Slides Tauheed Ahmed recently used in his discussion w/ mentees of The Product Mentor. Synopsis: Empathy is an indispensable skill that product managers can utilize to get deeper understanding of user needs, gain better alignment among stakeholders and build high performing teams by cultivating a culture of collaboration and respect. The Product Mentor is a program designed to pair Product Mentors and Mentees from around the World, across all industries, from start-up to enterprise, guided by the fundamental goals…Better Decisions. Better Products. Better Product People. Throughout the program, each mentor leads a conversation in an area of their expertise that is live streamed and available to both mentee and the broader product community. http://TheProductMentor.com

1. The Superpower
Tauheed Ahmed
Digital Product Leader | Mentor
thatsetsapart
Highly Effective
Product Managers from the rest

2. ● Product managers need superpower
● The power that makes you super-PM
● What is really means
● When and how to apply it
● Cheat sheet
The Plot

3. Product managers need superpower

4. Product Managers are expected to be
Multi-disciplinary

5. Product Managers wear
Many Hats

6. Product Managers have to say NO … a lot!

7. Awesome
PM

8. but unfortunately...
You Wish!

9. Dan Olsen

11. then ...
How do you lead cross-functional teams to build
amazing products when you have no formal authority?

13. But they got superpowers...

14. Produce force
fields and turn
invisible
Just
Incredible!
Super
fast
Grow and
shrink to
any size
Shape
shifter
PMs could REALLY use these powers but...

15. ?
What can make you Super-PM?

16. High Empathy
Product Manager’s
Superpower
Em

17. Empathy...what it really means

23. Applying Empathy

24. Applying Empathy
To Win Customers

25. Empathy Map
Helps to understand
the ‘why’ behind users
needs and actions

26. But that’s Not Enough…
Just having customer empathy
doesn’t guarantee product success

27. “Building products that customers love is possible only through a
carefully coordinated and synchronized play among all stakeholders”
Product Management is a Team Sport

28. Product managers can achieve that ‘coordinated
and synchronized play’ by Practicing empathy.
...as it allows them to cultivate a support network
that’s indispensable to launching amazing
products.

29. The most effective PMs have the most effective
support network.
● Their managers trust, support, back them and are
invested in their success
● Their stakeholders and colleagues have faith in
them, equally care about each others success and
collaborate towards achieving a common goal
Remember...

30. PM have to first EARN that trust and support.
And the best way to earn it is by applying
empathy at every interaction in your PM journey.

31. Applying Empathy

32. Applying Empathy
To Get Hired

33. ● Empathize with the recruiter (needs, pain points)
● You are the “Product” and the recruiter is your
main “Customer”
● What features is the recruiter looking for in the
product/you?
● How do I present myself in a resume?
You = ‘Product’ ; Recruiter = ‘Customer’

34. Now What?

35. Applying Empathy
To Make Good First Impressions

36. ● Acknowledge - you probably know the least
● Don’t rush to judgement, listen first.
● Ask questions, show your willingness to learn
● Provide value within the existing working model
● If you see opportunities to improve, don’t rush, do it
gradually
● Before proposing a new way of working, make them
see how/why it’s better

37. Applying Empathy
To Manage Stakeholders

38. Managing Manager
● Understand what your manager
needs from you to succeed in
his/her role
● Don’t wait for directions,
proactively anticipate the need
and act
● Comunicate (status update) at
regular intervals, even when not
asked for
● Proactively address
disagreements.

39. Software Developers
● Knows the best technology to use
● Knows the best way to architect
the solution
● Knows the best programming
language to use
So
● PM decides what to build, not how
to build
● Take a programming class

40. Designers (UX)
● Skills most overlap
with PMs
● Creative process,
sometimes lack
structure
So
● Allow room for
creative exploration
● Take a UX design
class
PM DESIGNER

41. Marketing Manager
● Amazing product without a good GTM
strategy always fails
● Agree on ownership and product goal
● Rely on PMM to understand effective
marketing strategy, then tweak the
product as necessary
● Rely on their expertise to ‘sell’ and
‘communicate’

42. Apply the same thought process in dealing
with all stakeholders

43. Cheat Sheet

44. Scenario Empathetic product manager’s approach
Customer
development
Empathize with the target personas. Understand their needs,
wants and frustrations to identify the gap that your product can
solve.
Looking for a
PM job
Understand the recruiter and the hiring manager’s needs and
pain points in hiring. Be thoughtful while creating your resume
and cover letters to cater to their specific need. Highlight your
experiences and skill that’s most relevant to the job posting.
Anticipate their questions and concerns and be proactive in
addressing them.
When new to
the job
Don’t rush to judgement. Listen first. Understand why things are
the way they are, before suggesting improvements. Show
willingness to learn and ask questions. Over communicate.
Empathy Cheat Sheet for Product Managers - 1

45. Scenario Empathetic product manager’s approach
Working
with
engineers
Understand the ownerships and boundaries. Engineers own the final
decision on implementation (architecture, infrastructure, language
etc)...how to build. PMs own and dictate the functional requirements
and overall direction of the product...what to build and why. Build
empathy by learning about the development process.
Working
with
designers
The role with the most overlap (UX specially), so agree on ownerships
and working model early on. Allow designers autonomy/space needed
for creative thinking. Collaborate on most decisions and use data to
resolve disagreements. Learn about the design process.
Working
with
marketing
Understand the criticality of a GTM strategy and marketing campaigns
and partner with PMMs to define product goal and KPIs early on.
Develop your own knowledge on marketing/selling tactics, so your
products decisions are informed by them.
Empathy Cheat Sheet for Product Managers - 2

46. So go…
and Be Empathetic