Manage, lead or go home...

Something you really want to avoid as a Product Manager is becoming a co-ordinator. The PM sits at the centre of a product focused organisation and should conduct the orchestra, not co-ordinate it.

Signs you are becoming a co-ordinator:

• Product features sneak in from nowhere.
• You are fire-fighting, constantly.
• You're having lots of meetings that really don't help you.
• You don't get time to do 'your stuff.'
• People ask you questions about your product and you don't know the answer.
• You're not in love with your product.
• You're not spending enough time with the team who actually 'builds stuff.'
• You're waiting for someone else to make a decision.

How to stop co-ordinating and start conducting:

• Get some fresh ideas for your product.
• Cultivate informed opinions about the direction of your product.
• Focus on the product and your own productivity (this could mean saying NO more.)
• Grow some balls and be confident.

That's it, small point, but an important one. As always, agree? - dis-agree? Either way, I'd love to know...

Comments

[Henry Webster]

Hi Carl, I certainly recognise a few of those symptoms, and broadly agree with your thoughts. Fortunately I feel much more of a conductor than a coordinator these days, but it can still have its moments.

H

[Carl Knibbs]

Hi Henry, thanks for the post. I am glad to hear that you are conducting! (I do know what you mean about those moments too!)
Carl

[homeopathie]

Hello
I have just read your post and wanna say that many of people are going through this.You have given very true sings about co-ordinator.Thank you very much for sharing this with us.