James Podlucky, CEM®, MEP’s Post

Everbridge is hiring a Product Manager that was just posted 2 hours ago! Are you noticing the pattern it’s the same types of companies that are hiring product managers over and over again that are looking for the same types of experience. This should be a clue as to where the market is headed and why you may or may not getting any traction on your product manager job hunt. You can see the data on my LinkedIn feed. The majority (not all) of these product manager roles are in the following niches: Digital Payments Healthcare or Health Tech E-commerce Data Privacy  Cybersecurity Growth AI Product Strategy and Roadmap Recently Funded Startup of First PM Hire (💰💰💰) Automotive Product Leader (ie Head or Director of Product Management) I have a resume template for each type of product manager role in Skool! https://lnkd.in/gtQjCfUH See you in Skool.  https://lnkd.in/gtQjCfUH Don’t be late to Skool.  https://lnkd.in/gtQjCfUH PS Are you curious how my team is able to get to these roles as fast as we do? You can find out the hack in Skool! https://lnkd.in/gtQjCfUH Don’t be late to Skool! https://lnkd.in/gtQjCfUH #productmanagement #productmanagementcareers #productmanagementjobs #speedtolead

Product Management Lesson's from Atlanta's Water Crisis Investing in Technology: A Necessity, Not a Luxury  Living in downtown Atlanta, I’m currently experiencing the repercussions of a boil water advisory, now in its fifth day due to multiple water main breaks. Despite having access to water and the means to get bottled water, this situation has led me to reflect on my day job (what else would I do other than think of Product Management). The city’s water mains, some nearing a century old, have been neglected, resulting in a frantic, round-the-clock effort to restore service. It’s a classic case of whack-a-mole: fix one break, and another emerges. (That never happens in technology) This long-standing infrastructure issue has been passed from one mayor to the next, never deemed a vote-winning campaign issue. Yet, here we are. As product managers, we must recognize the importance of understanding and investing in the technology that supports our products and services. It’s critical to allocate resources to maintain and scale our infrastructure to meet current and future demands. Don't be like Atlanta. The Art of Communication: More Than Just Words To compound things, the communication has fallen a little short. I received a city alert nearly two days after the initial incident, and despite promises of an update every other hour, we’ve seen a five-hour silence. The first advisory, a fuzzy map lacking street names, took three days to clarify. Many Atliens (those lucky to still have water) didn't know if they were in the zone or out of it. Things happen. It’s essential to have a plan for off-hours communication, to use language that resonates with your audience (no geek speak), and to uphold commitments to regular updates. The past five days have been challenging, but I am grateful for those working tirelessly to resolve the situation. #productmanagement

Being a non-technical leader in a technical industry is tricky. If you're driven, you like having your hands busy and contributing directly to output. However as a non-technical person, you're unable to 'create' the actual final product. All you can do is create the best possible system to create said product, and…wait. So what is your role: -Hire the best people -Create an org structure and working environment where those people can thrive -Set a high bar and continuously demand output that satisfies that bar -Reward that output (Is everything below just noise?) -Ensure there is sufficient funding to keep the system thriving -Make decisions (/create an environment where your people are emboldened to make their own at every level) -Define your product and market pipeline -Prioritize for the business, for other individual contributors (i.e. say NO a lot) -Project manage the business -Create systems and processes -CEO/founder-led sales (sure but after a certain scale you've hopefully hired people who are way better at this than you are) The tricky part is not overburdening your people in the name of 'process, project management, and prioritization' when really you're just doing it to satisfy your own need to 'directly contribute'.

Product Manager is the most political role in the organization as being one you have to interact with every Tom, dick, and harry. Internal politics is an inevitable part of a product manager's journey. If you are encountering these, no need to shy away or stay shtum but understand that it is natural — more so in senior roles. You can be the smartest person in the room. You can draft the most beautiful roadmap. All your KPIs could be green. But none of it matters if you don’t factor in politics. 🚀 Navigating Internal Politics as a Product Manager 🚀 Here’s a quick guide on common scenarios and how to handle them: 1️⃣ Executive Urgency Situation: An executive demands a feature immediately. Solution: Understand their motivation, abstract the goal, and cite tradeoffs. 2️⃣ Disgruntled Engineers Situation: Tensions with vocal engineers. Solution: Engage them early, set clear expectations, and stay in your lane. 3️⃣ Deadline Risk Situation: Expected delays in delivery dates when you know feature is Level-of-effort (LoE) heavy but already committed by someone else. Solution: Provide early warnings, understand the date’s importance, minimize damage by providing alternatives. 4️⃣ Design Disputes Situation: Conflicts with UX designers. Solution: Communicate early, respect their work, focus on goals, and defer to expertise. 5️⃣ First PM at a Startup Situation: Adjusting to the founder’s involvement. Solution: Start tactical, align on vision, share information, and earn trust. 6️⃣ Sales Complaints Situation: Sales blames product for poor sales performance. Solution: Acknowledge their claims, do your due diligence on what pros/cons are, get a guarantee for sales conversion, and build a solid case. 7️⃣ Failed Features Situation: Dealing with failed product features due to strategy mis-alignment, development, or adoption. Solution: Stay factual, conduct post-mortems, and own your mistakes. 🌟 Anticipate and manage internal politics to keep your product on track.

10 reasons product managers burn out 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗠𝗮𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 - Numerous changes to the strategy and what to do next. 𝗙𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 - You don’t make decisions. You are just a resource. No autonomy. 𝗧𝗼𝗼 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗛𝗮𝘁𝘀 - You are great at plugging holes and working multiple roles. It often gets abused. 𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 - 20 hours of meetings per week is not normal. 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱 - When decisions require a massive document and a 10-person meeting. Oh, and a slide deck too. 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 - You scale faster than your systems allow. 50% of the time you are doing “quick fixes”. 𝗨𝗻𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 - Stakeholders come at you from all sides. C-level asks you to look into something his friend found. The work just won’t quit. 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲𝘀 - The company doesn’t appreciate your way of working. You feel you are on the wrong team. You can't connect. 𝗟𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 - The work is hard, but mistakes are not allowed. You also can’t complain, moan, and vent. 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 - Imagine working like that for months. Without getting a bonus, or promotion. Or even kudos during all hands. I've felt all of them at different times in my career. I burned out and recovered. Many times. It's hard and exhausting. But I can't imagine doing anything else because the job is extremely rewarding. Know a PM? Give them a hug. Or thank them for their hard work. They deserve it. ❤️ Like and ♻️ repost.

Product Managers act as Risk mitigators when building new products or features. In the last 10 years, I’ve learned that navigating from concept to market involves more than just brilliant ideas. It’s about tackling critical risks head-on. Here are three key areas where product managers play a pivotal role: 𝐔𝐬𝐞𝐫 𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐤: - Understand Your Users: Conduct thorough research to grasp their needs, pain points, and preferences. - Prototype and Test: Validate assumptions with real users through prototypes or MVPs. - Iterate Based on Feedback: Continuously improve the product based on user insights. 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐤: - Market Analysis: Assess competition, demand, and unique value propositions. - Define a Clear Business Model: Consider revenue streams, acquisition costs, and lifetime value. - Develop Risk Mitigation Strategies: Prepare for challenges like changing trends or economic downturns. 𝐄𝐱𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐤: - Evaluate Technical Feasibility: Collaborate with engineering teams to assess constraints. - Build Proof of Concepts (PoCs): Validate critical technical components early. Identify and Manage Technical Risks: Have backup plans for unexpected issues. 💭 Remember, effective risk management considers user needs, business viability, and technical feasibility.

In today’s fast-paced environment, problem-solving skills are not just an asset for product managers—they are essential. Clients often have complex needs that require immediate solutions, but starting from scratch isn’t always feasible. This is where strong problem-solving abilities come into play. By effectively analyzing and understanding existing solutions, product managers can creatively adapt these resources to meet new challenges. This approach not only streamlines the process, saving valuable time and resources, but also demonstrates a deep understanding of both the product and the client’s needs. In doing so, we build stronger relationships with our clients, proving that we can deliver top-notch results without unnecessary delays or reinvention.

The Product Manager's job is the hardest one in the software world. Everyone thinks they can do it better: • The 𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 are angry because of the slow pace • The 𝗖𝗦 team knows exactly what the customer needs • The 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 team just wants known bugs to be fixed • The 𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 wants to dictate the roadmap • And the 𝘀𝗼𝗳𝘁𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀... Think they know it all :) But 𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗹𝗹. We prefer to decide for ourselves what to work on... There is a tough balance between challenging your PM and asking hard questions, to trusting them and giving them some space to do their job. I admit that I often fall into that trap. P.S.: What's your single tip for managing that relationship? Join 13,300+ engineering leaders who receive weekly articles on managing software teams: https://lnkd.in/dmvYbssM

🌟 Thoughts of a Product Manager: Building Trust and Credibility 🌟 Trust is the foundation of every successful product manager's journey. Without trust, it's nearly impossible to rally teams, secure resources, or win over stakeholders. Building trust begins with consistency and transparency. By delivering on promises, communicating openly, and acting with integrity, we earn the trust and respect of those around us. Furthermore, by listening intently, responding thoughtfully, and always putting the needs of our users first, we can foster lasting trust and credibility. Beyond the confines of product management, trust is equally vital. Whether with friends, family, or colleagues, the ability to build and maintain trust is the cornerstone of meaningful connections and collaborations. So let's prioritize trust and credibility in product management and in life. Let's lead with honesty, authenticity, and reliability, knowing that trust is the currency of success in every endeavor. Together, let's build a future founded on trust and integrity. 🤝💼 #Trust #Credibility #ProductManagement #Relationships

As a PM, your job is to create focus and help the talent do better work. That means helping them understand what success looks like, not telling them what to do. This is what Hypothesis-Driven Development is about. https://lnkd.in/dPqJJhA2 #productmanagement