How do you manage people who don't necessarily report to you? This could be while giving feedback on a piece of work? Or getting them to prioritize the project you're running.

Watch my answer on Loom, or read the transcript below! There is a lot in this question, and I think it's necessary to unpack it a bit in order to respond to all of the threads. So really let's dive into this question of managing people that don't report to you. I think there's a lot in that word "manage", and we see a few of those connotations in the sub questions here around giving feedback on a piece of work or getting them to prioritize the product or project you're running. So in this first ...Read More

Scroll down for answers to the specifics you called out, but I'll start with a more general framework first:  I find that a lot of this starts with your own mindset and attitude towards the people you're working with. When you don't officially manage someone (and even if you do), I find that thinking of these relationships as partnerships is incredibly important. When you frame your working relationships as partnerships, you are more likely to approach the relationship with respect and trust.  B ...Read More

Providing feedback or managing the work of someone that doesn't report to you can be challenging, but ultimately doing that well is very similar to managing a direct report. You should: Build rapport: the person should trust that you are competent, that you understand what is important and why, and you'd only ask them to do things that are worth doing. You should care about them and not just come to them simply to "get things done for you." Ask them about their other projects and goals and share ...Read More

To manage people who don't report to you, the key is often persuasion and building good relationships. Since they have their own stuff to do, communicate the "why" behind your project and how it fits into the bigger picture, perhaps even how it might help them down the line. Your reputation among your peers matters a lot, so being helpful and reliable can make them more willing to prioritize your requests. Giving feedback on a piece of work -- consider why you're doing that. Do you want to help ...Read More

Vision -> Ownership -> Clear expectations -> Progress -> Feedback  It is very common for PM’s to lead initiatives where the members in the working group don’t report to them. My approach towards managing team members who do not directly report to me while ensuring that the initiatives stays on track and folks are motivated involves following steps: Compelling vision - Get the team excited by painting a compelling picture of the desired outcome and impact for the team members, users a ...Read More