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Learn from some of the best product managers in the world through conversations hosted by The Product Management Center at the University of Washington. In each episode, Jeff Shulman, Red Russak, and Soumeya Benghanem dive into the tools, frameworks, and thought processes that will help drive success in product management.
Episodes
Wednesday Jul 05, 2023
Best of 2022: The Tactics of Effective Roadmapping
Wednesday Jul 05, 2023
Wednesday Jul 05, 2023
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
Wednesday Jun 28, 2023
Best of 2021: How to Ace Product Management Interviews
Wednesday Jun 28, 2023
Wednesday Jun 28, 2023
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
Wednesday Jun 21, 2023
90: Blockchain Product Management
Wednesday Jun 21, 2023
Wednesday Jun 21, 2023
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
Wednesday Jun 14, 2023
89: Empowering Good Decision-Making
Wednesday Jun 14, 2023
Wednesday Jun 14, 2023
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
Wednesday Jun 07, 2023
88: How Sleep Affects Leadership & Creativity + How to Sleep Better
Wednesday Jun 07, 2023
Wednesday Jun 07, 2023
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
Wednesday May 31, 2023
87: Emotional Product Management
Wednesday May 31, 2023
Wednesday May 31, 2023
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
Wednesday May 24, 2023
86: How PMs Manage Energy and Mental Health
Wednesday May 24, 2023
Wednesday May 24, 2023
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 Leslie Thomas Jr. (Microsoft) as they discuss how PMs manage their energy and mental health. Work and personal life can be physically, emotionally, and mentally draining. So how can we recharge ourselves to keep thriving and stay motivated? Join today’s conversation as they share some tips on how they manage their energy and some self-care tips to keep us mentally healthy.
Disclaimer: All opinions of the speakers are their own.
What to Listen For:
- 00:00 Intro
- 05:38 What’s draining your energy?
- 11:40 Bringing your team along in the journey
- 15:25 Body doubling
- 17:27 Doing work that involves working with people
- 18:27 Go back to the things that gave you a lot of energy
- 20:00 Gratitude
- 21:11 How can you separate yourself from work?
- 23:51 “Gratitude and anxiety can’t exist at the same time…”
- 27:02 Use anxiety to your advantage
- 28:52 Anxiety vs. Pressure
- 34:02 Reward yourself
- 36:30 What is mental health?
- 38:57 Having a mindfulness practice
- 40:49 Start your day with a walk
- 42:57 Prioritize what’s important to you
- 46:34 How to say no and set boundaries
- 50:37 Final thoughts
Wednesday May 17, 2023
85: Thriving in a Product Led Organization
Wednesday May 17, 2023
Wednesday May 17, 2023
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
Wednesday May 10, 2023
84: Developing a Team Culture
Wednesday May 10, 2023
Wednesday May 10, 2023
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
Wednesday May 03, 2023
83: Becoming Product-Led
Wednesday May 03, 2023
Wednesday May 03, 2023
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