The Heart of Product Management: Building Bridges with Your Agile Team 💡

Product managers, often the visionaries behind a product's success, are no strangers to the art of empathy with customers. But is understanding the customer, being clever, and having a keen sense of UX enough to be a great product manager? The short answer is no, but it's an incredibly promising start. 🚀

What's often less discussed is the pivotal role that product managers play in their agile teams. While they frequently negotiate with external stakeholders and collaborate with fellow product managers and UX designers, one key element often falls into the shadows—the interaction between product managers and the engineering team.

Take a moment to think about it;

You might have a strong working relationship with a key engineer, perhaps a senior developer or lead engineer. But what about the entire engineering team? How well do you really know them, their preferences, and their quirks? It's one of those intangible yet critical factors that you won't find in any textbook but is essential for success.

Why does this matter?

“Why should I do this? I don't have time to hang out with everyone.” By fostering shared understanding with the entire scrum team, you're shaping a different dynamic in the workplace.

Engineers, for instance, are often quite literal. They'll execute exactly what's written on the ticket, meeting acceptance criteria and user stories to the letter. Yet sometimes, a product manager gets precisely what's written but not quite what they intended. This gap in shared understanding can lead to missed opportunities. Building a rapport with your engineers can bridge this gap, resulting in improved communication and better outcomes.

Additionally, trust begins to form. There's mutual respect and admiration when you build friendships, driving team members to contribute not just for their jobs or product success, but for the team's success as a whole. To inspire that extra drive and motivation, a sense of belonging to a cohesive team is essential.

But how do you build this relationship without wasting a bunch of time?

Here are some steps to consider:

1. Host Kickoffs and Share Your Vision: Invite the whole team, share your vision, and listen to their input. Everyone on your team is your customer—treat them as such.

2. Groom Stories and Technical Groomings: Show your investment in their success by bringing well-groomed stories with minimal ambiguity. Host technical groomings to incorporate their input and foster a sense of collaboration.

3. Reduce Churn in Sprints: Allow your engineers to focus on their deliverables without frequent interruptions. Limit sprint injections and context switching, enabling them to work more efficiently.

Beyond job roles, consider these simple ways to build trust and camaraderie:

1. In-Person Gestures: Bring them coffee, ask about their day, and see how you can make their work smoother. These small gestures can uncover potential blockers and strengthen bonds.

2. Virtual 1:1s: Host regular 1:1 check-ins, creating a virtual coffee hour to cater to their preferred timing.

3. Random Check-Ins: Send a friendly Slack message just to check in and let them know their partnership is valued.

The best teams I've witnessed operate this way—they see the person beyond the title. Champions for culture, they let genuine curiosity and genuine friendships propel their teams to greater heights. While time is a precious resource, this investment is truly worth it." 🌟🤝