Product Voices

In product management, we are on a constant learning journey. We are never really “done”. We’ve never learned everything there is. We never become absolutely perfect at a skill or mindset. There is always something to improve upon. And that can be quite tiring and frankly even difficult for our mental health.

This episode is about that continuous learning path of the product manager and the toll it can take on mental health. JJ Rorie is joined by Tiffany Chang, who leads a Product Management team at a B2B supply chain startup based in Toronto, Canada.

Tiffany shares her journey into product management, how she realized the constant learning journey can be fun but difficult, and ways she has learned to navigate the role and her well-being.  It's an inspirational and honest account of the highs and lows of the role.

Learn more at ProductVoices.com.

Product management is a career where we constantly learn and evolve, which isn’t always easy. We often must get out of our comfort zone to learn new things and build new skills.

In this episode, Mudassir Mustafa, co-founder of Capabl, shares his journey into product management - from working on oil rigs to constructing commercial buildings to working in tech and product. It is an inspirational story of perseverance and pushing through comfort zones to build a fulfilling career.

Learn more at ProductVoices.com and MudassirMustafa.com.

What do all great product managers have in common, regardless of industry, type of product, or company environment? 

In this episode, we discuss the 5 immutable truths of great product managers. 
 

1. They have exceptionally high customer intelligence.
2. They are experts at building relationships.
3. They are master communicators.
4. They have uncommonly good judgment.
5. They are fanatical about prioritizing their time.

While these are not the only skills a product manager needs, they form the foundation from which to pull in order to navigate the chaotic and rewarding world of product management.

Learn more at GreatProductManagement.com or ProductVoices.com.

These immutable truths are discussed in detail in JJ Rorie's book IMMUTABLE, which can be purchased at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop, or other major online book retailers.

Relationships in product management are bedrock to success. Some product managers find it easy to build relationships with peers but have a difficult time bridging these important connections with senior leaders. It may be an intimidation factor, or just simply not around them as much. But relationships with these folks are so important. And so product managers really must find ways to foster real connections with the leaders in the organization who have an impact on their products.

On this episode, Paul Ortchanian, founder and CEO of Bain Public, a product leadership firm, joins to speak about how product managers can best bridge that gap between themselves - and the product team - and senior leadership. He shares tips and resources on ways PMs can get out of their comfort zone and build real rapport with important leaders around the organization.

Learn more at ProductVoices.com and find some of the resources mentioned in the episode at https://blog.bainpublic.com/.

In this episode, Chad McAllister, PhD, founder of Product Mastery Now and host of the popular Product Mastery Now podcast (formerly known as The Everyday Innovator) joins to discuss common challenges he sees in product management and ways to overcome these challenges. 

We discuss:

• Not spending enough time with customers
• Focusing on the solution more than the customer problem
• A lack of understanding of the organization's strategy

To learn more, visit ProductVoices.com. You can find information on more challenges in product management in Chad's 10 Changes Product Teams Should Make Now to Consistently Launch Products Customers Love.

Remote work is commonplace in product management and will continue to be for most organizations. As companies and employees navigate what work arrangements will be most optimal for all, there are some things we are learning about how to succeed in remote first and hybrid environments.

Joao Craveiro (Cravvie), staff product manager at Remote, joins JJ to share his insights on various flavors of remote work and ways product teams can succeed across all flavors.

You can learn more at ProductVoices.com and connect with Cravvie on his website jcraveiro.com.

Product Managers without non-technical background often have a lack of confidence in their abilities, thinking technical knowledge is imperative for the PM role. That is not necessarily true, even with technical product likes data or machine learning (ML). 

On this episode, Raj Muhar, Director of Product at Innovid, shares how she navigated her product management career in a technical field without a technical background.

We discuss the day in the life of a data / ML PM, advice for those wanting to get into this product area, and resources to help with the learning journey.

Good communication is such a bedrock of everything we do in product management, from our relationships with our internal stakeholders to our customer communications, our go to market strategy, everything is impacted by communication. 

This episode is all about communication and what that means for us in product management. Nils Davis, author of The Secret Product Manager  Handbook, host of Secrets of Product Management podcast, and senior product manager at TriNet, shares insights and tips on how to weave stories into your world to persuade and influence others. 

Learn more at ProductVoices.com or connect with Nils at AlltheResponsibility.com.

There seems to be a connection between the skills and mindset it takes to be an entrepreneur and a product manager. In this episode, Raena Akin-Deko, Founder and CEO of Verve Strategy, discusses ways that product managers and entrepreneurs can learn from each other and leverage similar skills to be successful.

John Fontenot, author of Never Assume: Ten Fatal Assumptions Great Product Managers Never Make, shares insights from his new book and provides listeners with tips to avoid common assumptions in product management.

This is part two of a two-part episode.