Trying to Product Trying to Product

Debunking myths around Product Management
Being a PM comes with a horde of challenges, but explaining what makes a PM great with respect to myths is even harder. What does the role not revolve around given there is no PM school? 
In today's episode, Parv and Alex debunk some common and uncommon product management myths you are likely to come across. Skewed by both skills and experience, the two burst out myths that you may be wise to consider.
Join Parv Alex as they chat about:
As a PM you're the CEO of the products [1:16]Being a PM is dissimilar across different companies [5:20]Overlapping responsibility between a PM and UX [11:23]Project Vs product management [15:53]As a PM all you do is write requirements [20:10]PMs need specific certifications [24:27]You need PM experience to be a PM [29:04]As a PM you're only building what customers want
… and so much more! 
To Connect with Parv:
Twitter:https://twitter.com/ParvSondhi  
LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/parvsondhi/ 

To Connect with Alex:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/alexcox245  
Email: alex@alexcreates.me

Failure as a Product Manager
Failure is inevitable and is part of the process of being a product manager and it isn't fatal, but the failure to change might be. In fact, there's more to learn from failure.
In today's episode, Parv and Alex straighten out on failures as a product manager. Tune in as the two savvy product managers share insightful reflections, show you how to internalize learnings, recover from failure in style and use them as building blocks for your next project.
Join Parv and Alex as they chat about:
What constitutes a failure to them as product manager [1:39]Micro and macro failures as a product manager [4:50]Some of the major reasons why a product manager is likely to fail [7:20]Valuable approaches and strategies to handling failure [22:56]Pulling away from the tendency to focus more on the solution rather than the actual underlying problem How to bounce back highly and from failure [30:10]
… and so much more! 
To Connect with Parv:
Twitter:https://twitter.com/ParvSondhi 
LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/parvsondhi/ 
To Connect with Alex:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/alexcox245 
Email: alex@alexcreates.me
Quotes:
But examine what went wrong. Was it a wrong assumption? Was it the wrong problem you're focusing on? Was it just that different sorts of stakeholders needed more alignment? Just take that chance for the moment to dive deep into it, figure out where some of the mistakes happened, and then use that as a building block for your next project.
The easiest way to avoid failure is probably just to meet expectations. But it's also the saddest way to get anything done. There's an art to it.

Diving into Popular Questions about Product Managers
In today's episode, Parv and Alex walk you through some of the most popular questions about PMs that come up from you, their audience, interview panels, and in general conversations. Although PM roles can be different at different organizations, there are a lot similarities in schedules and approaches, just to mention a few aspects. Tune in as they clear up the air on the most popular questions you have about PMs. 
Join Parv and Alex as they chat about:
A day in the life of a PM [01:13]]How to choose a company to be a PM at [05:56]Do you need technical skills as a PM [11:16]How to deal with meeting fatigue [15:53] Best ways to craft your resume for switching into product management [18:57]What product managers do in their free time [22:28]
… and so much more! 

To Connect with Parv:
Twitter:https://twitter.com/ParvSondhi
LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/parvsondhi/

To Connect with Alex:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/alexcox245
Email: alex@alexcreates.me
 
Quotes 
Learn some technical skills that you can lean on, it doesn't hurt and there's no downside. If you have an opportunity, learn it. 

Why You Shouldn't Be a Product Manager
In today's episode, Alex and Parv cast some light on why you might want to stay clear of being a Product Manager. Product management is filled with pros and so much fun, but today they scrutinize the other side of the coin. Does the idea of accountability without authority or delayed gratification sit right with you? These and many more are some of the aspects you should consider as you mull over being or not being a PM.
Join Parv and Alex as they chat about:
The nature of day-to-day unpredictability in the life of a PM [2:05]Costs of constant context switching [6:19]The immense responsibility and accountability bestowed to PMs but no real authority [10:48]The sense of delayed gratification [15:35]Loneliness and isolation as a PM [18:48]
… and so much more! 
To Connect with Parv:
Twitter:https://twitter.com/ParvSondhi  
LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/parvsondhi/  

To Connect with Alex:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/alexcox245  
Email: alex@alexcreates.me  

Burnout and Product ManagementAs human beings, we can only handle so much. At times issues accumulate in our workplaces that lead to burnout. It could be prolonged working hours, lack of resources or support, and loneliness, among other causes.
These burnouts go beyond physical or emotional exhaustion and can be detrimental. For this reason, it is always important to look out for signs that indicate you are on the brink of burnout so that you can take a step back and reassess everything.
This episode covers the burnout you may encounter as a PM, their causes, and how to deal with them. In addition, we also share some of our burnout experiences, what may have caused them and how we avoided or overcame them.
Tune in to learn this and more!
Key Highlights[1:05] Burnouts in startups
[1:43] Burnout in large companies
[4:14] Causes of burnouts
[7:29] Rewards
[9:50] The community
[10:57] Parv's burnout
[14:10] Mismatch of organizational values and personal values
[16:48] Alex's burnout and how he went about it
[21:10] Taking a step back and reassessing
[22:54] The cost of burnout
[25:00] How Parv handled his burnout
[26:00] When it's worth risking burnout to achieve some objective
[27:49] Burnouts from the pandemic
[29:59] Keeping an eye on potential signs of burnout
Notable QuotesThe PM role itself is just so ambiguous regarding what needs to be done.- ParvAs product managers, one of the biggest things we have to learn is delayed gratification. There is no immediate access or reward for the type of work that you're doing. - ParvA lack of tangible reward at the end can sometimes make you feel as if your effort hasn't been worth it. - ParvAs a PM, sometimes you are left alone until you're needed or until you need to specify a requirement or clarify a question that can feel lonely and can add up and eventually lead to burnout. - ParvIt's always important to take a step back and realize if the problems you're asked to work on aligning with some of the issues you as an individual also want to address. And that sometimes can solve many other issues that stem from a stressful work environment. - ParvBurnout also is comorbid with depression. - AlexSometimes you can go headlong into it, knowing you're probably going to burn out. But it might be worth it for whatever your goal is. - AlexWith each win, there's a moment to celebrate, take a step back, relax, and focus on the downside of that time. - ParvPandemic has led to encroachment into personal time. - ParvAlways be aware of your mental state, whether you are on the brink of burnout, and things that might be signs of burnout.- Parv

Resources
Connect with Parv:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ParvSondhi
Connect with Alex:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/alexcox245
Email: alex@alexcreates.me
Send us Questions

Email: mail@tryingtoproduct.com

Staying Motivated as a Product ManagerAs a product manager, you can feel overwhelmed by the endless deluge of information, products, and technology that drives the business world. You could flip through so many different websites, articles, podcasts and other resources that it feels like you're drowning in an ocean of data rather than swimming through a sea of knowledge. 
In this episode, Alex and Parv team up for a special episode about motivation. They talk about how it is so hard to stay motivated when you're a PM, and then how you can stay motivated with some really helpful tips and techniques.
Tune in to listen to this and more!
Key Highlights[00:53] why it is hard to stay motivated as a product manager according to Alex.
[02:24] Interesting ways to stay motivated on less interesting projects.
[04:12] Focusing on small wins to stay motivated as a PM.
[08:12] why PMS have multiple projects.
[08:39] moving around in the space of the unknown. 
[09:56] how you could work around the space of unknown and stay motivated.
[12:04] What Parv does to stay motivated.
[14:24] Does feedback play a part in keeping us motivated?
[17:35] Acknowledgement encourages motivation 
Notable Quotes“Almost every really boring project has some ultimate goal that sounds a little better than what you're actually working on day to day.” [01:53]“Sometimes understanding the vision, the goal, and where you have to get to. And I think that helps you push along on some of these smaller tasks, even though they might seem inconsequential at the time.” [02:34]“It is hard to find those regular and frequent wins as a PM. Gratification is very, very delayed.”“So I think one tact is to have that passion project that you're able to get through.” [10:10]“If you find too much meaning in your product, you get too motivated. And that can very easily lead to burnout, which we really want to be mindful of.” [13:49]“When you think about product management as a role, I mean, I sometimes think of it is as one of those thankless roles where you're doing stuff day in and day out, and not always receiving the appreciation or the feedback on that.” [15:44]“Acknowledgement, turns into a discussion turns into time connecting with your team turns into like a relationship. It all just snowballs into positive motivation.” [18:03]

Resources
Connect with Parv:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ParvSondhi
Connect with Alex:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/alexcox245
Email: alex@alexcreates.me
Send us Questions

Email: mail@tryingtoproduct.com

Call to Action
We all agree it is the hard one when you're working as a product manager due to the nature of the role to stay motivated. Please let us know what are some of your ideas on how to stay motivated as a PM on Twitter?

We would love to hear from you!