LaShaun Williams

Yes, I do. We continue to tweak and refine it. The document serves as the single source of truth and artifact for each launch. Here's what in it:Strategy Product/feature/capability narrative: A short story that provides context into the why behind the release. Product/feature/capability overview: This is a snapshot of the what it is and why it's important. If you were giving a feature elevator pitch, this would be it. Who cares: The primary and secondary audiences in a "think, feel, do" framewor ...Read More

This is where tiering comes in handy. We adjust the depth and breadth of GTM plans based on the estimated impact of the launch. We also decouple product launches from product releases. For example, some small launches are bundled into a larger themed launch, which may happen after some of the features have been released. It's helpful to align on this approach and set expectations with your product management partners early on — they drive what is being built and PMM drives how and when it is com ...Read More

I segment communications into three audiences: Product management Project DRIs (Directly Responsible Individuals, typically marketing team members) Leadership Communication with product managers driving particular features or areas of the product occurs regularly, typically on a weekly basis. I use these meetings to remain aligned on positioning and messaging, accuracy in deliverable development, product/feature readiness, and timelines. I see this ongoing communication as foundational to the ot ...Read More

This is a great question.  In my overcommunication with leadership, I am very open about the skill levels of my directs, what I think they're currently capable of, and where I think they need improvement. While some failures are a result of non-performance, many help surface areas for improvement. That said, I am also very clear with leadership when I have given someone a stretch project or they're struggling in a certain area and there is the possibility of failure. This helps set expectations ...Read More

One of the most important outcomes of stakeholder management is getting buy-in, and that comes easiest when there's trust. Getting buy-in is absolutely critical to moving projects forward, and the first 90 days is a great time to lay strong foundations.  Here are the three actions I take very intentionally to build trust with my peers and cross-functional partners: 1. Ask questions and listen intently. The same way I approach different audiences with different positioning or messaging is the sam ...Read More

Tying your work to tangible outcomes, specifically those related to product growth and revenue, and socializing it has worked well for me. Here's my approach: Have a revenue-first mindset. Businesses exist to make money. One of the first questions I ask myself about any launch is "how can we leverage this to drive revenue?" Before getting strategic or tactical, I explore the different angles we could position or message the launch to drive revenue. Releases small, medium, and large have the pote ...Read More

Ask yourself what it really means to connect the product to the customer?  You'll see that it's more than the features you build and launch alongside your Product Management partners. Behind product execution is product strategy, behind product strategy is a product vision, and that vision is based on a story. Product Management and Product Marketing build that story together — deciding what part of the story they build and when (Product leads, Product Marketing supported) and how and when to in ...Read More

Engineering timelines change for a variety of reasons. It's just the nature of the work. To help manage the expectations and emotions of others working on the marketing timeline, I take this approach:  Communicate early, openly, and as often as possible. That way, folks don't feel out of the loop or in the dark, and they know you have respect for their time and effort.  Don't overcommit to to timelines. I approach and communicate them with the caveat that there is always the possibility for dela ...Read More