The leader presents a short (20-30 minute max) informative topic, open-ended

i i d h fl question or premise and opens the floor for expansion, comment, questions and

l di igeneral discussion. But first

› Who is our timer? Call out every 10 min.› Who is going to gather surveys?

What is the role of a product manager? Is there a chasm to cross? What phase is your company in?

Geoffrey A. Moore & Regis McKenna

The Early Market

The Mainstream Market

Innovative High-Tech Product ?

The CHASM

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Do the job of everyone except those already defined.

General Manager, Owner, CEO of the Product

Hub (Expert or Voice) of Market and User Knowledge

Detailed responsibilities differ BUT Most believe they

drive strategy for products. Therefore, strategic product

managers: › Understand market needs › Directing product activities to meet

needsSource: Michael Ray Hopkin, Lead on Purpose PM Blogger, UPMA Presidenthttp://leadonpurposeblog.com/2008/04/14/leadership-and-product-strategy/

Geoffrey A. Moore & Regis McKenna

The Early Market

The Mainstream Market

Innovative High-Tech Product ?

The CHASM

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ists

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tives

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N t ll l it i lt f th A Not small vs. large, it is culture of the company. Any company can be PM incompetent

There is a tension. It can be anywhere. Chasm can come from externalities. Chasms appear as pp

companies change. Size is just one variable. As the company figures out who they are, and move from

reactionary to proactive, chasms appear and disappear. Chasm is the difference between a Good PM and a Bad one Chasm is the difference between a Good PM and a Bad one. In a smaller company you know you are successful faster. Chasms appear when responsibility lines blur and disappear

when that becomes clear. Th ti l i i h i th t k PM The vertical axis is how serious the company takes PM.

Regardless of company, the understanding of the PM role is a key factor. And the evolution of that understanding is key to the PMs evolution.

What are phases in a companies evolution?› Knowing those phases can help a PM know

how cope, uhhh, compensate.Wh t th di h i What are the corresponding phases in product management

P h b tt ti i h t th PM › Perhaps a better question is what are the PM responsibility priorities as you cross the chasm?chasm?

The Seven Stages of Business Life› Seed: A thought or idea

St t Th id i d ti› Start-up: The idea in production› Growth: Expansion ideas competing for

resourcesresources› Established: Improvement, process maturity› Expansion: New markets & distribution

channels› Decline› Exit› Exit

© Adizes Institute LLC. http://www.adizes.com/corporate_lifecycle.html

© Adizes Institute LLC. http://www.adizes.com/corporate_lifecycle.html

A k l d t th t d th d t h Acknowledgment that you and others need to change. Get new skill sets.

Each person needs to understand their limitations, and either need to change or step aside.either need to change or step aside.

Plenty of PMs are migrating from other places (eng, support, marketing) but don’t focus on the PM craft.

You must know your methodologies both for the current h d l f th f t h company phase and also for the future phases so you can

help your company scale (and scale your influence also) PMs need to be domain experts of both technology and

human behaviorhuman behavior. Two challenges for startups and established PMs, finding

your market and then finding the product in the market.

Face reality…

Pragmatic Marketing Zealot Good to Great: Level 5 Crucial Conversations PM Manifesto PM Manifesto

Not everyone has the perfect company, the perfect boss, the perfect eTeam

“Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High”› www.vitalsmarts.com

Work on Me First› Choose What and If

M t M St i Di id F t f St› Master My Stories – Divide Fact from Story Master own anger, fear or pain, thoughts

Confront With Safety Confront With Safety› Mutually describe gap of what actually

happened and what expected to happenpp p pp› Listen carefully › Change view of consequences› Stay Focused and Flexible

F Focus› Leadership and self deception› Know what things are critical, know what shouldn’t be done. Let the

middle squeak and you will know which side of the fence it sits.C l b t F il R M Celebrate Failure, Ryan Money› Failures are opportunities for improvement› DON’T shoot the person who finds the failure› INTROSPECTIVE is a key attribute of PMs and evolutionary companies.

PMs Prioritize all the time. The cost of failure is the measure. Innovate around the items that have acceptable cost.› Thomas Edison had the fortitude and the cash flow to continue to fail

until he could succeed. C lti t i ti th PM th t i ti Cultivate innovation, then PM, manage that innovation

Innovators Dilemma As a PM you are asking for the bulls eye on your back. Live for it,

train for it, ,

PM is not well understood. PM is one of the most

interesting/important jobs “I believe that PM is one of the toughest, g

yet most rewarding jobs in the world…. Therefore I will do whatever it takes”

“Search others for their virtues, thyself for thy vices.” Benjamin Franklin › PM, Know thyself Know your strengths and weaknesses

i› Mutual Understanding Role(s) definition

Prioritization Prioritization› Mutual Willingness to Change› Regular and Often Review› Regular and Often Review

Was this session worth your time?yDo you feel more prepared to cross your chasms?Or did you just not feel comfortable voting with 2 feet?

It’s feedback time!