Today’s email → The Product Manager’s survival kit (part 1): Dispelling some myths • Why you should stop using product roadmaps and try the GIST Framework • Negotiation Skills for Product Managers: 5 Things You Need to Know • Optimizing for Luck • Advanced time management principles

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1️⃣ The Product Manager’s survival kit Part 1: Dispelling some myths
Jan 2023 • 10 min read • #culture #product
Valentin joined ManoMano only to find out that despite its renowned product culture, there were still a lot of issues to unpack… In order to get to the root cause, he started a year-long project to redefine what it means to be a PM in this specific company and wrote a series of article. I chose to share the first one for multiple reasons:
1/ It’s a good reminder that no company gets it right. If you feel like your company is chaotic compared to the ones featured in the links I publish here, remember that it’s usually not the whole truth.
2/ Among the many articles available, always prioritise the ones that share a behind-the-scene knowledge, the ones that start with why, and explain how they chose to address specific issues in their context.
3/ This first article already debunks some myths. My favorite: product management is not about user centricity.

(Disclaimer: he kindly shared his article with me + I worked at ManoMano from 2017 to 2019)

2️⃣ Why you should stop using product roadmaps and try the GIST Framework
Feb 2018 • 7 min read • #product #execution

GIST, the alternative to product roadmaps.

The author explains why he no longer uses product roadmaps (=it’s usually a waterfall process that enables its creation) and suggests the GIST Framework as an alternative. The GIST Framework consists of
- Goals: start with your OKRs and/or strategy. Focus on outcomes rather than solutions. For example: increase to 25% of key actions performed on the mobile app.
- Ideas: describe 1 to 3 hypothetical ways to achieve these goals. Possibly work on it with your stakeholders, as well as your squad. I’d advise not to keep ideas in a backlog (since it’d become ever growing quite fast).
- Step-projects are experiments that test the ideas and are no more than (~~10)~~ 6 weeks long (or even faster).
- Tasks are the individual steps that needs to be completed to finish the Step-projects.

3️⃣ Negotiation Skills for Product Managers: 5 Things You Need to Know
Jul 2017 • 16 min read • #communication #manageyourself
We negotiate all day, every day with everyone, and mastering the basics of principled negotiation can make a massive difference. Sorry, what principled negotiations? Beyond the usual winner-loser situation, this kind of negotiation focuses on a win-win solution. I recommend you to read this article as an alternative to the famous “Getting to yes” book. It’s a good introduction.

4️⃣ Optimizing for Luck
Mar 2022 • 6 min read • #manageyourself
A refreshing take that acknowledges how luck plays a big part in our work life, and what we should do in order to optimise for it. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of being a good person (= never a bad thing). More on this topic. Yep, it’s actually two links in one ;)

Alt Text — In addition to the forth link, open this other article

⏳ Advanced time management principles
Feb 2022 • 10 min read • #manageyourself #mustread
Most clicked link, shared one year ago in PM Snacks 55.
Imagine having the best 1:1 with you manager, who also happens to be a talented product expert. In a matter of minutes, he helps you cope with your perpetual source of stress i.e. “lack of time” and helps you unlock new superpowers. That’s exactly how it feels to read the gems that Shreyas Doshi shares in this thread. Here are some of my favorites, but you should read them all:

1/ You calendar is your to-do list. Plan accordingly: limit meetings by adding scheduled work blocks; at the end of the work-day, plan the next day by adding your tasks in the calendar (= forces prioritizing); at the end of the week, plan the next one (= go onto the week-end with a clear mind)

2/ Categorise your tasks for better prioritization: L (leverage x10), N (neutral x1), O (overhead <1x). Spend time & energy accordingly. Feeling low? Go for task in N or O. In the flow? Go for task in L. Running late? Go for task in L only.

3/ The more your scope grows, the more you should delegate. Radically. Go beyond the Eisenhower matrix. If you are a product leader, everything will be important & urgent. Use this matrix instead, to help your team grow.

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About → Productver.se is curated by Olivier Courtois (10y+ in product, co-founder of ⚡ uku.wtf, coach & advisor). Each issue features handpicked links to help you become a better product maker.

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🍀 Bust some myths and optimise for luck / PM…