Stefan
Latest posts by Stefan (see all)
Managers are the main way to get ahead, especially as a Product Manager. The reasons for this are:
- They teach you how to be a better PM. Looking at their work and how they do things should make you want to be like them, act like them. They should be your role model.
- They are the one PM spending a lot of time with you on substance. You’ll chat with a lot of PMs, but not all of them will give you honest feedback, or take the time to look at your proposals in details. Your manager will (if they are good).
- They are in charge of your promotion. Managers are monitoring how we ll you do as a PM. It is part of their job. They need to argue (or not) for your promo.
- They will give you feedback, and ask for feedback from others. If you are a great PM, you will ask for constant feedback. Your manager is an incredibly important source for that feedback.
- They will support your decision making. What you decide will affect the team and your manager. They will take a look as you reach conclusions and help you become better over time.
So how can you positively affect the relationship with your manager? There are a couple of things you can start doing now, which will dramatically influence how you work together with your manager.
- Treat your manager with respect
This took me a long time to figure out. Early in my career, I behaved like my manager owed me. Probably because I worked hard, and I had an attitude about it. It was bad, and wrong. My manager is also a person, a human, someone under pressure, who is looking to make good decisions. Understand your managers strategic goals, have an eye to eye convo about it, buy into it, support them. - Bring solutions, not problems
A classic, but of elevated importance as a PM. Your manager is under incredible time pressure. They are super busy, they have a ton of things to think about. Don’t bring them problems (or worse, fires). Bring them solutions with a clear rationale, thought out, and with time to execute on it. In exchange, ask for continuous commitment and aircover if a solution is chosen. - Build trust with your manager
To build trust, you also need to know your manager is trustworthy. That is not easy to do, and getting context helps a ton. Ask former colleagues of your manager about their POV. Ask folks who had been in your org but left for an informal chat. Find out about the way your managers judgement is perceived by others, so you know that you can trust them. If gaps emerge, try and set up a conversation about that space. See if their perspective has changed or if there is reason for concern. - Improve your communication
Often times communication is everything. There are nuances and challenges along the way. Knowing how to communicate, how to bring your point across quickly, developing a similar language is key. Use all the help you can get, including books and practices, including coaching. - Find a mentor
Mentorship is one of the most important things for PMs. It can be the only source for credible context in exposed business situations. Make sure you have a trusted ‘board’ of mentors you can reach out to for help. Involve them in moments where trust is at doubt, or a critical decision is coming your way.
Summary
Being a PM can be lonely, and it is often tough to find trusted allies. Your manager is a key person for you to build a crazy good working relationship with. Invest in it, as it won’t happen by itself.
Take Action 🎬
📅 Book a private coaching session with me to grow your PM career. I will share my 15+ years of experience as a Product Manager, all my learning and pitfalls, with actionable tips and concrete lessons to model after.
📚 To learn the foundations of Product Management, I recommend reading INSPIRED by Marty Cagan. Marty has been leading the Silicon Valley Product Group for over two decades. His work is foundational for Tech Product Managers – a must read.
📚 The book How to Talk to Anyone helped me build trust with individuals quickly when I needed to. It is a bit of a ‘guide to sure fire icebreakers’, applicable in any situation. Trust is the number one path to more objective information, especially so when the odds are stacked against you.
