Organized by Product School and structured around the hottest topics in Product, ProductCon takes place four times per year, and gathers product professionals from all over the world. Generally regarded as the worlds largest product management conference. I was a featured speaker where I presented on “Expectation Management for Product Managers”.
Here are the key highlights:
🤝 Understanding Expectation Management: The discussion begins with a definition of expectation management (EM), emphasizing its importance in all aspects of life. The speaker highlights that effective EM involves conveying realistic outcomes and setting the right tone for communication.
🎯 Personal and Professional Background: The speaker shares his extensive background, starting from software development to leading a team of 23 product managers at Boeing. This transition from coding to product management showcases the evolution of his career and his deep involvement in product strategy and execution.
🛠 Key Components of EM: EM is dissected into who, what, when, why, and how. Identifying the target audience for EM is crucial, as it could range from customers to team members. Understanding the timing, context, and method of communication is essential for effective EM.
💡 Strategies for Effective EM: The talk provides strategies for managing expectations, including prioritization of tasks, reliance on data for decision-making, and the importance of clear and honest communication. The speaker underscores the necessity of delivering on promises to maintain credibility and trust.
📈 Mastering the Art of Empathy in EM: A great product manager must master empathy to understand and address the concerns and expectations of all stakeholders effectively. This involves imagining oneself in the shoes of the customer or team member to tailor communication and actions accordingly.
🚀 Execution is Key: Execution is highlighted as a pivotal element of EM. Making commitments and delivering on them builds a credit of trust with stakeholders. Failure to execute on expectations can lead to a loss of credibility and trust.
🗣 Transparent Communication: Transparent and clear communication forms the foundation of successful EM. It’s essential to convey what can be realistically achieved and to manage stakeholders’ expectations to prevent misunderstandings and disappointments.
