AMA: Cisco Director of Product Management, Reid Butler on Product Management Career Path

The transition from a Sr Product Manager role to a director level usually focuses on developing your strategic thinking, influencing others across the organization, and guiding larger portfolio decisions. In other words, you’ll need to grow from an execution-based mindset to that of one centered on longer-term vision, team leadership, and effective decision-making (at scale). In my experience, these are the key areas that one should focus on. Skill Sets to Develop: Strategic Vision & Storyte ...Read More

A super common question! Traditionally the term "product manager" can often mean different things depending on the size of the company, the product's stage, and sometimes the overall market segment. I often times bucket them into these core groups: Technical Product Managers (TPM):These PMs work closely with engineering teams on more technical products, thinks like API driven products where the end "customer" is technical in nature. For these roles, you will need a deeper level of technical expe ...Read More

Collaborating with Product Marketing is a key part of any product's success. In smaller teams/companies, that role can fall on to the Product Manager directly, whereas at bigger organizations that is a more dedicated role. I am fortunate now at Cisco to have access to some of the best product marketing resources in the business. The work that we do together from product strategy, execution planning, and external marketing helps ensure our business objectives are met and made visible within our s ...Read More

Not sure I would call them hacks, but I have various things I do to manage both my workload, product execution and overall team management. ToDo List Goes without saying. Be organized and find a system that works for you. Pen and paper? Go for it. Trello board? Do it. Adoption Notion? Fire away. For me, it's been about finding what system works for me and being relentless with it. My memory is generally solid, but our roles as PMs mean we shift a lot ,and keeping track of things is the only way ...Read More

When you’re working at an early-stage startup, I know it can feel like every conversation, Slack message, or email thread throws another item on your plate. It’s totally normal to feel overwhelmed because there is always more work than can be done by a PM. To help manage this, here are a few strategies and tips I use: Define Clear Priorities and Communicate Them:Define the priorities for you and your team in terms of areas of focus. What are the most important things that will have the biggest i ...Read More

This one is fairly easy, add value. We as Product Managers need to ensure that we are adding value for our organization by understanding the market (and our customers) and guiding the strategy to be successful in that market. It's easy to be a product expert, but we need to focus on being market and strategy experts. In my career, some key examples of adding value are: Knowing My Market Better Than Anybody Else.When I am the expert on what our market needs, both short and long-term, I add signif ...Read More

Of course they do! It's always a balance between those two sides. Mixing personal contributions with coaching other product managers can create tension if you’re not mindful. Setting clear boundaries around your schedule, defining what success looks like for both you and your team, and communicating these goals openly helps manage these two aspects. Things to Think About Dedicated Coaching Time:I try and dedicate time each week to ensure my team is getting what they need and that I am providing ...Read More

In my mind, it's not an either-or. By growing existing talent, you retain organizational knowledge and build a shared culture, while bringing in external hires inject fresh perspectives and sometimes specialized skills lacking within a PM team. When I am looking at my team structure and needs, I often consider the following: Things to Consider: Internal Development Programs:Promote from within by offering training, mentorship, and rotational programs that broaden your team's exposure. This appro ...Read More