??Building a Product Management Dream Team: A Guide to Leading Different Personalities ??

In the exhilarating world of product management, assembling the dream team is just the first step. Trust me, it is near impossible to get a team of proven superstars and make them win every championship. Rather, as a product leader, you need to build a team that sticks together and coach them to win and win it as a team.?

Your journey is only as thrilling as the individuals who embark upon it with you. Let's delve into some of the fascinating characters you're likely to encounter in the dynamic realm of product management, and more importantly, how to coach them into becoming invaluable angels. ??

1. The Firefighter: Meet Sarah

- Sarah is the go-to person when product launches go awry. She swoops in, sans cape, to rescue projects from the brink of disaster. ??♀?

Example: At her company, Sarah saved the day when a crucial feature malfunctioned just before a major demo by the Sales team. It wasn’t necessarily her job to do. Her quick thinking and expertise got the feature back on track, impressing both clients and the team, thereby winning the deal.

- Coaching Tip: Nurture Sarah's proactive spirit by giving her a leadership role in high-stakes projects. Encourage her to mentor others, transforming the team into a brigade of product management superheroes.

??What Not to Do: Avoid overloading Sarah with crisis after crisis. While this may sound obvious, I've seen many leaders doing this mistake. Give her opportunities to work on strategic projects too, as constant firefighting can lead to burnout.

2. The Specialists: Say Hello to Steve

- Steve's talent shines brightest within his comfort zone. He's a virtuoso, but he needs that golden invitation. ??

??Example: Steve revolutionised his company's user interface, but only after being coaxed into a cross-functional design meeting. Once there, he became a driving force for innovation.

- Coaching Tip: Recognize Steve's expertise and gently coax him out of his shell. Invite him to cross-functional meetings, with specific charter given to him, so that he doesn't feel intimidated. Watch his confidence soar as he embraces the role of a firefighter or even an angel.

??What Not to Do: Avoid pushing Steve too hard or too fast out of his comfort zone. At the same time, get him to a place where he doesn't need an invitation to engage. Defining a clear span of work and ownership is the key.

3. The Invisible: Meet Alice

- Alice meticulously tends to her domain but rarely ventures beyond it. She's the silent observer of the product management opera. ??

??Example: Alice consistently delivered impeccable product documentation. However, she rarely joined discussions outside of her realm, missing opportunities to contribute her insights.

- Coaching Tip: Engage Alice by linking her work to the bigger picture. Show her how her contributions impact the grand scheme of things, and how she is making an impact. She might just join your chorus of product management virtuosos.

??What Not to Do: Avoid forcing Alice into situations where she feels overwhelmed. Gradual exposure to broader discussions is key. Compared to Steve, Alice would be reluctant to come out, even when invited.

4. The Runners: Welcome Jack

- Jack's sprinting skills are top-notch when things are smooth, but he tends to vanish when the going gets tough. ??♂?

??Example: Jack was a star developer, but when faced with a particularly challenging integration project, he avoided taking the lead, leading to delays.

- Coaching Tip: Don't dismiss Jack; mentor him. Help him build resilience and teach him to thrive in challenging product management situations. Give him a prospective cover and encourage him to take up challenges. I know this is going to be expensive for you from your time management perspective. However, who knows, he could become an ace in your product management deck.?

??What Not to Do: Avoid scolding Jack for his disappearing acts. Instead, seek to understand his inner fear, offer guidance and support to help him grow.

5. The Angel: Enter Alex

- Alex possesses a rare gift for foreseeing issues before they rear their ugly heads. Crisis? What crisis? ??

Example: At his organisation, Alex forecasted a potential scalability bottleneck in their cloud infrastructure months before it could have crippled the product. His proactive measures saved the company from a major outage.

- Coaching Tip: Empower Alex to share their insights openly. Encourage them to lead brainstorming sessions and share their vision with the team. Transform them into the guardian angels of your product management kingdom.

??What Not to Do: Don't stifle Alex's creativity with excessive bureaucracy. Allow them the freedom to act swiftly when needed. Also, give him the necessary air cover, without being too close. Protect him from the traditionalists, who always swear by the process and span of work ??

To conclude:

Someone once asked me, what do I do as a product leader, other than doing performance reviews and "managing" the "all-star" team. While this might just be an outsider perspective, in reality, each member of your product management team brings unique strengths and quirks to the table. As a product leader, your role isn't just about managing people and product initiatives—it's about cultivating and growing a team of angels who can anticipate, respond, and excel in every product management scenario.

Let's hear your thoughts! Which product management personality type do you relate to yourself? Which product management personalities do you encounter the most, and how do you envision coaching them into becoming an angel in your team? ????

#ProductManagement #LeadershipDevelopment #TeamBuilding #ProductLeadership #WorkplaceDynamics #CoachingTips #BehavioralSciences #Innovation #ProductLaunch #ProductStrategy

Afterthought ??

??02-Oct-2023: Thank you for the constructive and critical feedback- I got quite a lot if inputs and insights from fellow practitioners. I'd be writing a follow up article to cover some of the areas that was missing here, such as, as a leader, how do you identify the personality types and how one needs to evolve as to lead a diverse team. Added now