Product Management Toxic Asshole Engineers The Dude has read often how a brilliant asshole can be damaging to the team. The three standard deviations off the norm, super productive, guru, who writes the elegant, efficient code that makes
wisdom Executive Tours Leadership changes bring new executives, new strategy, and boatloads of uncertainty. When the new leader shows up, the old ingratiates themselves, and frankly embarrass themselves. Don't fall in this trap
lounge 3 Years of Ghost Three years on the Ghost platform, some observations, experiences, and gripes.
Product Management The miss Calls for product management to "do something" when bookings are light are common, but corrosive. Product management has few knobs with quick response.
Product Management A new one for the Dude Building a pipeline of talent with college grads is smart, but if you don't structure the department and leadership for success, you're gonna have a bad time.
Product Management Market Research If you pay for market research, and it confirms your suspicions, you might be deluded. Product Management needs to keep their eyes open
Product Management The Product Manager is NOT the Customer A common trap that many product managers fall into is assuming that they know what the customer wants and needs in the product. Don't do this.
Product Marketing Product Management Conversations - role scope Product management has historically been the landing spot for tasks un-done. While leadership recognized that this is less than ideal, they seem to implicitly be OK with it
business model Tesla Musings Tesla, the innovative electric car maker, has some nasty surprises in their business model, and may face pressure to flip to profitability to appease the financial markets. Regardless of the outcome, they have a solid place in history.
Product Management Product Management WTF Moments Product management, being core to the organization, and at the interstices of the functional groups is often the focal point for some serious whiskey-tango-foxtrot scenarios.
Product Management Dashboards Tools can be liberating, but product management should be wary to rely too heavily on business intelligence and reporting tools that mask the underlying data. Use, but use wisely.
Product Management Toxic Product Management Even with the massive body of product management knowledge, there remains pockets of toxic product managers, and they not only give the profession a bad name, they sow distrust in the organization
Product Management Business Development Whiplash The Business Development Manager is a role that is common, and commonly misunderstood, and misused. This inconsistency can drive a product manager to distraction
work The Future of Work part 2 The former construct of a career, where the worker and the employer, had a mutual bond, and implicit contract has stretched beyond the breaking point. The future is rushing at us, and how do we prepare for the new world order?
Product Management The 'pros' of Working for a Large Company Many Product Managers complain about life in big, well regimented corporations, where process can appear to drown you. However, there are some significant benefits that come with it
Product Management No Rest for the Wicked The new year looming, the Dude looks back, and to the future. The one constant is change, and the curse of being competent is being tagged for the difficult jobs
management Executive Fights One expects that senior executives would be rational, controlled, and aloof. Alas, they are human, and they can (and often do) melt down. It is both entertaining, and horrifying at the same time.
Product Management Warped Priorities Product Management is a powerful position in an organization, but it isn't without limits. Processes are documented and adopted for reasons that might seem obscure, but are important to the functioning of an org. Don't fight them.
lounge High Praise At times, the Dude struggles with his role. It is tough, demanding, and seemingly thankless. Recently he got a bit of welcome praise.
Product Management Hiring of Contract Product Managers Hiring contract product managers can be somewhat problematic, especially if you are in a competitive market. Don't delay!
Product Management Business Development - Musings The Business Development Manager, a role that should be a boon, is instead often a disruption (not the good kind either).
Product Management Skunkworks Woes In the innovation age, a common gambit is the "Skunkworks" to do truly special programs. Unfortunately, this often leads to Product Management chaos
Product Management Product Management Messes While it can't always be true, it does seem predominant that the state of the product when starting a new product management job is a mess. Thus the incoming product manager is in some ways the clean up hitter
lounge False Hopes If you are counting on a re-org to remove or reassign a leader who isn't cutting the mustard, you are in for a major disappointment
