From Knocking on Doors to Leading at FT.com: The Nuanced Art of Product Management Leadership artwork
Product Team Success

From Knocking on Doors to Leading at FT.com: The Nuanced Art of Product Management Leadership

  • S2E31
  • 41:03
  • September 3rd 2023

🔥 JUST DROPPED: The Product Management Masterclass! 🔥

Dive into an exhilarating conversation with the Product Director of FT.com, Debbie McMahon, as she demystifies the dynamic world of product management.

Join us on "Product Team Success" and uncover:

➛ **BECOMING A PRODUCT MANAGER**: Debbie's non-linear journey into the realm of product. How embracing opportunities, even when they seem peripheral, can lead you closer to your passion.

  > "I sort of knocked on my boss's door and didn't specifically ask for a product job straight off. I kind of said, well, I could do some of this... And I sort of slowly started to do some parts around the edges that then got me closer and closer."

➛ **UNDERSTANDING YOUR ORGANIZATION**: A masterclass on immersing oneself in an organization's ethos. Debbie shares the quintessence of crafting products that resonate profoundly with both the business and its customers.

  > "The thing that is really important is you really understanding your organization... if you've not walked some time in other people's shoes and you don't really understand how your business operates, you're never gonna be able to figure out what is gonna be that thing, that idea, or the product that will really resonate."

➛ **EMPATHY IN PRODUCT MANAGEMENT**: The heart and soul of product management lies in empathy. Learn from Debbie about understanding diverse challenges and how this underpins a product manager's success.

  > "But if you can't sit with someone and emphasize... if you can't empathize with the challenge that the person in front of you, say in sales or marketing, has, then you're not ultimately gonna be as good at your job as you could be."

➛ **THE FUTURE OF PRODUCT MANAGEMENT**: Step into the future with Debbie as she ruminates on the trajectory of product management, the intersection with AI, and the evolving roles in the corporate cosmos.

  > "I think questioning and people who work for me... Does product head to the C-suite or doesn't it? And alongside AI, what do any of our roles become in that context? It's both really interesting and quite a big challenge and dilemma."

🔊 Embark on this enlightening journey NOW

👇 Don't miss out on these invaluable insights! 👇

Forge ahead with clarity. Absorb, Adapt, Achieve.

Stay with us. Your ascent to product management excellence is on the horizon.

Product Team Success

Welcome to "Product Team Success: Real-World Career Advice for Product". I'm your host, Ross Webb, and I'm here to supercharge your journey, whether you're climbing the ladder to the C-suite or already leading from the top.

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We'll tackle an array of topics, from securing investment for data analytics, to acing product interviews, to presenting product direction with authority.

So, subscribe now to "Product Team Success", join our community of pioneers, and let's together redefine the landscape of product leadership! Get ready to be invigorated, inspired, and informed, as we revolutionize product leadership, one episode at a time!