Why Most Product Management Programs Don't Work
Roughly four years ago, I decided to get a coach. I realized the importance of having someone who can be a sounding board, someone who challenges my thinking and gets me out of the way.
That’s what good coaching does for your career: Product Management and otherwise.
Most Product Management programs make a fundamental mistake: the emphasis of information over transformation.
I always ask people about what programs they have already done when they come to me and their impact on their careers. I have had over a thousand such conversations. I find that most programs are focused on handing out certificates rather than handing out real-life change. They end up being a waste of time and money.
A Product Management program should transform your mindset and your strategy. It should give you the tools to become great and give you a chance to put those tools into practice. A great program teaches you how to work in various scenarios and, most of all, how to enjoy your job and your life honestly.
If you are looking for a program, I urge you to find one that is not making these fundamental mistakes:
- Only covering performance psychology
- Never going beyond the basics
- Not teaching you how to work with people
- Providing a generic curriculum that does not work with your circumstances
- Focus on practices but not what helps you succeed in your career
