Unhealthy Product Minds
& Tips for Product ICs and Managers
In many software/SaaS-focused businesses, product management can often be an incredibly mentally-demanding role. If you are in such a role right now, the following comments, taken from peers like yourself, may well be familiar:
These come about via various challenges product managers have to navigate regularly:
Managing conflicts in requirements and priorities,
Complaints, from departments or customers,
Dealing with issues or disappointment,
Pressures from all angles, teams and senior leaders,
Upskilling in new platforms,
Challenging others or established norms,
Overcoming imposter syndrome.
While much of this is common in most roles and for most people across the working world, the role of Product Management specifically is a unique area that is under-supported currently for mental wellbeing and support.
In this article, we will dive more into challenges and the impact on mental health, with tips to support yourself and your team.
Tools, Techniques, Frameworks and Methodology Overload
There is an abundance of products, services and ways of working all claiming to be the next go-to or default option for x reason - too much to keep up with, and can be out of the price range of many teams and businesses.
And similarly, an abundance of professionals, consultants, authors, content providers, gurus and fathers of product management all telling us what we must be doing to call ourselves ‘good’.
Discipline Evolution
The role itself within business has evolved, from being a hub between the technical and commercial sides of the organisation, to a linchpin interfacing with over a dozen departments and specialist roles, all wanting (demanding) information, time and resource from us.
On top of this, old habits and lazy behaviour by colleagues present collaboration challenges. We are not, and never have been, the ‘CEO of Product’, but more accurately a very skilled herder of very expensive cats. When our colleagues bypass us because they know the answer we will give them is not what they want to hear, or feel a process is too onerous, or want more control, or feel they have more influence over others - our role can feel somewhat redundant, not as we feel it should be. In an age where redundancies are all too common, it can feel like the first steps to being shown the door are all to close.
Again, you might recognise these statements:
From Sales: “We just go straight to the engineers to ask if a feature is possible, it’s quicker than involving the product managers.”
From Marketing: “We’ve just hired our own analysts to define our A/B testing requirements and submitted those straight into the tech team.”
From Engineers: “We tend to avoid looping in product as they over-complicate everything.”
From C-Suite: “I’ve got a great relationship with our tech team, I don’t need to bother product to see if my strategic ideas hold water.”
And now too, we have AI - which of course can write a spec, prioritise our backlog, do our user research…
What is the impact of all of this on Product Managers?
Just purely on these pressures, ignoring the rest of life entirely, many professionals have reported the following:
Anxiety
Loss of confidence & doubt your own abilities
Self-perceived loss of stakeholder trust
Lack of interest
Insecurity at work
Depression
We know the problem… what is the solution?
Do I have a magic bullet to rectify and remove all the pressure and behaviours mentioned so far?
No. I’m sorry.
Individually, there are steps to take from a business perspective, but particularly for IC product professionals, these can be out of reach initially.
This article is focused on what we, both as ICs and leaders, can do to mitigate and support ourselves and each other within the bounds of how our businesses operate.
Awareness is the first step - Talking can be the next
Relax… Breathe…
If you know something is not right, you are aware you want to change
Now consider talking… to someone who knows what it is all about.
Share your efforts - Share your issues - Share your worries
Share your ideas - Share your wins
Others WILL have been there before, and will know your struggles. By knowing you are not alone, you gain a collective strength.
It really is not just you!
Practical Tips for Individual Contributors (ICs)
Minimise context switching.
A stat I recall from years ago suggests that we lose 10% of our daily productivity every time we context switch, and that is cumulative.
Know your strengths and play to them. Rely on your teammates for other areas.
Rise and fall as a team.
Be in it together, don’t blame.
Do not try for a work-life balance - focus on the work-life seesaw - listen to your body & mind.
We are NEVER in total balance for long - sometimes we work longer or harder, and other times we relax, have less to do. Recognise and accept the seesaw and don’t fight constantly for the balance.
Be cautious with external validation (social media, product gurus, books etc).
I am 100% sure we have all seen this, experienced self-doubt at reading the latest list of 30 things we must do or are we really a product manager… Just don’t fall into this trap, just don’t.
Make time for self-reflection, for rest & play.
Practical Tips for Product (or any) Leaders
Build a ‘Fail Safely’ environment & be vulnerable when you make mistakes.
Promote Standard Operating Procedures to standardise and protect your teams.
This is not bureaucracy, this is setting expectations and guides, many people thrive with these.
Minimise context switching - create focus.
Lead by example for working late, time off, etc. Don’t set rules and then break them!
Live your ideals. Your team, even in the tiniest of ways, will always emulate you and follow your lead - so make sure they are following the right things.
Rise and fall as a team.
Know your team’s strengths and organise and play to them.
Make space for feedback - listen, discuss, accept and take action.
Reframe thinking of teammates as cultural additions, not just cultural fits.
Design & hire diverse and inclusive teams.
The Product Mind Community
Recognising all of what has been presented here, I built the Product Mind Community to provide a safe space to increase wellbeing, effectiveness and fulfilment in role & in life for product professionals globally.
It is a vibrant community enabling product managers, owners, designers, marketers, product operations managers and other roles involved in a product’s lifecycle, to come together and discuss, specifically, mental health and wellbeing (MHW) topics, concerns or whatever is on their mind, with like-minded peers. Those who are familiar with the work, the scenarios, the challenges, are also the best-informed and best-positioned to support and offer advice, alongside resources and expertise from across the world.
The community is led by a collective of passionate product veterans who have deep insight into the challenges, both professional and psychological, of the role.
It is:
A free-forever online community for product managers & tech professionals*, to discuss issues & concerns pertaining to MHW, career and life.
A safe space for everyone, regardless of experience, position or locale, to feel comfortable, feel supported, to share, to offer advice or to just listen.
Community-curated resources, research & events with guest tech and wellbeing professionals