As I’m a graduated lawyer moving to product management from the beginning was kind of a stretch. The time I spent at the Uni wasn’t all wasted though, as law is a system (at least in principle) like any other. You have input data -> rules in which it’s processed -> output data. But many areas of knowledge work in this way, so I guess anyone determined can pick it up.
I created this blog, because after 7 years of learning and 5 years of doing, I found myself in need of organising my knowledge. I want to move my career to the next level, and this is a tool that I will use to achieve that goal. But I want to do it well, so it is for someone coming here, the one thing that I didn’t have while starting to learn.
Moving to product management I haven’t been taking easy paths – I learned a lot about project management, design, software engineering, knowledge management, and setting business goals. Probably it’s not crucial to learn them all, but this is how I got where I am now – good at it and well compensated. So those areas will be the backbone on which that blog is being built.
My wife came up with one additional – Friday Rant. I’d like that, so you may expect it from time to time as well.
But before I start sharing what I’ve learned, you must know that I don’t think about my way as “the way”. Nor do I think it was optimal. So don’t treat that as instructions for zealous execution, instead take a breathe and think is this is exactly what you need.
First of all, I was always interested in computers. On a very basic level, but still. Until I was 30 I had written a few lines of HTML code, played a bit with photoshop and liked visual arts in general. Nothing, really significant, but I was always curious, and curiosity helps a lot in this line of work.
Secondly, I have always had a thing for optimising. My mom says it’s laziness, and – hey – maybe she’s right. But as much as I hate cleaning, I hate repetitive, mundane tasks at work – so I organise EVERYTHING I CAN in my life to minimise need for them. That simplifies workplace related bullshit a lot.
And finally, leading people was never a challenge to me. I honed my leadership even more during my scouts time at Polish Scouting and Guiding Association. Creating a vision and building excitement around it is something that comes to me with no effort at all.
All of this means that my way was good for, well… me, or a person like me. Nothing more. Do not apply everything 1:1. Just plan your personal development and assess from time to time how you’re doing. It’s a disgusting cliche, but you have to “BE YOUR OWN PRODUCT”… Sorry, but it was just laying there. Bleh….
Credits
- Photo by Ann H: https://www.pexels.com/photo/my-secret-plan-to-rule-the-world-book-1765033/
- Dilbert comic strip by Scott Adams: https://scottadams.locals.com/
- The Mandalorian picture by Disney: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Din_Djarin
