You're thinking "That's all well and good for sheep, but what are we to do?"
I think this is incredibly useful and practical. I'm techy, so I have a natural inclination to think about systems. Particularly if they're shiny. And every time I do, I end up coming back to this. To explain how I make use of this insight, first I'd like to talk about power. Forget any negative connotations. I just mean the ability to affect outcomes. Power can come from:
Your role: In a traditional org chart, this can dominate, but as a product manager there is a very good chance you'll have no authority over team members you will need to rely on every day.
Your skills: As someone with a technical background, I often find this useful for breaking the ice with developers, but the chances are, everyone will have more skills in their chosen speciality than you. For me, my skills are the lever, but I need a fulcrum.
Your relationships: This is the gold, but it's not a quick win. There's no short cut. Relationships can only be built through constant and consistent communication. And this is fulcrum which gives my skills the leverage they need.
Here's an example. An update has been delivered, but there's a problem, and in order to honour a commitment, you need to ask a team to work back. They might do it because you have the authority to make them. They probably won't do it because they respect your skills. But they will stay, and give their best, if they trust that you know what you are asking them to sacrifice. Do you the names of the kids they will not be tucking in tonight, because they are writing code?
Your role: In a traditional org chart, this can dominate, but as a product manager there is a very good chance you'll have no authority over team members you will need to rely on every day.
Your skills: As someone with a technical background, I often find this useful for breaking the ice with developers, but the chances are, everyone will have more skills in their chosen speciality than you. For me, my skills are the lever, but I need a fulcrum.
Your relationships: This is the gold, but it's not a quick win. There's no short cut. Relationships can only be built through constant and consistent communication. And this is fulcrum which gives my skills the leverage they need.
Here's an example. An update has been delivered, but there's a problem, and in order to honour a commitment, you need to ask a team to work back. They might do it because you have the authority to make them. They probably won't do it because they respect your skills. But they will stay, and give their best, if they trust that you know what you are asking them to sacrifice. Do you the names of the kids they will not be tucking in tonight, because they are writing code?
From my own experience, every time a product under delivers, it is never a tool that is to blame, but a relationship that has misfired.
Please share your thoughts.
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