Strong Product People

“Which metric is directly influencing our North Star?”

1. Create it. Creating your narrative—including parts for product vision, strategy, goals, and principles—requires looking to see what is going on around you: the current situation, the diagnosis, and the reality (what is). This includes: Customers, noncustomers (a.k.a. humans), behavior changes; Market, industry, competition; Trends, macrotrends; and

Learn more about the art and science of coaching. Read about the GROW model (or even better, listen to Christina Wodtke’s podcast on how she’s actually using it),48 and

The Spencer & Spencer diagram above shows that it’s hard to see gaps that are related to your motives, attitudes, or values—they are hidden below the surface and you’ll need someone else’s help to see them.

What can I hold you accountable for next time we talk? What can I be accountable to you for the next time we talk?

Avoid using buzzwords, tool names, and abbreviations.

What’s important to me right now? (Example: Getting some to-dos off my list.) What’s this really about for me? (Example: Too many moving parts and no one to delegate to!)

2. Define PM responsibilities, skills, and know-how that matter to you. This

What I want new PMs to do is: Describe the situation/problem. Describe solutions. Ask for advice on which solution to pick, or even better, explain what they will do/which solution they’ve picked. Offer a veto option and advise on deadline (If I am totally against the proposed solution, I can withhold my veto until this deadline.).

Step 5: Check out. At the end of your (first) session, you’ll want to seal your agreement on what your PM will be accountable for when you have your second follow-up session.