The Habits of Successful Product Managers – Dave Martin on The Product Experience

We learn something from every guest that joins us on the podcast, but it’s not that often that something they say makes it onto our wall. Dave Martin (co-founder of Right to Left) chatted with us about building great habits for product people, and how to make sure they stick.  He also tells us about his simple question to ask at the end of every week – something that’s already made a difference to the way we work!

In this episode, sponsored by Pendo, listen to learn about:

• What your habits are
• How to have and retain good habits
• What recruiters look for in a Product Manager

Quote of the Episode

Reward is a really important part of habit forming. It’s really important that you reward yourself and recognise when you’re doing well, so if you’re already doing it, there should be a big thumbs up – we should be high-fiving that somewhere. The fact that you have the habit at all is a good thing.

Links mentioned in this episode

• Follow Dave on Twitter and LinkedIn, and at RightToLeft
• Marty Cagan’s books Inspired: How to Create Tech Products Customers Love and Empowered: Ordinary people, Extraordinary Products
• Alison Wolf on Not accepting good enough
• Gallup’s  First Break All the Rules: What the World’s Greatest Managers Do Differently
• Take RightToLeft’s Product Mindset Profile free survey/test

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• Like our theme music? It’s Hamburg-based Pau, featuring ProductTank Hamburg’s Arne Kittler!

Our Hosts

The Product Experience is hosted by Lily Smith and Randy Silver.

Lily enjoys working as a consultant product manager with early-stage and growing startups and as a mentor to other product managers. She’s currently Head of Innovation at Go Compare and has spent 13 years in the tech industry working with startups in the SaaS and mobile space. She’s worked on a diverse range of products – leading the product teams through discovery, prototyping, testing and delivery. Lily also founded ProductTank Bristol (which now has 800+ members!) and runs ProductCamp in Bristol and Bath.

Randy is a product consultant and coach who has been working as an interactive producer and product manager across the US and UK for nearly 20 years. A recovering music journalist and editor, he launched Amazon’s music stores in the US and UK, and has worked across sectors including museums and arts groups, online education, media and entertainment, retail and financial services. He’s held Head of Product roles at HSBC and Sainsbury’s, where he also directed their 100+-person product community. Randy’s book, What Do We Do Now? A Product Manager’s Guide to Strategy in the Time of COVID-19 is out now, with all profits going to COVID-19 relief efforts.