Company Executives

• Obtaining the support of company executives is critical to continuing the new product development effort.

• Good product managers anticipate executive's concerns and address them proactively.
  • They project confidence.
    • In themselves.
    • In their product plan.
  • They bring facts to the presentation.
  • They know how to defend their position.
  • They follow up quickly with unanswered questions.

• Good product managers understand that executives can verify that a product plan is good, but cannot dictate a good product plan.
  • They have to discern when executives are giving specific product strategy instructions and when they are merely suggesting an alternative.

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© 2008 John Michael Pierobon

Notes