one hundred things I’ve learned about being a product manager.

Contrary to what you may think, most of product management is actually selling.  You are continually selling new product concepts, ideas for improvement as well as pitches for projects.  What you may not realise is that what most people think is selling isn’t actually selling.  Selling is listening, understanding, empathy and only then does persuasion factor in.

Continue reading

Drowning in product documentation? Start swimming – Part 2

Does this sound familiar?

  • Write document ‘A’
  • Copy most of its contents into template ‘B’
  • Rework same content into slideshow ‘C’
  • Copy slide images into document ‘D’
  • PDF and circulate an executive summary of document ‘D’ for feedback from EVERYONE IN THE COMPANY
  • File documents A-D in a folder no-one will ever inspect again

If so, read on…
Continue reading

13: You’ve got to start the race before you can finish it

I’m writing about one hundred things I’ve learned as a product manager.

Sometimes the role of product management can be a little overwhelming.  There’s often so much to do that you can feel at a loss for where to begin.  But did you know that ancient Greek philosophers contended with the same problem?

Continue reading