BTW, product managers and PROJECT managers are the same thing to me.

Recently, I’ve started to really see the value of having strong (detail-oriented) product managers in a company. Until a year ago, “I” or my “second-hand woman” product managed everything. We were certainly bottle-necking our business.

Then, earlier this year, we launched our first product that I had personally had ZERO involvement in. The launch went through flawlessly and the product was far better than what I could have made it. It was then that I learned the importance for product managers.

Since then, we’ve slowly been growing and focusing in on product managers. Something happened though and as of the last month, product managers have engrossed my life!

About 2 weeks ago, we were able to successfully hire a part-time contractor to now become a full-time, on-site product manager for one of the most important products we’ll launch this year (Q4).

Then, about 3 days ago, I get a series of e-mails from our lead technical outsourcing team that they TOO are implementing project managers. I was pretty excited to hear this because it was going to start making communication easier. Easier communication means faster work!

As if that was not enough, TODAY, we just brought on another amazing product manager to start managing a new product we’re launching soon that has tremendous un-charted territory value for our long-term business.

The more great product managers I bring on, the easier MY job (as a CEO) becomes and so do the jobs of everyone else in the company (since things get organized).

However, hiring the WRONG project manager can also be a nightmare leading to MASSIVE losses. I’ve hired a few of those too in my time

Here are some tips to hire top-notch project managers:

1. Make sure they are detail oriented.

2. You’re looking for OPERATIONAL people, not really strategic or marketing (although sometimes you get lucky and get both).

3. Have past experience (CRITICAL).

4. Versatile. The person must be at least somewhat familiar with many aspects of the project.

5. People Person. A product manager’s main job is to manage people and the delegated tasks. If they don’t get along with the team, that’s a miserable failure waiting to happen.

6. Firm & Authoritative Personality - This is critical because in many ways, they’ll be the “true boss” of the project. If team members can easily fool them or “push them around,” the project will never get done.

To know if they’re firm enough, ask yourself this question: “Would I promote this person to top management?” If your answer is no, I’d think twice about their ability to be a good product manager.

Moral of the story? If you run a company with many product offerings and you really want to see growth, get yourself and your business organized with product/project managers.

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I was just listening to the Audio Book - Good To Great and had an amazing idea at the beginning of CD #3. The chapter talks about the concept of putting your best people on OPPORTUNITIES, not problems.

The example he uses is Phillip Morris, back when they were not doing much business internationally (only 1% of their business was international), the CEO decided that it was time to grow the business world-wide.

The CEO took the company’s BEST executive who was leading the US operations and put him on the international project. He took him from where the revenue is 99% of the company and put him where it’s only 1%!

It almost felt like a demotion to some…

However, a few years later, Marlboro was the #1 selling brand world-wide (3 years before it ever became #1 even in US). The moral of the story is that put your strongest people on the opportunities that have the potential of having the most impact on your business and you double, triple or even quadruple your chances of the opportunity materializing.

Wasting quality people on “solving problems” can become a big waste. Your best people are your biggest asset, use them properly!

By the way, I highly recommend Good To Great. Click here to pick up a copy yourself, I recommend the audio series because he goes into much more detail and you can listen to it in the car or pop it on your ipod.

The idea was so good that I’ve been forced into looking into my own organization to see if I’m making any mistakes?

Popularity: 37% [?]

One of the lessons I’ve learned in the last few years is that you have to be willing to stand up for your own ideas, especially if you’re the leader (a.k.a CEO). In the end of the day, YOU are the one running the company.

A big part of the reason you are the CEO is because of YOUR ideas and YOUR vision.

What happens is that as your team grows, you bring in other bright minds who may be very out-spoken and you probably have great respect for. To make matters more difficult, once they’ve been with you for some time, you even develop a sort of “friendship.”

2-3 years ago I was much more likely to simply say “yes” to every idea my team or key players had. I was very unlikely to disagree with them (even if internally I did), all for the fear that I may upset or disrespect them.

However, a few “slap in the face” later, I realized that I have to learn to trust my gut more. I have to be willing to say, “I think it’s a great idea, but perhaps bad timing for now…” or “I see your point, you made a great case, but for now, let’s focus on this such and such…”

There are better ways of saying no than straight out saying “no.”

The bottom line is that you need to be willing to disagree and fight for your own ideas. If you think something is not a good idea, well speak up! Either genuinely be convinced later that your initial gut feeling was wrong or simply say no to the project.

No need to feel bad, it’s YOUR decision to make - just do it the right away and no one on your team will hate you for it, heck, they’ll probably just respect you more for it.

Popularity: 10% [?]

One of the largest roles a CEO plays is the “calm hand.” That statement reminds me of the old saying:

“It’s lonely at the top…”

It very much applies here - here’s how:

Let’s say something good happens or you THINK something good is about to happen, you’re inclined to want to RUN to the team and tell them. But, really, is that the best thing to do?

Some would argue that, “Yes, your team deserves to know right away and it will only help motivate them…”

I would tend to agree, however, here is where the “overreaction” comes into play - are you telling them BEFORE you signed the deal officially? Think about it…a huge portion of deals just fall apart anyways, do you really want to get THEIR hopes up too?

So, for good news, bottom line, deliver it once paperwork is signed, cash is in hand. Of course, some members of the team will have to know because they’re directly working on the deal - I just mean, don’t issue a company-wide memo on “heresay.”

The REAL Important time NOT to overreact - “BAD” news…

It’s amazing how quick your SLIGHT negativity can have a rolling effect on your entire company. If something “not so great” is happening, you need to do two things:

1. Don’t tell anyone about it until it’s 100% sure that it happened. The only ones that should know about it are those who can help you AVOID it from happening. Again, “need to know” basis - not everyone in the company needs to know.

2. After it does happen, sometimes it’s critical to let others in the company know. At that point, you NEED to find a positive spin on it and deliver it with SOME good news.

Too many shots of bad news at one time can really drain on morale - even if you have to deliver it, do it in small doses and team it up with good news.

How To Stop Overreacting - Rule #1…

Don’t react at all. Step back and give things some time to SINK in. If you react the MINUTE you have a thought, you’re generally going to make the wrong decision.

Soak in what has happened, think about it and let it have some time. Once you’ve had time to wrap your head around it and possibly come up with your own solution or time to close the deal, THEN find a way to open it up to everyone.

See, that’s why it’s lonely at the top, you don’t really have that many people to talk to without risking adverse reactions that can snowball.

(( I wonder if a lot of CEOs see therapists ))

=====================================

My advice of the day - The next time something happens that makes you want to RUN and tell someone, ANYONE - don’t. Force yourself to sit on the news for a minimum of 24 hours (unless it’s urgent of course - use your judgment). Get in the habit of thinking twice and even thrice about everything you say to your team, to your executive team and all.

They are not there to make you feel better, it’s actually the other way around. Suck it up and deal with it!

Popularity: 12% [?]

A question I asked many times a few years back but not so much lately. I always felt that it was their “ego” that was hiding their smile and playful nature. Personally, I promised myself that I would remain who I am and be everyone’s “friend” as I grew into this role.

Year 1: I kept to that commitment, being goofy, fun and everyone’s best friend was working (considering I had zero employees and vendors).

Year 2: Still kept hard to that commitment, maybe even more committed - all our partners LOVED me and worked harder for me (maybe I had about 3 employees, all great people).

Year 3: “Hmm…this person is so used to being my friend, I can’t get them to take me seriously…” or “I just got taken advantage of and swindled by that vendor.”

Fast forward to today, I see myself slowly becoming more resolved, quiet and “businessy” - you must be thinking “No! Don’t do that! You have to be yourself, don’t become one of those people…”

Honestly, I probably never will - I just don’t see it in myself. HOWEVER, with that said, I’m also seeing that the need to reflect authority, decisiveness and control are incredibly important as the team grows, business grows and more parties get involved.

The vulchers are out there and you need to let them see that you have a few fangs too in case you need to defend yourself and your company.

Bottom line is that I have realized that it’s not that the CEOs are cold and rude by nature. A CEO (at least a genuine one) has many pressures on his mind, for example, payroll. The faster you grow, the more people you have (employees and their families) relying on you for their livelihood.

Add to that hungry investors, contractors, vendors, office politics and the 800 other things that can go wrong and I wonder why the heck anyone even WANTS this job? Well, some of us crazy people get “off” on the adrenaline it creates.

It brings the question to mind: “Would you rather be loved or feared as a leader?”

My answer: I’d rather be respected for which I have to inspire love and infect just the right amount of fear.

Not trying to sound cynical, but by “infect fear” I simply mean that everyone in your company and around it HAS to know that you mean business and won’t take “crap.” You have to show action and you have to prove that you easily make tough calls - that in and of itself puts just the right amount of “fear” in people.

But, again, perhaps fear is not the right word, I think respect covers it much better.

Popularity: 14% [?]

Think of this from both sides, business and personal. This topic comes after I had a long talk with a very good friend today who is having relationship troubles. At the very same time, there have been some “personnel” related work troubles on this end.

At times these things can call for actions you don’t feel comfortable making. The obvious “out” most use is to convince themselves that “he/she will change…give him/her another chance.”

My opinion (and I speak to myself just as much as anyone reading this) is that we’re filling our minds with lies to make us feel better because we’re too scared to take that “harsh and hard step.” People do not change (unless something drastic happens in their life or they really decide to do it themselves). I suppose a more accurate statement is that YOU cannot change anyone.

The odds are heavily against you.

In business, you deal with people. Where you have people, you have differences. Learn now to move swiftly and make hard decisions. The next time you catch yourself saying, “let me give them another 2 weeks, they’ll change…” - don’t.

Again, I speak this to myself as much as anyone else. I find it’s much easier to type than it is to do.

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This is not only my question to you but maybe a statement you’ve caught yourself making once or twice? As you know I recently “revealed” that I’m in the middle of a major product launch (we typically only do 1 of these a year, but this year, it looks like maybe 4-5 of which this is the second already).

Anyways, without fault, with these launches comes TONS of stress, pressure and “trying times.” Now, before I continue, let me tell you something about myself…

I’m a ridiculously resilient and persistent person and it takes a LOT to get me to throw the towel in (I’ve honestly maybe thrown in the towel once or twice in my entire life). However, at the same time, I bottle and bottle till I suffer a nuclear melt-down.

So, I typically hold things in and try to handle everything myself until at some point, I simply “lose my patience.” At this point, in the past, I (like many others) would typically begin making harsh, rash and stupid costly decisions.

But, in the last year or so, I’ve grown quite a bit as a leader, person, businessman, CEO, etc…

I still have a very large “buffer” of what I can absorb and I typically still let it all pile up till I hit a point of being overwhelmed. BUT, it’s what I do at the point of being overwhelmed that has seriously changed.

What Do You Do When You’re At The Point of Breaking?

My new rule is to SEPARATE from the situation immediately. I don’t care how urgent things are - if I’m coming close to melt-down, the computer is shut down and I am off to do something to get my mind off whatever it is.

I make a strict policy to NOT make any decisions or call anyone or contact anyone.

Why? Because I’m typically very irritable and upset - I have a tendency to yell, get nasty and pass my negativity onto my team.

This past Friday I sensed myself coming to the point of melt-down (a small one, nothing major) - I pulled back immediately and tonight (Sunday night), I’m feeling better and making rational decisions again.

(( INSIDER PEEK - Why did I hit that?  Mostly just the stress of work-load and a few people who I just was not getting through to and feeling a bit flustered as to what to do about it. I separated mysef from thsse people and today I now have a plan of action regarding how to proceed - one that may be dramatic or drastic, but necessary and well-thought out. ))

My lesson of the day? Don’t make decisions when you’re “losing your patience” - separate and wait for that feeling to go away. Immediately evaluate what made you feel that way and do what you can to resolve it so that feeling does not come back (yes, even if that means releasing someone from your team - it’s a rough world).

Popularity: 8% [?]

Today’s post is really short because quite honestly, I’m tired and want a break - actually, I’m in LA at a conference and need to fly home today (not looking forward to the red eye flight).

Something I have learned from reading Dale Carnegie that really stuck with me is to get RID of the word “…but…”

See, Dale teaches you NOT to criticize someone (whether it be spouse, child or team member) - never criticize, only compliment. If there is something you need someone to change, you always lead in with something good and THEN say what you want them to improve on, it makes a major impact.

Example/

“Jim, your reports are amazing, the graphs and charts are well done and very helpful, but, can I please get them on time from now on?”

WRONG - saying it that way, you just NEGATED your compliment totally…

Try this..

“Jim, your reports are amazing, the graphs and charts are well done and very helpful, could I have next week’s report on Tuesday, it’ll give me that much more time to get the full effect of your hard work…”

BOO YA! Try that, I’ve already been doing it - works like a charm.

Popularity: 9% [?]

Be honest, how many times a day do you check your e-mail?

I’m preaching today, but honestly, I should listen to my own advice because I am addicted to  e-mail. However, I’ve had periods of time (when I travel), where internet is not available and my productivity shoots through the roof.

Here’s how most of us entrepreneurs and CEOs work - we have multiple windows open and one of them is surely our Outlook/Gmail/Hotmail or some other form of e-mail. To make matters worst, we have it set-up to ALERT us when there is a new mail, a small noise that we soon to respond to like little dogs do to a whistle.

E-MAIL KILLS YOUR PRODUCTIVITY…

Period - no question or argument about it. If you’re checking your e-mail more than twice a day (this includes me), you’re not being productive or efficient.

Let me give you an example…

Have you ever noticed how quickly you respond to phone calls? You might be in the middle of an important meeting, but you’ll STILL sneak in a peek to see WHO is calling and you may even actually pick it up! Especially if you’re in the middle of doing something that does not involve another person, you’re 90% likely to get interrupted by the phone and answer it.

Why?

I think it’s because of that sound, we’ve just been trained to answer.

Well, that’s the thing with e-mail now. Most of our computers make a sound or alert us. So, we’ve been trained to respond (like little dogs).

You should not spend all day checking e-mail, do NOT let it interrupt your work time. Bottom-line, think about how many of the emails you respond quickly to - how many of them are actually that urgent?

Here is some advice to DE-e-mailize yourself:

1. Turn OFF all e-mail alerts.
2. Check e-mail only twice - morning and evening.
3. Schedule blocks of time where you actually shut off e-mail completely.
4. Put an auto-reply in your e-mail that tells people your “checking schedule” and give them a phone number to call in case of sheer emergency.

Try putting those into place, one by one (I will try too). I bet you get twice as much done with half of the stress.

By the way, do the same with chat programs (unless you run a virtual company like me, then it’s critical). 

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Actually this is not just for a new hire, it’ll work for anyone. on the team I haven’t studied this in some book - this is coming from experience.

5 ways a START-UP can tell if their new hire truly is the right fit or not. Remember, these are for START-UPS, big companies don’t need all of these factors. However, for a start-up, you need every team member to be a “mini-entrepreneur,” so the following qualities are CRITICAL.

1. Do they leave RIGHT when the clock hits?

My biggest sign/annoyance/pet-peeve are those who literally pack up and stare at the clock for it to hit 5 PM and are OUT the door by 5:01. This is the quickest way to get my on my bad-side. Honestly, they may be done with work - fine, but to RACE out is uncalled for and shows that they have places they’d much rather be.

For a start-up, “love for the cause, company and your work” is a big deal.

If they do it every now and then, fine. Even if they typically leave by 5:10 or so, fine. But, if they’re packing up at 4:50 and sitting at the edge of their seat - get another job.

2. Do they twiddle their thumbs or beg for work?

I consistently scan computer screens and look to see how many people are just on GTalk, Youtube or some other waste of time. Gtalk is critical for us since we have a largely virtual team, but if they’re typing for 30 minutes straight - that’s a non-business chat and it’s unproductive.

Bottom line, if they’re not hungry for work and are finding ways to avoid it - they’re not a good fit for a start-up.

3. Do they review training materials at home?

This one is BIG for me. During the first 2-3 weeks, there is tons of training, book reading, video watching, etc… I want someone that says, “can I take this home over the weekend to finish it?”

If they’re ONLY using work time to finish the training and not actually itching to become a full part of the team - bad sign.

4. Do they answer emails OFF hours (nights/weekends)

Another favorite trick of mine. Start-ups don’t have “8 hour days,” I don’t care what position, you’re on call 24/7. Not all, but I want to see some e-mails answered at 11 PM at night. I want to see some e-mails answered on Saturday.

Things need to get done and 8 hours a day is not enough to get them done.

5. Are they resourceful - figure things out without always jumping to a question…

Start-ups have limited resources (personnel wise) so it’s important that a person be self-motivated to find an answer. Of course they can talk to the team and ask questions. BUT, “asking someone” should never be the first resort. There are training materials, Google and even their colleagues. When I say “ask someone,” I’m mostly referring to the busy managers or executives in the company.

I don’t mind answering questions, actually the more I get the more serious I know the person is. But, please, show me SOMETHING that says you at least tried to research the subject before asking.

Again, these are mostly important for start-ups, some are not a big deal for a big company. But, heck, if you can apply those 5 rules to a big company too, you’re going to have an amazing team.

Just remember, it’s the “little” things that tell you the most about people, don’t ignore those, pay more attention to them. 

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