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Ask HN: How to approach first days on a new job as a senior PM?

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Re: Ask HN: How to approach first days on a new job as a senior PM?

#41

Post by alphalite »

lnsru wrote: post #36
Prunkton wrote: post #25

Since you may not have seen it in your previous career: be aware of politics in companies (that size). Especially when you are interacting with other departments, PMs and positions generally above yours. I'm not saying its the most important thing or specific to the first days. But getting the dynamics early on will benefit you, your project and the people involved. Also more specific to day one: have fun and be exci…

Good advice. First step is to identify your enemies. I also would call it “understand dynamics”. Because somebody wanted promotion into your senior position. Somebody just does not like you or someone wants to do things differently. It’s fine. Just know the obstacles before planing the journey.

I get it, but this is just such a cynical take…devoting time & energy during your ramp up to identifying enemies seems to set the wrong tone from day 1. People will take notice no matter how hard you try to conceal it, and that will follow you around. First impressions matter, for you and those around you.

I suggest the opposite: assume good intent from everyone, listen a lot, don’t be afraid to ask dumb questions, identify people who can help your team and identify people who need your help. In leadership, the job is not about you, it’s about setting up your team for success.

Re: Ask HN: How to approach first days on a new job as a senior PM?

#42

Post by simonw »

Befriend someone in the customer support function ASAP. Ask to see their notes, in particular notes they share with other customer support people.

I once got shown a customer support tips shared spreadsheet that was more valuable documentation than anything else in the entire company.

Re: Ask HN: How to approach first days on a new job as a senior PM?

#43

Post by benhoff »

Prunkton wrote: post #25

Since you may not have seen it in your previous career: be aware of politics in companies (that size). Especially when you are interacting with other departments, PMs and positions generally above yours. I'm not saying its the most important thing or specific to the first days. But getting the dynamics early on will benefit you, your project and the people involved. Also more specific to day one: have fun and be exci…

Communication books can be useful. I've heard good things about nonviolent communication and, while I've not finished it, crucial conversations has been useful

Re: Ask HN: How to approach first days on a new job as a senior PM?

#44

Post by Aurornis »

lnsru wrote: post #36
Prunkton wrote: post #25

Since you may not have seen it in your previous career: be aware of politics in companies (that size). Especially when you are interacting with other departments, PMs and positions generally above yours. I'm not saying its the most important thing or specific to the first days. But getting the dynamics early on will benefit you, your project and the people involved. Also more specific to day one: have fun and be exci…

Good advice. First step is to identify your enemies. I also would call it “understand dynamics”. Because somebody wanted promotion into your senior position. Somebody just does not like you or someone wants to do things differently. It’s fine. Just know the obstacles before planing the journey.

> First step is to identify your enemies

The most difficult and political people I know think like this. They never see themselves as the problem. They just think they’re playing defense and playing the meta-game better than others.

If you go into a workplace thinking that your first step is to identify your enemies so you can be on constant high alert to defend yourself, there’s a high risk that you’re going to become the political problem you claim to want to avoid.

What if there are no enemies? What if nobody was denied this role, because it was added headcount to expand the team? Imagine the OP going in on the defense because HN told them to “identify your enemies” as the first step, but really their team just wants to add another person to the group? This type of advice causes more problems than it solves.

Re: Ask HN: How to approach first days on a new job as a senior PM?

#45

Post by SketchySeaBeast »

louthy wrote: post #14
Lionga wrote: post #4

Love that "senior" PMs need to have exactly zero years experience as PM to be a senior PM.

Founder is ‘PM on steroids’

Founder implies wearing a lot of different hats all at once but also the power to make choices, including defining bureaucracy and processes. Senior PM implies a much more limited silo of skills but also limited powers and a need to be able to fit in with existing bureaucracy and processes.

Re: Ask HN: How to approach first days on a new job as a senior PM?

#46

Post by btown »

benhoff wrote: post #43
Prunkton wrote: post #25

Since you may not have seen it in your previous career: be aware of politics in companies (that size). Especially when you are interacting with other departments, PMs and positions generally above yours. I'm not saying its the most important thing or specific to the first days. But getting the dynamics early on will benefit you, your project and the people involved. Also more specific to day one: have fun and be exci…

Communication books can be useful. I've heard good things about nonviolent communication and, while I've not finished it, crucial conversations has been useful

Along those lines: especially when coming from a technical background and dealing with non-technical stakeholders, wording like "hmm, this would likely be a pretty intensive multi-week project" might have been intended as carrying the benign context "...and the team would be excited if that's what leadership wants to prioritize" but can often be interpreted as "...and I'm going to fight you tooth and nail on this."

Pausing and engaging on the benefits of a proposal can be incredibly valuable, even if your mind has already raced to the considerations about implementation and opportunity cost. Many engineers understand that there's no higher praise than a leader diving into the weeds on something, but many other stakeholders don't have the same context!

Re: Ask HN: How to approach first days on a new job as a senior PM?

#47

Post by argiacomi »

daniel_iversen wrote: post #6

There’s probably advice and books and other things that PMs here and elsewhere can give you, but also get a network together with the other senior PMs and head of product/CTO I reckon and see what’s working and what’s not. Bit of a “listening tour” (and even outside product; what does sales and support think about the product, and about working with the product). One is not a substitute for the other and I’m sure the…

Great book. A couple of others I’ve also found super helpful:

- The First 90 Days: Proven Strategies for Getting Up to Speed Faster and Smarter (https://a.co/d/dRDXQtg)

- Inspired: How to Create Tech Products Customers Love (https://a.co/d/aw73ped)

I’ve also found some good stuff in Lenny Rachitsky’s Podcast/Blog (https://www.lennyrachitsky.com)

Re: Ask HN: How to approach first days on a new job as a senior PM?

#48

Post by patrickjd »

cpfohl wrote: post #28
mellosouls wrote: post #17

You should clarify what you mean by PM; product and project management are different things. I assume its one of those rather than Programme Management or Prime Minister... ps. a cheatsheet for a famous general management-onboarding book The First 90 Days ; while it doesn't specifically address your question a lot of it will apply: https://sourcesofinsight.com/doing-the-first-90-days/

This is true. Although, I’m not sure how many medium size companies have their own Prime Ministers. Your first few weeks at any company in any role, though, are well spent meeting people and learning the product really well. I also like to get or sit in on a sales demo and an onboarding call.

Since I've seen a growing number of Chief Of Staffs in startups, I'd guess the number of companies with Prime Minister roles is non-zero.

Maybe even with very sensible titles like 'Junior Prime Minister'.

Re: Ask HN: How to approach first days on a new job as a senior PM?

#49

Post by surajrmal »

lnsru wrote: post #36
Prunkton wrote: post #25

Since you may not have seen it in your previous career: be aware of politics in companies (that size). Especially when you are interacting with other departments, PMs and positions generally above yours. I'm not saying its the most important thing or specific to the first days. But getting the dynamics early on will benefit you, your project and the people involved. Also more specific to day one: have fun and be exci…

Good advice. First step is to identify your enemies. I also would call it “understand dynamics”. Because somebody wanted promotion into your senior position. Somebody just does not like you or someone wants to do things differently. It’s fine. Just know the obstacles before planing the journey.

Or possibly find your friends and build relationships. Understand the motivations of the people you work with and identify ways to align your goals with theirs. By focusing your energy this way you'll help craft a healthy dynamic rather than be subjected to existing dynamics.

It's probably also worth figuring out who holds power and authority. It's not always based on org or chart.

Re: Ask HN: How to approach first days on a new job as a senior PM?

#50

Post by cpfohl »

patrickjd wrote: post #48
cpfohl wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is true. Although, I’m not sure how many medium size companies have their own Prime Ministers. Your first few weeks at any company in any role, though, are well spent meeting people and learning the product really well. I also like to get or sit in on a sales demo and an onboarding call.

Since I've seen a growing number of Chief Of Staffs in startups, I'd guess the number of companies with Prime Minister roles is non-zero. Maybe even with very sensible titles like 'Junior Prime Minister'.

This is a very fair rebuttal as a person who has worked at a company where we had a 'Chief Spider Wrangler' for a time.
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