Akshey Walia

Product management demands honed skills that are cultivated and refined over time. Many believe they can effortlessly navigate the realm of product management, but there's a chasm between mere participation and achieving tangible outcomes. Here are five pivotal skills for product managers who consistently deliver results: 🚀Insightful Data Interpretation: Transforming qualitative and quantitative data into actionable insights necessitates sharp critical thinking. 🚀Product Intuition: This amalgamates cognitive empathy, creativity, and domain proficiency. While nurturing creativity can pose a challenge, it's entirely attainable. 🚀Compelling Data-Driven Narratives: Mastering the art of persuasive storytelling with data, while ensuring factual accuracy, is a skill that can be developed with practice. 🚀Versatile Communication: The ability to communicate effectively across various mediums is crucial for successful product managers. 🚀Decisive Decision-Making: Product managers are constantly required to make informed decisions swiftly, utilizing available information to prevent team stagnation or inertia. What stands as the foremost growth opportunity in product management within your organization? And what about yours? #productmanagement #coachingproductmanagers #productleadership #producttakes ------ 🌍 Shubham Karnwal 🆘 0-1 Product Managers 🔔 Follow me for more content ♻️ Share is care

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Product Management : beyond influencing without authority, to leading without authority. Influencing without authority has long been the name of the game for PMs. As the industry moves (rightly so) towards a world with fewer managers and more individual contributors, ICs must continue to build their muscle on how to lead without authority. What does leading without authority look like for an IC PM? - Don't measure your worth only through execution. Execution is table stakes. Have strong views on the right thing to build, and the right way to build it. - Insert yourself in critical discussions. Ask for facetime with leaders, present your views. Leaders must learn to listen and embrace feedback/inputs from senior ICs. - Ask for help. For e.g. if some complex data pull needs to be done, make a case to the data team and push your request. DIY is ideal but don't be averse to asking for help. - Be vocal about where you see gaps. Sometimes gaps exist because nobody's thinking deeply enough. Thinking is the job of the PM. You should've thought through issues and experiences before it hits your customers. There's unmatched satisfaction in being an IC PM and building as opposed to endless meetings, but we need to give more agency to the IC leaders. This will also need ICs to not distance themselves from leading - leading is part of the job.

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Many times in my PM career, my teams were executing at full capacity, as per the aligned product startegy and also building backwards from customer needs found during user research convos. But the products failed to deliver the impact in first go and required few iterations to hit expected success metrics. Reflecting back, the success was not denied due to execution, but due to lack of understanding of all parameters which lead to success in any complex initiative. Navigating such complex situations requires understanding the issue and then communicating the same with others in team to create a shared understanding of what's wrong. In such cases Dr. Mary Lippitt's Model helps understand what's really happening in an initiative. The model essentially says, there are 5 inputs to manage any complex change and if any of the 5 inputs is missing the team will struggle. Go through the screenshot to identify individual scenarios and the corresponding team reality. Once you understand the parameter absent in your relevant context, fix it proactively to increase your odds of success. From experience, defining right “ Incentives” for teams with conflicting priorities is the toughest and "Vision" and "Skills" are most difficult to change in short term and hence Product Managers typically tweak the other 3 parameters to achieve success. #productmanagement

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Few truths on career success as a Product Manager: 1. Your career's growth is a function of impact you create 2. Your impact is a function of your competence  3. Your competence is a function of your knowledge and actions Hence in order to grow PMs need to consistently show high agency, do a lot of hard work and have a consistent learning routine for up-skilling. #productmanagement

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It is 2024 and I am yet to find any Product Management Certification in Indian landscape which gives good ROI. For instance spending 50k- 2 Lakh just for the Product managemt basics, case studies and "exposure" still does not make sense to me. It is all available Free today. I am looking for inputs or suggestions from people who have participated in such certifications who have gained value, feel free to comment and let me know your experience. DMs are also fine if you think you do not want to comment publicly. P.S: I am okay with the hate I get for writing this, I am a PM have too thick skin for all this. Sankalpa Sarkar (PSPO) Tannishk Sharma #productmanagement #aspiringpms #productmanagers

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Navi UPI has risen to claim the 5th spot in the UPI ecosystem, surpassing Amazon, marking a significant achievement! 🚀 Are you a fintech advertiser looking for the best ROI? We're building the Navi Ad platform tailored to meet your needs. If you specialize in co-branded credit cards, secured/unsecured lending, or other fintech solutions geared towards revenue growth, let's connect! Interested in accelerating your business growth? Feel free to reach out via DM or comments. Let's collaborate and drive your business to new heights together. 📈 #Advertising #Marketing #Collaboration #Traffic #MarketingOpportunities #Collaboration #AdTech #IndianFintech #AffiliateMarketing #DigitalMarketing #BusinessGrowth #PerformanceMarketing #AffiliateNetwork #MediaBuying #India

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Kya sachiv ji/ tech team man jaynge? Conflict Resolution for Product Managers 🕊️ Product Management is all about collaboration—working with cross-functional teams, balancing stakeholder expectations, and making tough decisions. But let's face it, conflicts are inevitable. Whether it's prioritization debates, misaligned goals, or differing opinions, how you handle conflicts can make or break a product's success. Here’s what has worked for me: 1️⃣ Listen Actively: Understand everyone’s perspective without interruptions. Many times, people just want to feel heard. 2️⃣ Align on the Goal: Remind the team of the bigger picture. What problem are we solving for the user? Reframing conflicts around the shared mission often helps. 3️⃣ Be Data-Driven: Whenever possible, let data do the talking. It's easier to agree on a direction when it’s backed by evidence rather than opinions. 4️⃣ Encourage Empathy: Step into each other’s shoes. Why does the developer think this is a blocker? Why does the designer feel strongly about this flow? Understanding motivations helps diffuse tensions. 5️⃣ Facilitate, Don’t Dictate: As a PM, you’re not the boss of anyone. Your job is to guide the conversation to a productive resolution—not impose your will. 6️⃣ Know When to Escalate: Sometimes, conflicts can’t be resolved at your level. Recognize when it’s time to bring in a higher authority. Remember, conflict is not inherently bad—it’s an opportunity to uncover blind spots and reach better decisions. What strategies have you used to handle conflicts as a PM? Let’s exchange insights! 🚀 #ProductManagement #ConflictResolution #Leadership

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🌟 Apparent Problem vs. Real Problem 🌟 Before product management was a buzzword, Ishaan Nandkishore Awasthi showed us the essence of solving real problems in the PM world. 🚀 Imagine a startup receiving negative feedback about their product’s usability. It's easy to assume a design flaw, right? But dig deeper, and you might find the real issue lies in inadequate user training or targeting the wrong audience. "The visible problem is often just a symptom of a larger, underlying issue." Consider this simple example: E-commerce Product Returns 📦 Apparent Problem: High rate of product returns. Assumed Solution: Improve product quality or descriptions. Real Issue: Customers are confused about sizing. Reframed Solution: Add a detailed sizing guide, customer reviews with size references, and augmented reality features to visualize product fit. Next time you encounter a problem, look beyond the surface. The real solution might be where you least expect it. #basicsofPM #productmanagement #problemsolving #UXDesign #CustomerExperience

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🌟 How to Be a Successful Product Manager in 2024 🌟 In the world of product management, the role of a product manager (PM) is crucial for a product's success. Often called the “CEO of a product,” a PM oversees every stage of a product’s journey, from the initial idea to its market launch. Did you know that the success of products like the iPhone or Netflix is largely due to skilled product management? Behind every groundbreaking product is a dedicated PM guiding it from start to finish. And let's face it, if product management were easy, it’d be called 'Product Vacation!' Here are some insights from Arun Singhal, former Director of Product Management at Google, on what it takes to thrive in this role: Arun also emphasizes the importance of metrics and data in product management, strategic thinking, and mastering trade-offs and prioritization. For anyone looking to excel in this field, continuous learning and adaptation are key. Here are a few tips to elevate your effectiveness as a product manager: Engage with Customers: Direct interaction provides invaluable insights. Understand Key Metrics: Keep key metrics at your fingertips. Develop Quick Presentation Skills: Create concise presentations on short notice. Maintain a Sense of Humor: A happy team is a productive team! How do you ensure successful product outcomes in your teams? Share your experiences and tips below! Let's discuss how we can all drive product success together. #ProductManagement #Leadership #Success #CareerGrowth #Teamwork Credits: https://lnkd.in/dyVUzcg7

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You might get into product management role as an APM or PM. But what next? How do you plan your career growth? How does a PM career ladder look like? Found this good PM career ladder used by Intercom for their #productmanagement folks. May not be relevant for every company but atleast will help you get some perspective. Do you find any similarities or differences?

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🔍 The Obsession with Product Management Titles-Are We Missing the Point? Product management-arguably one of the most misunderstood and glamorized roles in India’s corporate landscape. Everyone wants to be a product manager, but do Indian companies truly need product managers or are they just looking for product road map creators? Let’s break this down. Imagine two candidates: 1. Candidate A – 5 years of experience in sales, deeply understands customer behavior, knows what makes a product sell, and has a track record of influencing decisions across teams. 2. Candidate B – Held the title of Product Manager at a startup but primarily coordinated tasks and followed pre-defined roadmaps handed down by the leadership. Who’s more qualified? Most people would instinctively lean toward Candidate B simply because of the title, and that’s where the problem lies. Titles don’t build products. Transferable skills do. A real product manager is someone who: Thinks critically, prioritizes effectively, and connects dots others can’t. Empathizes with users and solves their problems, not just builds features. Aligns stakeholders and leads teams without formal authority. Yet, many hiring processes default to “who has held the title before?” instead of “who can actually own and drive the product?” 🚨 Lesson for Hiring Managers: Stop hiring road map executors and start hiring problem solvers. 🚨 Lesson for Candidates: Focus on highlighting your skills and impact, not just your title. Because at the end of the day, building a great product isn’t about what’s written on your business card—it’s about what’s inside your head. Are we ready to rethink how we evaluate talent? What’s your take? Share your thoughts below! ⬇️

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#ProductMusings: Facing Failure: A Product Manager's Challenge 🚀🤔 In product development, not every experiment goes as planned. Failed or inconclusive experiments can be discouraging, but they are crucial for growth. The key is understanding why an experiment didn't succeed—whether due to hypothesis errors, technical glitches, or market misalignment. 🤔 Here’s how to turn setbacks into opportunities: 🔹 Explore with Curiosity: When outcomes are unclear, dive into user feedback to uncover missed insights. For instance, after an A/B test doesn't provide clear results, teams might find value in identifying overlooked user pain points through feedback analysis. 🔹 Refine and Simplify: Use what you learn to tweak and improve the product. Some teams have discovered that simplifying features based on feedback can better meet user needs. 🔹 Transparent Communication: Share learnings openly to align the team and build trust. Regularly updating teams on experimental outcomes encourages a culture where failure is seen as a stepping stone to innovation. 🔹 Learning from Others: Study how other teams resolve setbacks. For example, after launching a new feature and receiving poor feedback, some teams have transformed critiques into enhancements, demonstrating effective iteration. 🔹 Record and Reflect: Keep track of what went wrong and what was learned to prevent future mistakes. This practice ensures valuable lessons aren't lost and guides future projects. Each failure is a chance to innovate! What lessons have you learned from a failed experiment? Share your thoughts👇💬 #ProductManagement #LearningFromFailure #Innovation #GrowthMindset

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Recently, while reflecting on concepts from Shravan Tickoo's cohort at Rethink Systems, one concept stood out: "𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭 𝐃𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬." For those unfamiliar, "Delighters" are unexpected elements that significantly enhance a product's competitive edge, creating a better #UX For instance, Swiggy offering free delivery post-India's World Cup win. 𝒀𝒆𝒔, 𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝑻20 𝑾𝑪 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒎𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔.! 😭 😭 That got me thinking, does Netflix releasing a popcorn line with Walmart classify as a delighter? At first glance, it seems like a clear yes—a smart marketing move that could pass as a brilliant delighter too. However, when applying 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝-𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠, the answer becomes more nuanced. Here’s why: 1. 𝐄𝐱𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥: By tapping into Walmart's vast market share, Netflix ensures extended brand recall. Imagine "you are grocery shopping on a Saturday afternoon and you spot Netflix-branded popcorn. Instantly, you're reminded of shows on your watchlist. Not only do you end up buying the popcorn, but eventually increase your watch time on Netflix." 2. 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐂𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐦𝐚 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞: Movies and popcorn are an all-time classic. Netflix's popcorn launch plays on this connection. It’s a brilliant way to say, "We provide state-of-the-art movies, so why not enjoy them with our branded popcorn too?" 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐞𝐧𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐬 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐱 𝐚𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐞, 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐎𝐓𝐓 𝐠𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬. 3. 𝐂𝐨𝐬𝐭-𝐂𝐮𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: With Netflix's massive advertising budget reaching billions, using these popcorn packets as ad boards could cut costs on their ad budget. Remember 𝐋𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐥 𝐌𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢'𝐬 and 𝐌𝐒 𝐃𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐢'𝐬 Ads on the Lays Packets? Netflix could just feature their upcoming shows here. 4. 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐀𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞: Leveraging Walmart's distribution network, Netflix aims to broaden its audience, possibly aligning with its newly launched budget-friendly subscription plans with ads. 𝐀𝐝𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐝𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐛𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐣𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐲. Oh, and did you know? 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐱 𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐢𝐜𝐞-𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧: "𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐱 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐥𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐁𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐉𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐲'𝐬" 𝐢𝐧 2020. And, it tanked haha. 📉 I think it is a smart move. Popcorn ties into Netflix cinema experience while ice cream arguably does not. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭'𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐱'𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲? 𝐋𝐞𝐭 𝐦𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬. P.S. I have started posting content 3x every week. Follow and engage if you find some value 😄

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PMing for a mature product with half a million+ MAU & 200+ enterprise customers, is a lot of responsibility. Any miss can impact the 6 Lakh daily rosters. I need to get it right and there is a very little room for error. Fortunately, MoveInSync enables this by keeping PMs grounded with product support while also ensuring PMs drive product adoption & innovation together with customers. This "back to basics" approach ensures only the right problems get solved. Akash Maheshwari Nitin Awasthi #B2BProductManagement #SaaS

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In spite of all the crazy abundance of literature on product management and the flood rush of self certified product gurus, all it takes is very basic questions and 99% of PMs cannot answer it. Some examples below - 1. Self certified consumer mobile products guru - ask him/her how do you make sure the app assets (images/icons) look good without any blurriness on all kinds of devices with all kinds of screen resolution? Eg. Android devices with all kinds of screen sizes and densities. 99% of them have never even considered that question. 😅 2. Ask a web apps product guy - What kind of work goes behind the scenes to ensure Multi language support. All they can talk about is translations and when asked how do you ensure translations for static vs dynamic content - 99% haven’t ever considered that question or even hilariously ask what exactly do you mean? Could you pls explain the question 😂 3. Ask a product design question - how would you improve a browser like Google Chrome? A reasonable candidate at best would be able to come up with some reasonable use cases for a regular end user (eg something on tab management, bookmarking etc) ***No one would ever consider other user personas - vectors that actually made Chrome popular to start with. Unclear?*** I am talking about segments such as developer segment - ***how to improve chrome dev tools for web developers Chrome as a marketplace for 3rd party developers - chrome extensions and their discovery. Business users - Chrome as practically an OS for business users.*** Why is this the case? See product management at its core requires true passion for solving problems (staying in problem space) and empathy for users but it also requires an innate drive to always peek behind the scenes. If your curiosity ends at the UI layer, I doubt you care enough about building world class products. Don’t be a wannabe. Follow me for high quality content https://lnkd.in/gHweK_q7 or https://lnkd.in/ggUKftFq My Channel - https://lnkd.in/gs6qnNUJ My Playbook - https://lnkd.in/gHzyN-Xc

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As a Product Manager, have you ever considered drawing inspiration from the Mahabharata; an ancient epic rich with characters with unique personalities and skills that can inform modern roles such as Product Management. Do you resonate with any particular character from the Mahabharata? Share your thoughts in the comments below Let's explore the fascinating world of the Mahabharata and discover how it can help us become better Product Managers. #productmanager #productmanagement

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Product managers face many roadblocks. Good News:  A leadership mindset can help. Here’s how to overcome them. ☑ Resistance to Change Actions to Overcome: - Identify key influencers. Address their concerns directly. - Show value through quick wins. Start with a pilot project. - Share success stories from other organizations. ☑ Myth: Product Management speeds up Development Actions to Overcome: - Communicate that it’s about understanding customer needs. - Use data to show the cost of building the wrong things. ☑ Lack of Resources and Investment Actions to Overcome: - Build a compelling business case.  - Use data to show benefits. - Start small. Use existing resources. - Partner with other departments. ☑ Skill and Knowledge Gaps Actions to Overcome: - Conduct a skills assessment.  - Prioritize training. - Create a comprehensive onboarding program. Address these roadblocks with a leadership mindset. Drive the adoption of best practices. Transform your product management. ♻️ Repost this and transform how you build products ✉ DM me: If you are a Linkedin creator in Singapore/ANZ. I am building a community of like minded folks.

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#ProductMusings - 🔧 Balancing Vision and Technical Feasibility in Product Management As product managers, we spend a considerable amount of time defining our 'Why' and 'What' while fleshing out our product vision, but we often forget about the 'How,' which involves the technical feasibility of building the product feature. How do we prioritize effectively amid such complexity? Sharing my thoughts on this: 🧩 Assess Complexity: Understand the technical effort for each feature. Example: Implementing AI-driven analytics is valuable but may require significant infrastructure. 🤝 Conduct Grooming Sessions: While fleshing out the product vision, conduct PRD grooming sessions to gather feedback from technical teams early in the process. ⚡ Prioritize Quick Wins: Maximize impact with minimal development time. Example: Enhancing UI can quickly boost user satisfaction. 🔄 Align Stakeholders: Clearly communicate technical constraints to manage expectations. Example: Regularly update stakeholders on tech limitations. In the world of software development, nothing is impossible, but balancing product vision with technical constraints or complexities is one of the key roles a Product Manager must solve. ❓ Your Thoughts? Share your insights below! #ProductManagement #TechnicalFeasibility #RoadmapStrategy #Leadership Image credit for laughs: Dilbert

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