My friend was fired.
He was a good product manager. But he did not know how to manage up.
I thought that product management consisted only of building products and talking to customers.
I was wrong.
Managing up could make or break a career.
After a decade in this industry, I learned 7 key lessons to manage up
Lesson 1 – Understand your manager
Understanding your users is the building stone for a great product, and understanding your manager is the building stone for a great relationship.
Early in my career, I worked on a feature that I was passionate about, but it didn’t align with my manager’s priorities. This caused a lot of friction between us.
I wanted to grow the product. so I prioritized our features based on the majority of our users.
My manager wanted to increase revenue. so he wanted me to focus on our power users because they bring in more revenue.
After a challenging review meeting, I asked about his KPIs and objectives, then I realized something. He was under the microscope from upper management. He was given an ultimatum either to bring in more revenue or reduce headcount.
He was trying to protect me.
After that meeting, I became more empathetic toward my manager, and I was able to orient the product bring in more money, and grow at the same time.
Lesson 2 -Effective Communication
Brevity is key.
I once sent a detailed report to a senior leader and got a one-line reply: ‘Too long, didn’t read.’ It was demotivating.
I discussed this with my friend who is Mackenzie’s consultant and he told me that giving presentations to senior managers is tricky, because they are constantly bombarded with crucial decisions that demand their attention
Then he mentioned an industry secret, which is called the pyramid principle.
I began structuring the information with my recommendation or conclusion in the beginning then followed by arguments.
This goes against what my middle school teacher taught me. She always stressed that I should show my work first and then bury my conclusion at the bottom of the page.
She used to give most of the grade on the work, not the answer.
but It is different in the real world where it is more results-oriented.
The pyramid principle transformed my communication and ensured my updates were read and appreciated.
Lesson 3 – Building Trust
Trust is earned by owning to our mistakes.
Warren Buffett begin his yearly shareholder letters by discussing the mistakes that he made in the previous year. the transparency to openly discuss his mistakes built great trust in Berkshire Hathaway.
In my third year as a product manager, I led a product that hit several roadblocks. By openly acknowledging these challenges and presenting revised timelines, I not only maintained trust but also received support from leadership.
I learned that owning up to and learning from your mistakes is a powerful trust-builder.
Lesson 4 – Being Proactive
My manager used to say ‘If you come to me with a problem and no possible solution, you are part of the problem”
You don’t need to have the right solution, but you need to do your homework. When you discuss the problem with your manager, tell him your proposed solutions and what data you used that led to your decision.
He either says that you are on the right track or he can adjust your course.
Another way to be proactive is to ask for Feedback
Ask about performance and how you can better support your superiors. This not only helps you improve. It also demonstrates your commitment to personal growth and the success of the product.
Lesson 5 – Clear Boundaries and Pushback
Pushback, when done right, can earn you respect.
In a scenario where a senior leader wanted us to pivot in a direction I knew was not viable, I asked him what is the client’s behavior that he wanted to change.
I was not challenging him for the sake of challenging I was legitimately curious, he struggled to come up with a strong answer, and then I presented data-backed arguments explaining why our current path was more beneficial to the company.
This rationale-based approach not only saved our product but also elevated my standing in the eyes of senior management.
Lesson 6 – Expectation Management
Once, I was assigned a product with unrealistic timelines.I raised it immediately, I informed my manager that I was not in a position to succeed and I presented my case.
By outlining clear deliverables and the trade-offs involved, I managed to negotiate a more reasonable timeline.
When I was asked to give a time estimate about something that I was not sure about, I did not jump to answer and over-commit.
My answer was either “It depends”, and I drill for clarifications, I know it is a very typical product manager answer, “or I would say, “I am not sure, let me discuss it with the team and get back to you”
I find that the more senior I get the more comfortable with saying I don’t know.
Always be clear about what’s achievable and what’s not. This transparency is key to managing expectations effectively.”
Lesson 7 – Tailor your communication style
Adapting to communication styles can be tricky but rewarding. I once had a manager who preferred face-to-face updates over emails.
I had another executive where he hated meetings and slides but he preferred to read a well-thought-out Word document.
He was happy to think over the document for a few days and provide feedback, but he never felt comfortable giving feedback on the spot.
Tailoring my communication style helped me gain more visibility and feedback. Observe and adapt to your manager’s style; it can significantly impact your interactions.”
These are my 7 lessons, managing up is a skill that can significantly impact your career trajectory in product management. It’s about understanding, communicating, and aligning with your superiors effectively.
Remember, it’s not just what you do, but how you connect and communicate your work that counts. Good luck out there, and keep building great products!
