72: Proven Ways To Deliver Value Fast In Your New Product Management Job

The secret techniques to deliver value fast

What should you do when you first get started on a new product management job, or with a new product that you don’t know that much about? how can you start delivering value right away?

“The first 90 days”

There are tons of guides out there on “your first 90 days” in a new product management job. We even have one in this podcast’s archives.

But I’m talking about something else. Actually creating value for your company and your team, even when you don’t know anything. Even when you are months away from being a product expert.

It’s all about “product sense” and “beginner’s mind”

In this episode I share some ideas about how to deliver value fast when – especially when – you don’t know anything.

* Visualization – meaning, visualize processes that are happening in your product that no one fully understands. This happens a lot, especially across silos.* Be the user – when you don’t know anything, your naivete is one of your strongest tools to gain understanding. Putting yourself in your user’s shoes is often a lot easier when you aren’t an expert yet.* Make decisions – that’s your main job, anyway. And it’s what your team needs from you. As a product manager you’re always making decisions in a situation of uncertainty anyway. When you don’t know anything is just an extreme version of this!* Even when you become an expert, try to put yourself into a “beginner’s mind” state occasionally.

Links and resources

* Would you like personalized advice and guidance on how to apply the ideas in this episode? I’m happy to spend 1/2 hour with you on a Zoom call to talk about whatever challenge or problem you might be facing, with no obligation. Sign up for a free “taster” coaching session at https://alltheresponsibility.com/coaching.* My book, The Secret Product Manager Handbook, is full of great information and tools for product management you won’t find anywhere else.

Related podcast episodes and articles

Here are a few episodes related to delivering value fast that you might find useful.

* Guarantee Success In Your first 100 days As A Product Manager.* Overcoming the Curse of Knowledge In Market Discovery* Start With The Simplest Thing That Could Possibly Work

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