man, not the 'product man,' is a political animal

Office politics are terrible for your product.

Product managers must try an operate under the radar of politics. Politics don't make good product decisions, instead they distort the clarity of your product vision and can massively impact the successful development of your product. (If you let them.)

So, how does the product manager ride the wave of office politics and arrive on the shore, nice and dry? Here's a few points from me: (but I'd love to know your take on this subject!)

• Openness is key. By keeping the product an open book you avoid controversy, and by default, 'some' politics.
• Keep your product strategy focused on the customer and commercial sense. Always.
• Shield the product team. As a rule, politics are extremely confusing and de-motivating for development teams.
• Be prepared and accepting of politics, but, don't prepare your product for politics.
• Develop a thick skin, remember products (and you) are judged on success - nothing else.
• Smile. Politics is meaningless and intrinsic in life. Don't let them get you down.

As I mentioned, I'd love to know how you view and deal with balancing the product and politics? (I am sure we could all use the help!)

Comments

[josh duncan]

Carl,

Unfortunately, politics is something that a product manager can't avoid and depending on the company, may have to be very skilled in managing.

Staying out of the fray is always good advice but there are going to be sometimes when it is unavoidable. Staying open and having a thick skin will help, but also being aware of what is going on is critical to help avoid stepping on a landmine.

Thanks for the post,

Josh

[Chris Cummings]

Great list! In my experience, openness can be tricky. There are some issues that you just can't be (or shouldn't be) completely transparent about because the raw facts don't tell the story, and having access to the data and understanding the data are two different things. What I aim for is a shared understanding of where we are and where we're going, so hopefully people understand the decision even if they don't agree with it.

- Chris

[Carl Knibbs]

Thanks Josh,
I think your point about staying aware of what is going on is a key one I missed. You are right. Sometimes, you have to play the game don't you...?
Carl

[Carl Knibbs]

Thanks Chris. I think you are right there also. Another thing that can create problems of understanding is interpreting data/information in different ways and actually drawing differing conclusions. The pm needs to steer this, ideally. There's no doubt that achieving shared understanding is a skill itself, and a time consuming one on the part of the pm. Great point! Carl

[maigrir vite]

One thing i would like to say about politics is that politics is everywhere. You just ignore the political game.
You should do your own work. One day will come when you will become the politician then start playing games with your manager.

[Carl Knibbs]

'You should do your own work' - definitely agree with this, thanks for your comment! Carl

[neil]

Hi,
Yes,You are right.The man is more attracted to politics than product.The advices for the product managers are necessary to avoid bad impact on product.

regime hyperproteine

[wii spiele]

I hate politics! it is boring and puts me to sleep. i am very anti-politics, and consider myself independent because I never cared for republicans or democrats. which ever side it is, it is filled with greed and corruptions, of lonely people who need a club to rant of their stupid views together against the other group that they oppose. gives people with no life something to do and argue about to keep busy of their pathetic time and lives.

[Carl]

Thanks Neill and wii! - product before politics, I like that!