Paradigm Shift

Product is a tool used to address a market opportunity. Idea of a product is conceived from the opportunity, and it (product) takes shape as it grows and as needs evolve. Keeping track of evolving needs and growing product is a function of a product manager. Product Manager makes sure that they keep track of the evolving market by uninterrupted communication with stake holders, customers, engineering and market. These needs are consolidated, filtered and refined to define product road-map and to draft requirements of every product release.

It is critical that a product manager understands the difference between managing product verses managing opportunity. A product manager should always look at product from the lenses of the opportunity.  How well does the product fit into the opportunity? , what are the improvements required? , Is my product aging and should I start looking at alternates? Which features would make product a better fit for the opportunity? Looking through the lenses of the opportunity, if a product manager sees a clear and sharp picture of the product then this justifies the very existence of the product.

Do you see the light?

In September 2008, I wrote a blog on ‘urgencies of getting ready for post recession’. Many were seeing light at the end of the tunnel then but were not sure of the distance though. Many were not able to see the light then but they could see it today and many are still in dark. What amuses me most is that there were people who had always seen light at the end of tunnel, be it start of recession or peak. There are two breeds of such people;

1. People who are close to ground reality and understand the economic dynamics
2. People who have no idea and understanding of economic dynamics. Flukes basically.

To be optimistic one must have right data of what’s moving and what’s stagnated. The trait of being a true social animal helps here. Your source of information could be anything, from sales, marketing, partners, customers, competition or even engineering. Being in touch would always help in getting you your most valuable asset, that is data. Tough times demands tough measures and need to be as close as possible to ground reality. Success then depends on how good you can interpret coming days and what strategy you deploy to get maximum out of it.

Happy hunting.

Traits that Creates a Success Manager - III

"Success Manager is truly a social animal"

In the very first post of my blog, I mentioned that one of the characteristics of a success manager is that he concentrates and advocates customer needs and opportunities. Now how and when do a success manager do it, in board rooms? No way...... board rooms for me are meant for sign-up and not for decision making.

Decision making requires a lot of offline efforts where you go all out to build conviction on any subject matter. You meet people and talk to them over coffee, in cubicle or cabin or in aisle. At times pool a van back home is also a good idea. Not once or twice but meet regularly, talk about your experience of customer meetings, your understanding of the market, and your idea of addressing available opportunity. Conviction are build when you talk opportunity at right opportunity. One cannot effort to leave everything to chance and start steps 1 2 3 in board rooms. It is always 9 10 and close in the board room.

If you are not getting social then you are not playing with a full deck. And who knows what you are missing on, may be an ace. And when do you think that people will start believing you or take you on face value? it's when you have an image of being accessible, acceptable and applicable. All these means lots of socializing, within company, within the delivery modules and within the market place. In the corporate jungle, Social animal services longer than any other know beast.

Start socializing before you extinct.