Melissa Lang

As an athlete and product manager, this message deeply resonates with me. In product management, it’s easy to get sidetracked by various priorities, like pleasing managers or stakeholders, or aiming for promotions. I appreciate Shreyas' point about how long-term career success lies in making the product win. The drive to win fosters a relentless pursuit of excellence and innovation. In my experience, whether in endurance sports or managing a product, the true competition is often with oneself. The drive to constantly improve and be better than yesterday is essential for reaching the full potential of both our genetics and new enabling technology.

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Let’s get real. In the tech world, we love our rockstar engineers and visionary product managers. But what about the unsung heroes who make sure the trains run on time? Enter: Technical Program Managers (TPMs). Here’s the deal—TPMs are the connective tissue in any tech org. Without them, your next big thing is just a pipe dream. Here’s why they matter: 1. Master Planners: TPMs are the strategists who see the big picture. They map out the journey from idea to execution, ensuring every cog in the machine is working towards the endgame. 2. Diplomatic Leaders: These folks are the UN of tech. TPMs navigate cross-functional teams, aligning everyone from engineering to product, and making sure egos don’t derail progress. 3. Execution Powerhouses: Think of them as project ninjas. TPMs oversee the whole process, managing timelines, resources, and risks. They get sh*t done. 4. Tech Savvy: A TPM isn’t just a project manager with a fancy title. They understand the tech stack and can speak geek. This lets them make smart decisions and steer the ship effectively. 5. Communication Gurus: Ever been left in the dark on a project? Not with a good TPM. They keep stakeholders in the loop, ensuring transparency and trust all the way. 6. Risk Avengers: TPMs spot risks from a mile away and crush them before they become a problem. It’s like having a crystal ball and a wrecking ball in one. 7. Efficiency Experts: These pros are all about optimizing. They refine processes and drive continuous improvement, making sure your team isn’t just working hard, but smart. Bottom line: TPMs are the unsung heroes who turn chaos into order and dreams into reality. Next time you see a project succeed, know there’s probably a badass TPM behind the curtain making it all happen. To all the TPMs out there: You’re the backbone of innovation. Keep rocking.

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“If there is no clear owner, then it’s the PM that owns it.” I sat down with Esteban Contreras from #ProductState to discuss Product leadership, or Prioritization process at Productboard. We also dug into the concept of Extreme Ownership, which is a principle I firmly believe in. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eVN47mWn #productmanagement #productexcellence #ownership

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Product Managers...When looking for the RIGHT ROLE....watch out for culture and toxic leadership. If you land in a role with a toxic culture, you come home stressed and overwhelmed....and may end up in the same place in 3 months. You can't show up as a rockstar if you are stressed out and overwhelmed. Even if it takes another month....spend the time to land the RIGHT JOB. When interviewing, make sure you don't see signs of:   * Micromanagement  * Glorifying Overworking * Expecting staff to be available 24/7  * Meetings that could have been an email * Unsympathetic Layoffs * Not disclosing salary ranges in job postings * Viewing Employment Gaps as red flags You've got this rockstars. #productmanagement #leadership

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Product leaders, have you started planning for 2025 yet? It might seem early, but if holiday decorations are already hitting the shelves, 2025 isn't far behind! 🗓 Q4 is when we at Prodify often see teams ramping up their planning and reaching out for additional product management support. Reflecting on recent conversations with prospects and clients, here’s what I’m hearing the most from teams about their 2025 needs: 🗣️ "How can AI fit into our strategy?" Teams are exploring how AI can accelerate the outcomes they’re aiming to deliver and where it fits into their strategic planning. 🗣️ "We need to revisit our vision and strategy." Many product leaders are reflecting on their vision and strategic plan to refine them based on new learnings, ensuring their teams have clear goals and plans when January arrives. 🗣️ "We need to get clearer on our goals." Clearly defining the business-critical outcomes and understanding how product KPIs align with these goals is top of mind for many leaders. 🗣️ "Prioritization is a challenge." With no shortage of ideas, the focus is on identifying which initiatives will have the highest impact on their goals. Teams are finalizing their Q4 priorities while planning for 2025. 🗣️ "How can we make our product operations more efficient with AI?" Determining how AI can support product operations to increase efficiency and free up time for strategic work is a growing need. 🗣️ "We’re aiming for a product-driven transformation." More companies are striving to operate as product-driven organizations, building based on broader customer needs rather than one-off sales requests. This transformation requires change management across product, executive, and stakeholder teams. 🗣️ "We’re figuring out our hiring strategy." Deciding the right level and timing for new hires to support 2025 goals and ensure the team is ready to hit the ground running is a common challenge. These conversations allow us to explore how teams can get the right product support—be it through coaching, fractional roles, hiring, or workshops—as they navigate their 2025 plans. Product leaders, what’s top of mind for you as you start to plan for 2025? 🚀

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