AMA: Flexera Vice President Of Product Management, Sacha Dawes on Product Management Skills

As one who has switched back and forth between product management and product marketing, I thank you for your question! The first question I would ask you is why you wish to change to product management.  Eight years in the same function is a significant investment in time, and so what is it that is driving you to go to product management? Once you have your why, resistance to your taking on a product management role is likely coming from that time you’ve spent in role to date.  While I have no ...Read More

Firstly, thank you for your question, and it’s one that I believe any aspiring or seasoned product manager should be asking.  The fact is that regardless of your domain, both business and technical landscapes continue to change, and as a product management leader I try to stay at the forefront of changes. In terms of where to look, it really comes down to where you are in your career, and what you’re looking to get out of the training.  Also, remember that not all training needs to be classroom- ...Read More

It's crucial to ensure you’ve identified and engaged with stakeholders (including your own engineering team) correctly, to mitigate the risk of damaging relationships. Here are some common mistakes I’ve seen that can create friction with your stakeholders: Failure to have a clear vision or strategy.  Understanding the destination and how you’re going to get there is key to prioritizing your roadmap and helping explain why behind those priorities. Poor Communication. A lack of communication is as ...Read More

Thank you for your question.  To start, it’s important to note that product management and project management are distinct roles with different focuses and responsibilities, where: Product Management is typically about creating and enhancing a product that addresses customer problems in a way that the customer is willing to pay for that solution. Project Management is typically focused on delivering specific projects against constraints that can include scope, a fixed timeline and budget. There ...Read More

Thank you for your question.  A lot of this comes down to the expectation of your organization for your role, but at a high level, product management roles can be seen to consist of three main areas of focus: strategic (e.g., determining how you will win in the market and the path to get there), operational (e.g., the processes and determination of how you will execute to meet current goals and achieve strategic plans), and tactical (e.g., doing discovery and writing requirements to build produc ...Read More

This can be a challenging situation, which may have come about for several reasons such as where the organization may not value or understand the role of product management or may have had a previous experience that shifted the focus of the function to be more execution oriented. Here are some approaches that you might try: Clarify your role, responsibilities and goals.  Ideally you should meet with your manager at least once per week, and you can use this time to discuss your job description an ...Read More

If anyone has gotten close to a complete list of must-have items for product leaders it is Amazon with their Leadership Principles (see https://www.aboutamazon.com/about-us/leadership-principles).  These represent a list of 16 principles that cover a wide area of areas including communication, strategic thinking, data analysis, research, organizational management, and more. Any product leader (or product management professional) will find it challenging to be successful at all those principles, ...Read More

Firstly, I’m sorry to hear about your recent layoff and hope that you are finding or will soon find some great opportunities.  That said, a huge kudos to you for looking to keep your skills up to date, which will show any prospective employer your dedication to product management, while also benefiting you in the long run. When it comes to AI/ML, there are a wide and growing number of resources available to you. It’s still a very new space, and so my guidance here would apply both to you and oth ...Read More