A colleague recently voiced frustration that their divisional strategy is far from clear, yet they are accountable for following it and delivering results against it.  Does this problem sound familiar?  Here are a few good ways to cope: 1. Look for “breadcrumb trails” – Find a presentation from the last divisional or company meeting, or a recent email ...

Welcome to 2010!  For most of us, January brings a flurry of activity preparing for the annual Sales Kickoff.  Your Sales team is an important “window” into what’s going on in your market place.  Here are three of our favorite ways to make sure the window stays open and the right information flows both ways. 

At first glance, last month’s survey responses make it seem like the relationship between PM and Sales is a one-way street. Product Managers train sales reps, answer their questions, provide input into RFPs, and even go on sales calls. So far, that describes almost every respondent’s relationship with Sales. But when it comes time to reciprocate, Sales ...

Agile’s changes ripple through the organization beyond the Development group.  Chief among the big questions that arise: can the Product Manager be the Product Owner?  The dual role has its challenges!  Here are the two key challenges you’ll face, and some hard-won tips on navigating a dual role in your organization. Challenge #1: The new collaborative ...

In their September newsletter, pricing experts Holden Advisors began talking about what you need to do to be ready if recovery is indeed on its way.  They also talked about the issues with bringing your price levels back up if you’ve resorted to deep discounting on your high-value products over the last year.  As product managers, pricing is ...

How long has it been since you shook your head in dismay at an executive decision that seemed to ignore the facts? Research shows there are two key ways that the brain interferes with good decision-making. Find out what they are, and how product managers can combat their effects.