It starts with the vision and the clarity of vision. - Jeff Weiner (LinkedIn)
A highly effective product manager is one - who goes beyond the To-Do lists and engages himself in obtaining clarity on various key aspects that are needed for completing the tasks on hand.
We are in the era of information overload - with a wide range of social apps and various other tools trying out new ways to get us hooked to their products with constant notifications and alerts.
In this context, it becomes very important for product leaders to determine - when they should consume and tackle the product challenges coming their way.
Following are some effective ways for Product Managers to manage their time, energy, and focus.
Clarity of the Product Vision:
Before we actually go and build successful products - we need to be sure that our product vision is successful in capturing the end goal. Generally, when we are in the product development journey - we focus majorly on metrics, execution and agile methodologies, and so on. What we want to achieve is the end goal and our vision statement should capture that goal clearly.
Before we actually go about creating the product vision, it is important that we step back to understand the actual need of the customers - who are in need of our product or solution. The product vision should be long-term and is focused on the customer - for whom we are building it.
Read more on the Core Principles of a Compelling Product Vision at the following link: Product Vision
Task Prioritization
As we progress in our product development journey, more and more tasks come our way. To be able to effectively handle the tasks on hand. It is important that we list down all our tasks - and look for ways to prioritize the level of importance. This is done by assessing the value of each task on the basis of importance and tackling them.
Apart from listing the tasks and tackling them - it is also important that we analyze the tasks at regular intervals. This way - we will be able to complete the tasks effectively.
Task Delegation & Management
As product leaders, our role is not just limited to seeing the products sail through from ideation to launch. In that aspect, Task Delegation & Task Management are two critical skills to nurture for a highly effective product manager.
As we progress in the product development journey, new tasks will keep coming up and product managers should make note of them and find ways to effectively delegate the tasks and also manage them. For this, it is important to know, when it is ideal to defer or delete a specific task.
Effective Communication
Efficient Product Leaders also need to ensure that we work collaboratively with the other team members by ensuring that they believe in the overall product vision and are motivated to support the product leaders in building, marketing, selling, and supporting the products.
For this, product leaders should be able to communicate effectively in both verbal and written forms. Having clarity in communication is very essential for any successful product.
Time Management
I believe Product Managers are mini CXOs - helping companies build products through design thinking and innovation. In that process, we may find ourselves overwhelmed with the number of tasks that come our way.
While we only have limited time on any given day to take on the tasks coming our way. We must put in efforts to prioritize our tasks and find ways to be more productive as we go along in our product management journey.
You can read more on the topic of Time Management at the following link: Time Management
How do you manage your energy as a product manager? What are some ways you are making your days more productive?
I am a product management professional based in Halifax, Canada and I write about technology, innovation, entrepreneurship, and business strategy. You can learn more about me at the following link: https://iamgrt.com
