4 answers
Tegan
Student
Elk River, Minnesota
3
Questions
Asked
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What does a normal day look like for a generals and operational manager?
I am a sophomore in high school trying to learn more about management.
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4 answers
Tommy Zanowic
Client Arrangements Manager
6
Answers
New York, New York
Updated
Tommy’s Answer
Management is all about the people - checking in on productivity, support, resources, and trajectory is the work on a daily basis. You should be checking in via email, internal chat systems, phone calls, texts, daily/weekly/monthly touchpoints. Much of your time in the beginning will be thinking about processes, working with the right people to implement, and tracking production over time. I have found that the right people/environment makes this work much easier, more productive, and enjoyable.
An underrated positive quality of a good/great manager is the ability to create a welcoming, team-oriented environment where everyone feels empowered to make well-informed decisions. Working with others on a daily basis not only takes patience, it also takes a great bit of humility. If you only care about the work/outcome, and not your people, that becomes obvious very quickly. Once you are able to create that inclusive/valued environment amongst the team, then it becomes about ensuring everyone is on top of their work. Creating accountability and a true team environment (e.g. not wanting to let your team members down) allows everyone to perform at the top of their game.
An underrated positive quality of a good/great manager is the ability to create a welcoming, team-oriented environment where everyone feels empowered to make well-informed decisions. Working with others on a daily basis not only takes patience, it also takes a great bit of humility. If you only care about the work/outcome, and not your people, that becomes obvious very quickly. Once you are able to create that inclusive/valued environment amongst the team, then it becomes about ensuring everyone is on top of their work. Creating accountability and a true team environment (e.g. not wanting to let your team members down) allows everyone to perform at the top of their game.
Jeff Gvillo
Product Manager
1
Answer
Sammamish, Washington
Updated
Jeff’s Answer
In essence, there's no such thing as a "typical day" in operations - and that's what makes it so thrilling! The beauty of this role lies in the diverse experiences and unique individuals you get to engage with daily. However, there's a general rhythm to how I sift through information to structure my day.
My day usually kicks off by going through a collection of resources I've gathered over time, including news websites, internal reports, emails, in-house chat groups, and touching base with my team. Then, I take a moment to map out my day, focusing on what's crucial for TODAY. This includes tasks that are urgent and must be tackled today, tasks that need a bit of my time to keep progressing, and tasks that can be postponed until tomorrow or later. The ability to prioritize my time and establish achievable daily goals is vital in managing my workload - there's ALWAYS more to be done than time permits in a day. This strategy also enables me to clock out at the end of the day with a sense of accomplishment, allowing me to disconnect from work and fully engage in the remainder of my day, whether that's with my family or indulging in my planned leisure activities.
I apply this same method when leading my team - touching base with them and ensuring they have clear objectives for the day/week. This allows them to maintain a healthy work-life balance and the ability to disconnect at the end of the day.
My day usually kicks off by going through a collection of resources I've gathered over time, including news websites, internal reports, emails, in-house chat groups, and touching base with my team. Then, I take a moment to map out my day, focusing on what's crucial for TODAY. This includes tasks that are urgent and must be tackled today, tasks that need a bit of my time to keep progressing, and tasks that can be postponed until tomorrow or later. The ability to prioritize my time and establish achievable daily goals is vital in managing my workload - there's ALWAYS more to be done than time permits in a day. This strategy also enables me to clock out at the end of the day with a sense of accomplishment, allowing me to disconnect from work and fully engage in the remainder of my day, whether that's with my family or indulging in my planned leisure activities.
I apply this same method when leading my team - touching base with them and ensuring they have clear objectives for the day/week. This allows them to maintain a healthy work-life balance and the ability to disconnect at the end of the day.
Marcus Lloyd
Analyst
5
Answers
Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Updated
Marcus’s Answer
The truth is, management styles can differ greatly depending on your job role and the company you're employed by. Typically, your daily tasks are centered around performance. This could mean assessing past performance and determining what adjustments are needed for improvement. Alternatively, it might involve predicting future performance by anticipating the needs of both products and customers, as well as assessing the requirements for service.
Kreshnik Maxhuni
Communications Admin, Location Management
8
Answers
New York, New York
Updated
Kreshnik’s Answer
To become a good product manager, focus on developing these key skills and gaining relevant experiences:
Understand Your Users: Empathize with and understand your users' needs. Regularly conduct user interviews and usability testing.
Communicate Effectively: clearly convey your vision, roadmaps, and priorities to your team and stakeholders. Strong written, verbal, and presentation skills are crucial.
Prioritize Ruthlessly: Learn to say "no" and focus on what truly matters. Prioritization frameworks like MoSCoW or value vs. complexity matrices can help.
Collaborate Cross-Functionally: Work well with diverse teams, including design, engineering, marketing, and sales. Foster a culture of collaboration and shared goals.
Analyze Data: Make data-driven decisions by understanding and interpreting metrics and analytics. Brush up on your Excel skills and familiarize yourself with tools like Google Analytics or Mixpanel.
Understand the Market: Stay informed about your competitors, market trends, and industry news. This context will help you make strategic product decisions.
Lead and Influence: Inspire your team and stakeholders to align with your product vision. Lead through influence, rather than authority.
Embrace Agile: Familiarize yourself with Agile methodologies like Scrum or Kanban. Break down complex projects into smaller, manageable tasks.
Continuously Learn: Stay curious and always be learning. Follow industry blogs, attend webinars, and network with other product managers.
Gain Relevant Experience: Seek out product management internships or associate roles. If you're transitioning from another career, look for ways to take on product-related responsibilities in your current role.
Remember, becoming a good product manager takes time and practice. Be patient, and always be open to feedback. You've got this!
Understand Your Users: Empathize with and understand your users' needs. Regularly conduct user interviews and usability testing.
Communicate Effectively: clearly convey your vision, roadmaps, and priorities to your team and stakeholders. Strong written, verbal, and presentation skills are crucial.
Prioritize Ruthlessly: Learn to say "no" and focus on what truly matters. Prioritization frameworks like MoSCoW or value vs. complexity matrices can help.
Collaborate Cross-Functionally: Work well with diverse teams, including design, engineering, marketing, and sales. Foster a culture of collaboration and shared goals.
Analyze Data: Make data-driven decisions by understanding and interpreting metrics and analytics. Brush up on your Excel skills and familiarize yourself with tools like Google Analytics or Mixpanel.
Understand the Market: Stay informed about your competitors, market trends, and industry news. This context will help you make strategic product decisions.
Lead and Influence: Inspire your team and stakeholders to align with your product vision. Lead through influence, rather than authority.
Embrace Agile: Familiarize yourself with Agile methodologies like Scrum or Kanban. Break down complex projects into smaller, manageable tasks.
Continuously Learn: Stay curious and always be learning. Follow industry blogs, attend webinars, and network with other product managers.
Gain Relevant Experience: Seek out product management internships or associate roles. If you're transitioning from another career, look for ways to take on product-related responsibilities in your current role.
Remember, becoming a good product manager takes time and practice. Be patient, and always be open to feedback. You've got this!
Hi Kreshnik! You gave some great info on the skills needed to be a good product manager! Can you speak to Tegan's question about what the day-to-day work looks like for a product manager?
Sharyn Grose, Admin