Product Thinking Dear Melissa - Answering Questions About Growing as a Product Manager
May 19, 2021
In this engaging segment, Melissa tackles valuable questions from aspiring product managers. She shares insights on managing teams with unfamiliar disciplines and offers strategies for setting effective 30-60-90 day goals in a mature startup. The discussion also covers evaluating career transitions post-product management, highlighting options like COO roles and consulting. Melissa emphasizes the importance of aligning personal passions with career paths, guiding listeners on how to navigate their unique journeys.
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Define Clear Career Ladders
- Build competency matrices and career ladders by consulting engineers and designers about levels and expectations.
- Use those ladders to judge success, guide promotions, and design growth paths for each discipline.
Hire For Specific Skills
- Hire for discipline-specific specialties rather than generic roles; match designers and engineers to your product needs.
- Decide if you need UX, visual, front-end, back-end, or an architect and hire accordingly.
Structure 30–60–90 Around Learning And Wins
- In your first 30 days, prioritize quick wins and stakeholder mapping to build credibility and context.
- Use 60–90 days to gather data, propose strategy, and iterate roadmap drafts with stakeholders.