product+management+training

In this post, The Cranky Product Manager continues her vendetta against all those sniveling product managers who trot out pathetic excuses for NOT DOING THEIR FREAKIN’ JOBS.

This is Part 2 of here NO EXCUSES PRODUCT MANAGEMENT series.  Enjoy Part 1 here.  There will be at least parts 3 and 4 (and who knows, maybe there will be more).

LAME-ASS PRODUCT MANAGEMENT EXCUSE #2: "I never received training on how to do that."

Ah, young product manager, do you think you are in Sales or Customer Support or something? Training? For Product Managers? Surely, you must be drunk. Part of your job is to CREATE and GIVE training to everyone else at the company, and yet you somehow have the temerity to expect to get some for yourself?

OK, seriously. The Cranky Product Manager sympathizes, but just a little.  After all, she never had an ounce of employer-sponsored PM training bestowed upon her until, well, never. (On second thought, the Cranky Product Manager has absolutely no sympathy for you at all.)

Your passive "sit-back-and-train-me" attitude, especially when used as a responsibility dodge, makes the Cranky Product Manager want to slap you fire you.  WTF?!? You’re a product manager for Dog’s sake!  Your CORE INSTINCT is supposed to be identifying what’s needed and where the gaps are, and then figuring out a way — if necessary, a CREATIVE way — to eliminate the gaps.

So if your PM skills are lacking, then figure out WHAT training you need and WHY (see Note 1). Then make the business case to your boss – just as you would for building a new product or a new feature!

And if your boss says "no budget", well, show some initiative and EDUCATE YOURSELF. Go to Product Camps. Read blogs and articles. Ask questions of people and LinkedIn. Watch online webinars or some of the free online courses. Join a local product management association that hosts monthly speakers. Read some books. NO EXCUSES! All this stuff is FREE or a complete bargain.

(Yes, the Cranky Product Manager realizes that she should not be yelling at you, an Esteemed Member of the Crankerati.  The fact that you are even reading this post means that you probably read other more educational PM blogs and have taken charge of your own professional development.  Please forgive the Cranky PM for lashing out.)

To wrap up, let’s address a potential hole in the Cranky Product Manager’s logic that you may have spotted: namely, her argument that if you lack Product Management skills, well you should use your Product Management skills to get some training or  train yourself.  Seems a bit circular, but only if you believe that determination, taking initiative, and resourcefulness are "skills" that can be taught in a training class. Au contraire, the Cranky Product Manager believes these are personality traits that can’t be taught to a fully formed adult without psychotherapy or a religious experience.

Now, repeat after me:  NO EXCUSES!

NOTE 1:  If you don’t know where to get training, check the comments on this post.  The Cranky Product Manager expects that many of the product management training vendors will post something.  

But vendors, listen up!  Don’t abuse the Cranky Product Manager’s comment section, or she’ll delete your ass.  

First, your training company may post exactly ONE "pitch" comment, with exactly ONE link.  

Second, if the comments section (or the Cranky PM’s email/Twitter accounts) turns into a bad-mouthing or whining fest, akin to the local junior high school scene, the Cranky Product Manager will shut the whole thing down. Promise.

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