Coaching – Happiness

Marty Cagan argues that a manager has a large effect on whether a product manager is happy, and that good managers should check in weekly on whether the PM finds her work meaningful, is growing in her career, and has strong working relationships. He stresses that happiness is individual, so managers must learn what matters to each person. The piece covers meaningful work, personal relationships, recognition, sustainable work habits, leading by example, and helping people move to a different role or career when that fits them better. The point is that managers can make a PM's life miserable or help her thrive, so this is a core part of coaching.

01Key takeaways

• Check in at least weekly on whether each PM finds her work meaningful, is growing, and has strong relationships.
• Explicitly connect the team's work to customer and business impact, and repeat that message often.
• Get to know each person's aspirations and motivators so coaching and recognition fit them individually.
• Distinguish voluntary long hours from forced ones, and watch for burnout in motivated teams.
• Model the recovery and boundaries you want your team to adopt, since your actions teach more than your words.
• Be prepared to support a PM's move to another role or career when that serves her best interests.

02Key sections

Meaningful Work

Cagan says meaningful work is usually the largest driver of happiness, often outweighing pay. Managers should explicitly and repeatedly explain how the team's work matters.

Personal Relationships and Recognition

Professional trust grows from personal connection, and managers should learn about their people's lives and aspirations. Recognition should be frequent and personal, tailored to what each person values.

Work Habits and Burnout

He distinguishes people who work long hours by choice from those who are pressured into it, and says the first can be healthy if managed. Managers should watch for burnout, encourage recovery, and offer time off after big pushes.

Modeling Good Behavior

Managers who overwork while telling their teams to rest send a contradictory message. Leaders should visibly recharge and manage their own time and email habits.

Career Planning

Sometimes the most caring coaching is helping a strong PM move to a different role or career. Cagan shares an example of supporting a talented PM who chose to pursue writing fiction.

03From the post

“A partnership dedicated to teaching best practices to product teams and product leaders”

Summary and takeaways written by PM Atlas; quotes are short excerpts. © the original author.