Keeping Your Product Management Job

The Positive Leader

So a key lesson I learned this past year was to try and be more positive. I often times focus on areas for improvement with our execution to the point of not being as good of a leader as I can be.

So here are a couple of things I do to try and be more positive

• Opportunities present themselves to focus on how much has been accomplished. While the obvious one is a sprint review, I like the longer term of the annual or half-year review. I like to look back and ask myself "At the beginning of the year where was our product vs. where it is now". Doing that definitely gives me a sense of accomplishment and focuses more of my energies to making the following year better.
• Take your mindset out of the very short term that frustrates you and focus on how it will work itself out over the next week or so. Trust your team to work through it!
• Switch gears a little bit to get our mind off of something. I like to work on several things at once, so a switch to something more interesting or fun and can help me refocus a bit.

You have to remember that your mood and emotions are contagious. Be a leader and be positive. Don't sugar coat, don't be blind to areas of improvement...be constructive and move on to the next challenge!