Distilling 11 years of working as a remote Product Manager
Right now, most of you are thinking, “Oh, s@$#!” the world is melting down because Covid-19 is everywhere. Who knows when this will be over, will we have it under control in 3 months (I’m hoping so) or will it take longer? You can’t go into the office anymore or out to the customer site. I was actually on a customer site in Bulgaria when they issued their “lockdown” order sending everyone home - that was fun!
You are trying to work out how to get anything done and what it all means for you! I’ve worked remotely (UPDATE in the new terms, it turns out I have worked Hybrid for a long time) for a long time and thought it might be worth sharing my learning on how to make it work.
Advice to leaders
As a product leader, your team will be looking to you to lead them through this so here are a few thoughts that might help!
Build a foundation of trust - by this, I mean “trust your team”, there is no point having product people if you don’t trust them because they will spend a lot of their time away from you anyway. Don’t resort to counting hours, that is just measuring what doesn’t matter!
Embrace flexibility within a framework - make it clear what you expect from your team (that’s the framework) and then get out of the way! If you trust your team, that shouldn’t be hard, by the way! Some of your team might need to be juggling childcare and work more than ever, some might have vulnerable family members that they need to help or 100x other things. Give them the flexibility to deal with those and deliver what you need.
Seize the opportunity - get out there and talk to people (virtually, of course). We are all going through this together, talking to customers and users right now might be easier than ever because for many people things have slowed down. It will also help you better understand their needs in this new environment whilst building better relationships.
Remember the individuals - it can be tempting to put your head down and focus on planning and execution without considering individuals. Right now, your team need you more than ever as a leader. If you support them, you will build stronger relationships, and all come through stronger.
Focus on enabling - if you focus on the impediments to your team delivering, they have a much higher chance of being able to do it even in this environment. Simple things like, if they need a webcam just approve it, that way they can be more connected than just voice. It won’t be just technology barriers but they are probably the first ones that can be dealt with easily.
Advice to product managers
As a product manager, even though it seems like the world has stopped - it hasn’t - so here are some tips to help you deliver still in this environment.
Work at staying in touch - remember all of those human relationships that you take for granted when you go into an office? They all just became harder. People are typically more “business” and “transactional” in online meetings. Make time and space in your meetings for the chit-chat that helps us connect at a human level. Even if you aren’t feeling it yet some of your colleagues might be struggling without that connection.
Synchronize regularly - that’s a fancy way of saying stay in touch with each other. Share your status, share your plans and ask for help. I like to make this a team ritual like an agile stand-up but that is just one option.
Support each other - product managers are individual contributors, and often working on different things with little interdependence. This can mean that the “team” is really just a department. The more people collaborate and support each other, that team dynamic can be built, and that will help everyone feel more connected.
Routine provides a foundation - just because you can get up late or work into the late evening doesn’t mean you should. You likely had a routine around your work week - that one is out of the window. Build a new routine that works now - allowing you to work around new or changing commitments whilst not taking over.
Stay professional - it sounds simple, but there are basic things to do, like getting dressed. Don’t be the one that sits there in your PJs all day - it will affect your mindset. Try to stay on task during the times you are working
Get your mind in the right place - commuting to work helps us switch in and out of work mode. You might need to do something to simulate that. Maybe do some exercise, simply go for a walk, or play some music. But also don’t beat yourself up - you might slip sometimes - it’s okay - recognise it and get back on track.
Have a workspace - set aside a space to work, and keep it tidy. Set up your computer so that you are comfortable. Try to be away from distractions.
Prioritize the long term - you can’t fix everything now pick your battles and generally look to the long term.
Don’t forget, you are also a leader in the broader organisation, so you might want to consider the advice for leaders too!
A couple more thoughts
What else is there, a lot I’m sure, but these are my last thoughts for today.
Stuff happens, roll with it - this isn’t the first time, and it won’t be the last that something major happens. As a product person, you need to be resilient and learn to handle it and adapt.
Run some experiments - like any good product person, you should run some experiments to find out what works for you in your context. There is a lot of advice out there right now so listen to it and decide what you want to try.
What’s working for you?
Look after yourselves out there!
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