Bad Executive Behavior
A cornucopia of poor behavior in the executive ranks from the Dude's past, a series of really bad things done by those in power. It is almost as if they are proto-sociopaths. Hmmmm.
Doing vs. Thinking
It is a rare product management position where one doesn't have some tactical load to deal with. The Dude prefers to maintain a balance, and leverage the tactical morass to build a network of influence within the organization, furthering their effectiveness
Shitty Jobs
The Dude sees plenty of shitty jobs and is thankful that he just has a lousy job. He could be cold calling for realtors, or contractors seeking jobs.
The power of "I don't know"
If you don't know something when asked, that is OK. Just admit it, and then work to rectify the situation. If you begin waffling and faking it, you will dig yourself into a deep hole, and damage your reputation. Just own it (and fix it)
Product Mistakes
Some common mistakes in the world of product management. Be on the lookout for these, and try to avoid them whenever possible
DEI Scare Tactics
The Dude gets tired of hearing all the negativity and antipathy towards DEI, I have always tried to practice it when I was and am hiring people for Product Manager positions.
On Productivity
Recently, Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Alphabet (aka "Google") said that worker productivity needed to improve. This led to a lot of incorrect thinking and expository discourse in the tech fora.
Tech Employment Thoughts
The tech industry is experiencing a major downturn, with layoffs and less lucrative career prospects for engineers and tech professionals. What this means is still being sussed out, but it is clear that the STEM/Tech engineer pipeline is under duress.
PM Tales: The Alcoholic
A prodigious alcoholic coworker rises to a high position while I remain a humble individual contributor, reflecting on my career choices.
Business Impact
One thing that really grinds the Dude's gears is the annual review process(es). Sometime in the early aughts, it became the custom for employees to "review"...
Product Management Joke(s)
The Doctor, The Lawyer, and The Product Manager A doctor, a lawyer and a product manager were discussing the relative merits of having a wife or a mistress....
Story Time: Executive Retreat
Back in winter of 2007/2008 I was invited to participate in an “Executive Retreat”. We had a new CEO, and this was one of his go-to practices to get a gauge...
Test Email
This is a test post. Please ignore... As someone who has long run his own websites, first with managed hosting, and now with VPS instantiations, I have...
‘Expert’ Networks
(From 2012) At the referral of a friend several years ago, I joined the GLG group to offer myself as an expert. I have a lot of knowledge of a lot of...
Three Excuses
You are sitting in your cube, listening to some kick ass tunes in your headphones, and an engineer drops in unannounced. He states “I need you to change spec...
Where it all went wrong…
Last week, I was chatting with a colleague, and I made an off the cuff comment that the day my life began to fall apart was the first day that I took a...
Skeevy as fuck – Uber recipe generator
Ever find yourself after a business trip trying to account for all the cash you spent on stuffing G-Strings? Or to pad your expenses for the IRS if you are a...
AI – Some thoughts
I have been sitting on the sidelines for the past year as the frenzy surrounding the ELE that is ChatGPT and its ever-growing coterie of clones and similar...
An oldie, but a goodie
More Funnies. Not sure where I harvested this, but every time I re-discover it, I get more than a couple chuckles, and remember to share it with a friend....
Back from the dead, rising like a Phoenix from the ashes
Last August (2023) I had made the difficult decision to retire the PM Dude as a web property. I had felt that it had run its course, and frankly the cat-and-...
80 / 20
80/20 rule in product development: 20% effort yields 80% completion, the remaining 20% requires 80% effort.
The Grim Reaper of Product
Overwhelmed Dude tackles EOL chaos and confronts stakeholders in an effort to retire outdated content.
What Problem are we Solving Anyway?
Transitioning to the Scaled Agile Framework to fix dysfunction in the development team seems like a square peg in a round hole.
Sage Advice - Ask what “success” looks like
How to avoid career pitfalls by asking what success looks like in a new role. You'll thank me later
Messed up Firings
How messed up firings and layoffs have shaped my experiences in corporate America.
Executive Churn
Revolving door of executive leadership and the chaos it brings to organizations.
Compensation Thoughts - from a life in Product Management
Product manager reminisces about a kick-ass comp plan tied to revenue, highlighting its impact on product performance.
The Facebook Whistle Blower - PM related thoughts
Facebook's ethical failures and the need for courageous product managers are highlighted by the Facebook whistleblower.
Product Manager Types: The Quiet Competent Sort
Meet the Competent Product Manager: Silent, efficient, and respected behind the scenes.
Replicable Business Models
Long-term success lies in building businesses that are difficult to replicate.
Product Manager Types: The Bull in a China Shop
In this edition, we delve into the characteristics of the "Bull in a China Shop" product manager, who is tone deaf, interrupts others, and refuses to listen or take responsibility for their actions.
First impressions
Leadership shakeup leads to unexpected reporting structure and uncertainty about understanding of team's roles.
Product Manager Types: The Dive Bomber
Product Manager Types: The Dive Bomber - A look at the procrastinating, disruptive habits of certain product managers.
Product Personas: The Starry Eyed Engineer
A pithy summary of this email could be: "Exploring the traits and challenges of engineers turned product managers."
Life as a Product Manager
Meetups for product managers, the myth of glamorous travel, and the frustration of answering basic questions take center stage.
Jira returns to my life
A reluctant embrace of Jira and the frustrations of agile development.
Consultants
How to effectively hire and utilize consultants in business for various needs: pricing analysis, rebranding, and UI design.
The end is neigh - perhaps
The downfall of Uber and Lyft and the impact of the app-based gig economy on drivers and customers is explored in this edition.
Purposeful Opacity
Building a secret direct channel creates data inconsistencies, limiting the ability to measure and understand product performance.
Sales and Bad Business
Sales dude wants a product, but it's a bad business move.
Reflections on 2020, and the Future
2020 was awful, from the pandemic to remote work, but the Dude persevered and now awaits the Covid vaccine.
Executive Fluffing
Executives have fluffers, just like in the pornography industry.
Problem Space - where Product Management lives
Product management jobs increasingly require computer science degrees, but product managers should focus on user needs, not just technology.
Toxicity - Work ethic
Work-Life Balance: Why Sacrificing Everything for Your Job Doesn't Guarantee Success.
OKRs - a management cop out?
OKRs: A management cop-out? Short-term focus, political career climbing, and neglecting legacy business.
What a Product Manager should focus on
Product managers need leaders who understand their role and provide the necessary support and protection, rather than those who lack experience or treat product management as a secondary function.
The Three Types of Product Managers
Product managers and their roles in external messaging are discussed, highlighting three types of product managers in terms of their effectiveness in writing and delivering external messages.
Why Are We Doing This?
Product managers often find themselves stuck with struggling or outdated products, forced to turn them around despite the challenges and resistance from executives and sales teams.
It’s as Simple as That…
Product Managers with Imposter Syndrome can learn that being responsive and delivering even bad news can make them valuable and trusted resources.
Sales Brain-power
A tech company's hiring policies are questioned after witnessing an employee struggle with a fax machine.