Understand Product Structured Thinking

Being a product manager (PM) is kinda tricky. You know, unlike CEOs, PMs don't have that direct authority. They can't just say, "Do this!" and expect it to happen. Instead, they gotta influence and persuade people. Imagine you're on a hike, trying to get everyone to follow your lead without actually being in charge. It's hard, especially when people don't listen.

For instance, a friend of mine, who's a PM, once shared his frustration during a hike. Senior engineers weren't listening to him. This is a classic problem PMs face—getting experienced team members to follow their lead without any real power. Trying to impose authority just doesn't work. Stakeholders will push back if they feel disrespected or not convinced.

Building Relationships

Influencing without authority is super important for PMs. They gotta make sure the product is a success, even though they don't have direct power over the people working on it. You need to work with senior management, design, marketing, engineering, and sales teams. All these groups have their own priorities. Aligning them towards a common goal needs some serious influencing skills.

Now, this part is tricky. When you're new, leading and coordinating without established authority is tough. You have to convince people to follow your vision, and that means navigating complex interpersonal dynamics. This requires a lot of soft skills. You can't just learn this stuff from a book; it takes experience and a deep understanding of human behavior.

A practical tip for new PMs is to build relationships and trust with your team. Engage with stakeholders, understand their needs and priorities, and respect their expertise. Present data and evidence to support your ideas. Show them the value and potential impact. This approach helps gain their buy-in and support.

Data-Driven Influence

Data provides objective evidence to support your ideas and decisions, making it easier to persuade others. When you present clear, data-driven insights, stakeholders are more likely to see the value in your proposals and support them. This complements the relationship-building efforts by adding a layer of credibility and logic to your influence.

In one situation, I needed to convince a team to prioritize a feature that wasn’t initially on their radar. By gathering user data and demonstrating a clear demand and potential impact, I was able to show the importance of the feature. The data provided an objective basis for my argument, making it easier for the team to see the value and prioritize the feature accordingly.

Product mindset Thinking

Product mindset includes structured thinking is about breaking down complex problems into smaller, manageable parts. It involves understanding the product’s vision, goals, and user needs, then systematically addressing each aspect to ensure a coherent strategy. It’s like putting together a puzzle, where each piece fits into the bigger picture, ensuring alignment and clarity in the product development process. This approach helps in making informed decisions, prioritizing features, and effectively communicating with stakeholders.

Product structured thinking means organizing complex challenges into smaller, manageable parts. This approach can help PMs lead without authority by providing a clear and logical framework for decision-making. By understanding the product’s vision, goals, and user needs, PMs can effectively communicate their ideas and strategies to the team. This clarity and systematic approach make it easier to align diverse stakeholders towards a common goal, gaining their support and trust without needing direct authority. It helps in demonstrating the value and impact of proposed actions, making it easier to persuade and influence others.

Final words

Leading without authority is a critical skill for any product manager. It's about influencing and persuading rather than commanding. By building strong relationships, using data effectively, and employing product structured thinking, PMs can guide their teams toward success. Understanding and aligning with the perspectives of different stakeholders, creating trust through personal connections, and supporting arguments with objective data are essential strategies.