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5 MISTAKES TO AVOID AS A PRODUCT MANAGER

Common pitfalls to avoid in product management


A lot has been written about the do’s and dont’s for a product manager. Below are some of my observations which enlists mistakes which one can avoid.


DESIGN WITH EASE


“As product leaders its important to have the correct vantage point towards customers/users, teams, products, stakeholders and business goals without any arrival syndrome”


1. Overselling and working backwards the wrong way.

As a product leader, you are working with the sales team and pitching the product to a customer. However, for any reason, when a product is oversold/over promised to a customer and then the team is asked to build it, it's a recipe for failure. Because now, the team cannot share progress and use agile to work “with the customer” and build the product together(as the customer has an existing product in mind) and eventually the company falls into the same habit loop of waterfall methodology.

The same logic holds true when there is technical debt to work on but new features have been promised to customers.

Bringing something new is a feature, not a benefit. One can create something that's never existed before, but if it's not actually solving a problem or adding real value, it will be a shot in the dark.

This brings me to the second point of working backwards the wrong way.

With an incorrect goal, it's really challenging to fit the product road map and we lose sight of what can bring value to customers in the frantic effort of building what has been promised.

But if we put on our product leader’s hat, collect the right data, test; and communicate, and be open about what customers really need, then we can do coucoarse correction. This will help keep our team working forward and onward – toward the solution – instead of trying to find the right roadmap to something you've prebuilt in your head and promised to the customer but may not be what your end-user needs.



2. Over fitting - AI

With all the information available on AI and stellar examples of companies using AI and related tech, it's easy to fall into this trap of trying to solve a problem with AI/ML which can be simply done using traditional methods. It's like trying on an oversized shirt. Of Course AI is undoubtedly useful but it will be prudent to find an appropriate use case and perform a tech-product fit first.


3. Acting like a mini-CEO of a product.

This is a big one. As product managers we are the product-CEOs or mini-CEOs. This has to be interpreted correctly. Please. It simply means that a product leader is responsible and accountable for an end-to-end product delivery. (discovery to support and beyond till the product sunsets).

It certainly does NOT mean to boss around and start acting as if the team works for you. ( Infact, a true CEO works for the team and the company and not the other way around.). We have to remember that our first customers are our own colleagues and if we can treat them with the same empathy and respect then all of us will have the same understanding of accountability and responsibility for the product we are building.

Leadership is always without a title!


4. Not reminding the “Why”

Product or program management is a complex role. Its that post where I can insert a venn diagram here. :-)

However, as I observe in teams I am part of and discuss with friends in other companies and domains, one thing which gets neglected is a “shared understanding” of the “why”. Remember the brick layer’s story? Does it take time to bring clarity and reinforce why we are doing what we are doing? Yes. But is it worth the time and energy spent? Yes yes, yes!


5. Making low quality decisions

Some amazing insights on this one at


However, with using Type 1 thought process to make Type 2 decisions, the challenge I have seen is that it Introduces rework, brings the morale down and one loses trust with the team very fast. For e.g. I can think of a feature which might be my mistake to think of as a real value to customers. Fast forward, some sprints, some customer workshops and then asking the team that we will drop the novel feature from the roadmap leads to one of all of the above listed challenges.


6. Not doing system thinking

It's very easy to lose sight of the big picture when we are focused only on our next meeting, next stakeholder session, customer meeting etc etc.


So close to the trees, unable to see the forest.

I have learnt that everything we as product leaders introduce in a roadmap should be through completely inters of its impact short term and long term.


7. Communicating less

Crucial communication and Crucial accountability are two amazing books which have helped me in all aspects of life, personal or professional.


Below is an extract from which elegantly describes the challenge of communicating less.


For a team to work effectively, it's crucial not to allow communication gaps to emerge and widen over time.

Teams can handle a lot of information and moving parts; what they can't handle is a lack of insight and knowledge that creates stumbling blocks and undermines their contributions. So make sure you're effectively communicating your vision and strategy from the get-go, maximizing the roadmap at your disposal to bring everyone on board, no matter the gear-shifting that'll need to take place as you move ahead.

Organization is obviously key, but with some practical planning tech in your hands and a real commitment to communication, there's no reason you shouldn't be able to keep your teams properly informed and centered on the mission at hand.



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