{"id":286562,"date":"2021-06-29T16:15:49","date_gmt":"2021-06-29T13:15:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/if-you-product-manager-has-a-high-eq-your-products-will-too\/"},"modified":"2021-06-29T16:15:49","modified_gmt":"2021-06-29T13:15:49","slug":"if-you-product-manager-has-a-high-eq-your-products-will-too","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/if-you-product-manager-has-a-high-eq-your-products-will-too\/","title":{"rendered":"#If you Product Manager has a high EQ, your products will too"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3d81d4a8c6c\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3d81d4a8c6c\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/if-you-product-manager-has-a-high-eq-your-products-will-too\/#1_Build_with_accessibility_in_mind\" >1. Build with accessibility in mind<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/if-you-product-manager-has-a-high-eq-your-products-will-too\/#2_Encourage_your_teams_to_overshare\" >2. Encourage your teams to (over)share<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/if-you-product-manager-has-a-high-eq-your-products-will-too\/#3_Be_prepared_to_change_your_roadmap_at_a_moments_notice\" >3. Be prepared to change your roadmap at a moment\u2019s notice<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/if-you-product-manager-has-a-high-eq-your-products-will-too\/#4_Get_comfortable_with_data_and_analytics_tools\" >4. Get comfortable with data and analytics tools<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p>&#8220;<strong>#If you Product Manager has a high EQ, your products will too<\/strong>&#8221;<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/img-cdn.tnwcdn.com\/image?fit=796%2C417&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn0.tnwcdn.com%2Fwp-content%2Fblogs.dir%2F1%2Ffiles%2F2021%2F06%2Feq-emotional-intelligence-gq.jpg&amp;signature=4a8c4d79294f7cfa6991c252051d51bb\" \/><\/p>\n<div><span>By now, we all know that emotional intelligence (EQ) belongs in the workplace. Not only does it shape more aligned and connected teams, it\u2019s also one of the most powerful ways to bring teams together behind their product. And in today\u2019s <\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gartner.com\/en\/doc\/723505-top-10-impacts-of-covid-19-on-product-managers\"><span>more competitive product landscape<\/span><\/a><span>, businesses have to prioritize meaningful relationships between products and people.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>After all, if the teams building the products don\u2019t believe in them, how can we expect users to?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>I\u2019d argue that as Product Managers, our roles naturally demand a level of emotional intelligence. We have to communicate, empathize, and diffuse conflicts on a daily basis. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>But in a product sphere shaken by the pandemic, we have to be more conscious to project that intelligence onto the teams <\/span><i><span>and <\/span><\/i><span>the<\/span><span>workflows that make our products \u2014 especially when emotional intelligence can arm people with the skills to juggle disrupted processes and remote work.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Like any form of mental gymnastics, emotional intelligence has to be exercised through habits. These are a few of the ways I\u2019ve personally brought EQ into product management:<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Build_with_accessibility_in_mind\"><\/span><b>1. Build with accessibility in mind<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span>An <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>reciation for inclusion is directly linked to EQ.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>COVID-19 has meant many demographics who were not using online tools before, are now active users. It\u2019s us Product Managers who bear the responsibility of ensuring the tools of today work for everyone tomorrow. We have to be highly attentive to the specific needs of people of all backgrounds and abilities, factoring in things like their mobility and digital literacy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>With such an expansive user base to cater to, accessibility can\u2019t be an afterthought. From the discovery phase to coding to the initial prototype, my team and I repeatedly check if we\u2019re being inclusive.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>How? We test with a range of people who have different capabilities and we use accessibility tools like Stark. We also constantly strive to grow our understanding of accessibility, by conducting interviews with people and attending courses about inclusive design.<br \/><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>At the end of the day, we recognized that accessibility benefits <\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/gusalexiou\/2020\/08\/23\/covid-reminds-us-that-web-accessibility-helps-all-users-not-just-the-disabled\/?sh=3e9efca76df1\"><i><span>all <\/span><\/i><span>users<\/span><\/a><span>. For example, we discovered that by being conscious of users with hearing impairments, we needed to introduce closed captioning in one of our products. We then realized that the functionality also helps able-bodied users who are in noisy environments or who aren\u2019t native speakers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Emotional intelligence allowed us to see our products through a variety of lenses, which in turn, pushed us to develop not only more ethical products, but better ones too. <\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Encourage_your_teams_to_overshare\"><\/span><b>2. Encourage your teams to (over)share<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span>Despite having worked remotely for over one year, communicating progress, revised deadlines, and takeaways across all stakeholders remains a bumpy ride for PMs. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>We certainly had interpersonal skills before the pandemic, but recently those skills have had to be focused on keeping teams reassured and productive in choppy conditions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>I recently <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/trip-and-travel\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"10\" title=\"Trip &amp; Travel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">travel<\/a>ed to Madrid to meet my colleagues for the first time. While there, I realized what made the biggest difference to our team bonding was what happened outside of the office. Going for lunch and having after-work drinks was when we shared the most with each other.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>I got to thinking: how can I recreate these moments in a remote environment? I started by setting up meetings that have no purpose other than for people to chat and share: virtual events like 15-minute coffee break calls, lightning talks, 5.30 pm beers on Zoom.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Sharing is an inherent part of healthy, productive work culture. Giving people the time to be human \u2014 and not only an employee or team member \u2014 is how we really connect. The more we know about each other, the more we can empathize and cater to everyone\u2019s needs. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>For example, if a colleague mentions that their child is sick, my team now automatically extends their deadlines and limits the number of Slack messages we send to them<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>This empathy goes into the products we build too. We\u2019re more conscious of the people we\u2019re trying to serve, and if what we build reflects them. We\u2019ve started to ask more emotionally-driven questions about our users, about their new scenarios and fears in the pandemic.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>By virtue of (over)sharing with one another, we\u2019re learning to be more curious about our customers beyond the surface level and to develop products that matter to them. <\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Be_prepared_to_change_your_roadmap_at_a_moments_notice\"><\/span><b>3. Be prepared to change your roadmap at a moment\u2019s notice<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span>In 2021, being able to pivot at a moment\u2019s notice is not only necessary, it\u2019s the sign of a mature team that can react to changing markets. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>And what does that mean for PMs\u2026? It means we have to emotionally prepare teams to cope with 180 scenarios. Of course, no-one ever wants to throw away the work they have done, but teams that have high levels of trust will be able to do so and remain confident that they\u2019re on the right track.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cUnshipping,\u201d where features are killed, can be just as valuable as shipping new features. For example, my previous company launched an annual 2020 strategy that was crushed by the pandemic and made all technical plans irrelevant.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Yet by swiftly reversing those plans, teams could focus on building a COVID-19 insights system, which ended up being a product of its own. Because individuals had the flexibility and confidence that backtracking was the right thing to do, they delivered a product that was better and more relevant than the initial plan. <\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_Get_comfortable_with_data_and_analytics_tools\"><\/span><b>4. Get comfortable with data and analytics tools<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span>Perhaps the biggest EQ-charged change our team has seen is the reduction of our marketing efforts and shift towards product-led growth.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Being product-led is about having a dialogue with our users, not a one-sided conversation \u2014 we have to listen to what they tell (or rather show) us, and then act. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Basically, we want to give value, not a sales pitch to customers \u2014 we want them to explain what does and doesn\u2019t work. Still, we need concrete ways to measure this feedback and iterate accordingly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Enter data.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>However, not having the luxury of sitting opposite a data scientist means team members can\u2019t access metrics as easily, nor ask for a quick query to be run. As a solution, we\u2019ve invested in teaching individuals query language skills so that there are fewer bottlenecks when it comes to data handling. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>We\u2019ve also hosted workshops on data tools like Amplitude or Mixpanel, so the whole team knows how to interrogate user behavior. And once the pandemic subsides and there are inevitably stark changes to user data, we\u2019ll be able to interpret it faster and ensure that our products still have a place in the world.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Being a Product Manager has always demanded spinning many plates at once, and in the midst of a global health crisis, there are more plates than ever turning in different directions. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>In 2021, we need to move away from the technicalities of making products and put team management, inclusive design, and agility front and center. Doing so will prevent any plates from getting dropped, and it\u2019ll keep both PMs and our products balanced for the future.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Technology category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/thenextweb.com\/news\/product-manager-emotionally-intelligent-products\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;#If you Product Manager has a high EQ, your products will too&#8221; By now, we all know that emotional intelligence (EQ) belongs in the workplace. Not only does it shape more aligned and connected teams, it\u2019s also one of the most powerful ways to bring teams together behind their product. And in today\u2019s more competitive&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":286563,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/img-cdn.tnwcdn.com\/image\/growth-quarters?filter_last=1&fit=1280,640&url=https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/06\/eq-emotional-intelligence-gq.jpg&signature=c0e0ace0c85160603a0e6bc54abd6350","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-286562","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/286562","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=286562"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/286562\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/286563"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=286562"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=286562"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=286562"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}