Shows
Lessons in LeadershipEpisode 286: Facts Tell, Stories Sell: Does Your Resume Tell a Story? An Interview with Nils DavisAs host of the Lessons in Leadership podcast, I’ve had the privilege of talking to some incredible thought leaders, and my recent conversation with Nils Davis, a resume, LinkedIn, and interview coach, was no exception. Nils works with product managers and professionals targeting six-figure roles and beyond, guiding them to craft resumes that don’t just list facts but tell compelling stories. Here are some key takeaways from our chat and actionable steps to help you stand out in your job search.
If you like today's message, here are four ways I can help you grow fast...2025-01-1022 min
GTM Disrupted with Mike SmartThe power of soft skills and storytelling in successful product management with Nils DavisGTM Disrupted host Mike Smart reconnected with Nils Davis, product management expert and author for another exciting interview.Nils put a spotlight on key factors impacting product managers in the B2B space. He also shares what he believes are the essential skills of product management success. It may a surprise to learn that Nils puts a premium on developing soft skills and the ability to communicate through storytelling.Key Take Aways from this episode include: Storytelling in Product Management a superpower How to avoid the feature factory2024-07-1836 min
One Knight in ProductNils Davis's Hot Take - Product Managers Need to Tell Better Stories on their Resumes (with Nils Davis, Resume Coach & Go-to-Market Consultant @ Confidence & Impact LLC)Nils Davis is a resume coach who wants product managers to realise they're AMAZING, and help others realise it too.
His hot take? That the majority of product managers are doing themselves a disservice by producing resumes that simply list a bunch of tasks that pretty much all product managers have done.
If you'd like to appear on Hot Takes, please grab a time at https://www.oneknightinproduct.com/hot
Visit Nils's site: https://perfectpmresume.com/
Nils on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nilsdavis/
2024-05-2619 min
Social Media Church PodcastCause and Effect of Digital Discipleship with Drew DavisJoin Drew Davis in this insightful episode as we unravel the intriguing realm of Cause and Effect of Digital Discipleship. Dive into the transformative impact of technology on traditional mentorship and explore its far-reaching consequences for community, relationships, and spiritual growth. Don't miss out on this discussion–hit play, engage, and expand your perspective on the convergence of technology and spirituality. Show Notes: Churchpress.co Nils Smith Website Nils Smith Facebook Nils Smith Twitter Nils Smith Instagram Nils Smith L...2023-09-2852 min
The Secrets of Product Management Podcast66: Miles Davis Vs. The High School Jazz Allstars – RerunThis episode is a rerun of episode 66, Miles Davis Vs. The High School Jazz Allstars. Use that link to visit the show notes page. This episode is a rerun of episode 66, Miles Davis Vs. The High School Jazz Allstars. Use that link to visit the show notes page.2023-08-0821 min
The Secrets of Product Management Podcast66: Miles Davis Vs. The High School Jazz Allstars – RerunThis episode is a rerun of episode 66, Miles Davis Vs. The High School Jazz Allstars. Use that link to visit the show notes page. This episode is a rerun of episode 66, Miles Davis Vs. The High School Jazz Allstars. Use that link to visit the show notes page.2023-08-0821 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influence66: Miles Davis Vs. The High School Jazz Allstars – RerunThis episode is a rerun of episode 66, Miles Davis Vs. The High School Jazz Allstars. Use that link to visit the show notes page. This episode is a rerun of episode 66, Miles Davis Vs. The High School Jazz Allstars. Use that link to visit the show notes page.2023-08-0821 min
The Product Science PodcastThe Nils Davis Hypothesis: A Good Story Comes From Solving A Real Problem For Real PeopleBased on more than two decades of enterprise product management experience, including a stint managing a product for product managers, Nils Davis has lots of knowledge and wisdom. In his podcast, the Secrets of Product Management he shares powerful ways for product managers to create more value by ensuring every product is a solution to a meaningful market problem. And that every team creating and selling products is as effective and motivated as they can be.
In this episode of the Product Science Podcast, we cover how to tell a good story, why ROI calculations hurt innovation...2023-04-0440 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceEpisode 65: Tricks and Techniques For Outsmarting Imposter Syndrome (Rerun)Imposter Syndrome makes it tough to take on that next project, especially in an uncertain, complex domain like product management or product marketing. Here are some techniques you can use to get moving.2022-08-2328 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influence115: The Questions You Ask Can Change Your LifeThe Questions You Ask Can Change Your Life This episode is a direct follow on to last week’s episode on asking great market discovery questions. Last week Craig Davis left a comment on a LinkedIn post that I really liked, and it ties directly into last week’s episode on questions. He mentioned a course from Read More2022-08-0912 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast115: The Questions You Ask Can Change Your LifeThe Questions You Ask Can Change Your Life This episode is a direct follow on to last week’s episode on asking great market discovery questions. Last week Craig Davis left a comment on a LinkedIn post that I really liked, and it ties directly into last week’s episode on questions. He mentioned a course from Read More2022-08-0912 min
GDTEpisode #21 - Interview with Nils d'AulaireIt’s a Good Day to Talk to Nils d’Aulaire! We are joined by Nils, member of the performing duo Future Folk, and star of the feature film The History of Future Folk, to discuss his career.
Listen to Future Folk on Pandora: https://www.pandora.com/artist/future-folk/ARn9l9JntnngxzK
Listen to Future Folk on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVMHSrZydAamd0AF0GYzp6A
Follow Future Folk on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Future_Folk (@Future_Folk)
Follow Future Folk on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/futurefolkmusic (@FutureFolkMusic)
2022-01-071h 05The Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influence88: Nils Wins A Tour de France Stage – Strengths and “Ride Lots”Mental Models, Strengths, and The Tour de France Somehow in this episode I manage to make a souffle from the 2021 Tour de France, the winner of Stage 12 Nils Politt, Mark Cavendish winning his 34th TdF stage, tying Eddie Merckx’ record, and Eddie Merckx’ famous maxim for getting fast – “Ride lots!” Eddie Merckx Read More2021-07-1314 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast88: Nils Wins A Tour de France Stage – Strengths and “Ride Lots”Mental Models, Strengths, and The Tour de France Somehow in this episode I manage to make a souffle from the 2021 Tour de France, the winner of Stage 12 Nils Politt, Mark Cavendish winning his 34th TdF stage, tying Eddie Merckx’ record, and Eddie Merckx’ famous maxim for getting fast – “Ride lots!” Eddie Merckx Read More2021-07-1314 min
The Opposite of Small TalkPsychological Safety With Nils DavisDanielle and Kristy talk about psychological safety with Nils Davis, an author, trainer, and podcast host in the field of Product Management. We talk about what psychological safety is and why it’s important. Nils provides a series of practical tips to build psychological safety with others. We also talk about how to have psychological safety with yourself and why you might want to stop using self-deprecating humor. Danielle and Kristy geek out over their favorite podcasters reinforcing the primary philosophy of this podcast about how to live your best life. Visit us at www.theoppositeofsmalltalk.com and...2021-05-1240 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influence78: Done And Gets Things SmartThis episode is a little trip down memory lane for me, as I recount two very influential articles about software engineering I read in the 2000s. But their influence extended far beyond software engineering, to product management and understanding how products can be successful. Links Rub-a-Dub-Dub, by Joel Spolsky The Guerilla Guide To Interviewing, by Read More2021-01-1426 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influence77: 2020 Retrospective – What Went Well, What Could Have Been BetterThe end of the year always prompts thoughts and reflections on what went down, what was worth celebrating, and where tweaks or even overhauls are needed.2020-12-3025 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influence76: How Product Managers Can Build Psychological Safety In Their TeamsPsychological safety is essential for excellent team performance. In this episode, how product managers can contribute to their teams' psychological safety.2020-12-1724 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influence75: How To Be Better – Strengths and AptitudesThis episode addresses a fundamental concern for everyone - how to be better. How to achieve more. How to be more effective. my guidance is to focus on playing to your strengths, unleashing your aptitudes, and mitigating - not improving - your weaknesses.2020-11-0318 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceDeming’s 95-5 Rule And The Limits of Individual ExcellenceAs product managers, we intuitively understand Deming's 95/5 rule on behalf of our users. But we seldom turn the lens back on ourselves.2020-10-2226 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influence73: 3 Surprising Secrets For Confidence When PresentingHow to have more confidence when presenting This episode arose out of a conversation I had a while back with a young product manager. She was struggling with preparing a presentation, and not just with the content, but with how to present it effectively. She’d gotten some feedback that she needed to show more self-confidence. Read More2020-10-0613 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influence72: Proven Ways To Deliver Value Fast In Your New Product Management JobThe secret techniques to deliver value fast What should you do when you first get started on a new product management job, or with a new product that you don’t know that much about? how can you start delivering value right away? “The first 90 days” There are tons of guides out there on “your first Read More2020-09-2918 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influence71: More Proven Secrets For Brilliant StorytellingAuthentic and brilliant storytelling - about of your product, your customers, and yourself - can be one of the most important tool in your toolbox for success. In this episode we delve into more of the stories you need to be able to tell, how to structure them. And I expose some negative patterns in storytelling you should avoid, as well.2020-09-2229 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influence70 – The Secrets Behind a Remarkable Go-To-Market StrategyDo you have a product that some customers love, but you haven't achieved a repeatable sales model? Then chances are you need to fix your go-to-market strategy - how you market and sell you product.2020-09-1530 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influence69: Unconventional Advice on Product Roadmapsn this episode, a few of the uncomfortable - and often unmentioned - truths about product roadmaps. Predicting the future; different stakeholders have different needs; and what is the purpose of the roadmap anyway?2020-08-2522 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceEpisode 68: Do You Have Any Questions For Me?In this episode I share my approach to coming up with great questions to ask as the interviewee in a job interview. They'll help you find out things you want to know, and they'll help position you as a serious, smart, prepared product person.2020-08-0421 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceEpisode 67: Can I Be A Product Manager Without A Technical Background?This episode is a follow-on of sorts to episode 302, “Not Technical? No Problem.” This question of “I’m not a programmer – can I be a product manager?” is surprisingly common. Most experienced product managers would say “yes” – you do not have to have been a programmer to be a great product manager. But, Read More2020-06-2426 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceEpisode 66: Learn To Build An Effective Team From This Extraordinary High School Jazz BandIn this episode, an exceptional high school jazz band and its leader give us some valuable lessons on how to build a high-performing product team.2020-06-1620 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceGo-To-Market For Yourself: Getting Your Next Product Management JobYour stories of what you actually did are the hiring manager's best way to assess what you can really do and what you are really like. They are critical for reducing the hiring manager's perception of risk of hiring you.2020-04-2823 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceEpisode 63: 3 Short Acts of Product ManagementIn this episode, three short "acts" - somewhat related brief stories that, hopefully, illuminate aspects of product management for you.2020-04-2218 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceEpisode 62: Digging for Market Problems Worth Solving, With Open-Ended QuestionsProduct innovation can be defined as "Solving an important market problem in a new and better way, then taking it to market effectively" - but how do you find those important market problems that need better solutions? You have to talk to the market - and open-ended questions are your stock in trade for learning what you need to know.2020-04-1518 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceEpisode 61: Reducing The Perception of Risk – The Art of Pre-handling ObjectionsUse your knowledge of the problems and challenges your prospects are facing, and the stories of your successful customers, to reduce the prospect's perception of risk about your product.2020-04-0724 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceEpisode 60: Liza Collin on Product ReadinessLiza Collin is the Market Readiness Director for Visma. In this episode she shares why she created this position, and how she helps Visma's product teams launch new products with much higher success rates.2020-03-2532 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceCreative Block Busters for Product ManagersProduct managers create pitch decks and blog posts and user stories and sales trainings and ... the list goes on. But what if you hit a creative roadblock? Here are 3 techniques for blasting through these obstacles.2020-02-2518 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceThe Product Management-Product Marketing InterfaceHow to give your product marketing managers the product knowledge they need for a successful go-to-market.2020-02-1929 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceProduct Management For FoundersThis episode is a portion of my recent workshop on “product management for founders," that I gave at the Incepto startup incubator in Menlo Park, CA.2020-02-1328 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceSoft Skills For Product ManagersWhat are the most important soft skills for product managers? I think most of us intuitively understand that soft skills are important for product managers. But, given that, let's drill down a bit.2020-02-0432 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceGreg Prickril on Managing Your Product Management Career Like A ProductGreg Prickril has been coaching and training PMs for many years. He started noticing that product managers, on the whole, were not putting as much attention into their careers - their professional development - as they could be. And that simply applying product management skills and techniques could make a big difference for PMs' career outcomes.2020-01-2129 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceThe Minimum Effective Dose of Product ManagementThere’s so much we could do as product managers – but we don’t have time to do it all. So you have to know where to apply your leverage, how to prioritize your time investment. You’ve heard of the 80/20 rule – what is the 20% you must do to get 80% of the value? Read More2020-01-1532 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceThe 40/40/20 Rule: A Direct Marketer’s Secret WeaponIn this episode I share an important mental model I learned from Brian Kurtz, from his book Overdeliver, about his career in direct marketing, and his advice for anyone doing marketing of any kind.2020-01-0716 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceRetrospectives Should Be A No-BrainerRetrospectives are a great, cheap tool your team can use to rapidly improve their effectiveness. Here's how to do them, how to sell your organization on them, and, as an example, a retrospective of this podcast's 2019.2019-12-3121 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceThe Product Management System of RecordProduct management suffers from tool problems - we don't have a system of record. In this episode I describe the problem, its impact on us, and how to cobble a basic system of record together using tools and materials you probably have lying around the house.2019-12-2424 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influence10 Tips For Product Managers10 tips you can start using today to become a better product manager, get your sales people to love you, win more deals, and watch your profits soar.2019-12-1312 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceProduct Management Metaphors – Bad and GoodIn this episode, a common product management metaphor that’s actually terrible, plus two GOOD metaphors you can use to help you create better products. We use lots of metaphors for understanding, justifying, and explaining the things we do as product managers. Whether it’s our analytics as “the cockpit of a plane,” or comparing design constraints Read More2019-11-2619 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceThe Impact Area Checklist: A Cognitive Aid For Product ManagersEven highly cognitively capable people - including product managers - can forget to do simple things that they know they should do. In this episode I discuss the power of checklists in general, a product management-related checklist you can start using right away, and some ideas for how you can embed checklists in your products to help your customers solve their problems.2019-11-1921 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceProduct Managers Are UnicornsProduct managers are unicorns - simply based on the numbers we are rare. But in another sense too - there's no formula for "great product manager."2019-11-1220 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceThe Most Important Communication Skill For Product ManagersIn this episode I cover a fundamental skill and mindset about communication - the number one thing at which product managers must excel.2019-11-0514 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceSuccessful Products Are All Alike; Every Unsuccessful Product Is Unsuccessful In Its Own WayLike so many of my podcasts, this episode started from a Slack conversation last week. “What are some good products that were marketed badly?” Of course, if a good product is marketed badly, that usually means it’s going to fail, which usually means no one ever heard of it. But the fact is that there Read More2019-10-2909 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceCustomer Success StoriesCompelling customer success stories are one of the most powerful tools in your go-to-market arsenal. In this episode I cover their structure, the questions to ask, and how to use them to help close more deals.2019-10-2233 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceHow Can I Get My Team To Go Faster?"How can I get my team to go faster?" The fact is, you really can't get them to go much faster. But you can make sure they're going the right direction.2019-10-1419 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influence10 Product Management Books I RecommendIn this episode I present a somewhat iconoclastic list of books related to product management that I’ve found extremely valuable, and which don’t often appear on those other "product management book" lists.2019-10-0732 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceThe Secret Product Management FrameworkHow do you describe product management? In this episode I share a framework that will help you answer this question.
The framework is simple and straightforward, so it's easy to remember. It uses short words in ways everyone can understand. It doesn’t depend on technical or specialized knowledge.
And yet, it's surprisingly powerful.2019-09-2921 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceThe Dangers of Processes and PredicationsYour methodology, your process, is a means to an end. It’s not the end in itself. If it’s not helping you deliver on your goals, then you need to change it. And if you are looking for a high fidelity metric to use to manage your process or your people – consider the World Series. Read More2019-09-1315 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceSales Not Making Quota? It’s Probably Your Fault – Part 2 of 2If the product organization doesn't provide the right product knowledge to Sales and Marketing, then they can't be successful. In this episode I share more Minimum Product Knowledge necessary for Sales and Marketing success.2019-09-0620 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceSales Not Making Quota? It’s Probably Your Fault – Part 1 of 2If the product organization doesn't provide the right product knowledge to Sales and Marketing, then they can't be successful. In this podcast episode and the next one, I share the Minimum Product Knowledge for Sales and Marketing success.2019-09-0316 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceWhat Have I Done For You Lately?Most people don’t know about this powerful technique for reducing churn and increasing retention. I call it the “What Have I Done For You Lately?” report. It’s a report or a message or an infographic that illustrates all the value that a specific customer got from your product in the last year, expressed in their Read More2019-08-2612 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceFermi Estimates: The Most Important Product Management Analytics ToolI removed a feature from one of the applications I manage this week, and I used a Fermi estimate to validate that it would be safe to do so. What’s that you say, “a Fermi estimate?” And why do I think Fermi estimates are one of the most powerful analytical tools in the product manager’s Read More2019-08-1915 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influencePrioritizationClearly prioritization continues to be one of the most important problems for product managers. In this episode I step back and take a look at feature prioritization from first principles.2019-08-0915 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceThe V.A.L.U.A.B.L.E. Rubric for Writing Better RequirementsUse the V.A.L.U.A.B.L.E. rubric to write requirements that result in better communication and higher quality features.2019-08-0217 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceThe Two Stories Every Product Manager Must Be Able To TellThere are two critical stories every product manager should be able to tell about their product - about their poor beknighted prospect, and about their heroic, successful customer2019-07-2627 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceManaging Your Cognitive Resources To Be More EffectiveAs a product manager, one of your most precious resources is your “cognitive storage tank.” It’s like a real fuel tank – when it’s exhausted, your cognitive abilities stop working well. And when that happens, it means you can’t be as innovative, you can’t be as creative, and your decisions get worse. To improve our Read More2019-07-1925 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceProduct Management Tools and Missed OpportunitiesTwo new ways of thinking about tools – and product management tools in particular.2019-07-1220 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceSelection Criteria for Product Management ToolsI love tools, but I am not thrilled with the choice of tools for product managers. There are some bright spots, but you can listen to this episode to learn why I think a lot of the tools on the market miss the mark. I also have a blog post on this topic, and a Read More2019-06-1117 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceThe 5 Questions To Ask About A New Product IdeaIf someone asks “what do you think of my idea?" have them answer these 5 questions. If they can't, then the idea is a solution in search of a problem.2019-05-2410 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceMake Your Presentation 10x Better In An Hour – No Design Skills NeededThe “Minimum Effective Dose” of presentation excellence. This podcast episode is about the 20% of effort you need to get 80% of the value when preparing and delivering a business presentation. If you present to your colleagues on a regular basis, but you feel you’re not getting the best results, this episode is for you. Read More2019-05-1030 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceHelp Me Think BetterIn this podcast episode I talk about an alternative – or extension? – to the useful idea of “Don’t Make Me Think” that Steve Krug made famous. For some situations, though, the challenge is “Help me think better!” If your customers are doing knowledge work with your product, it’s especially important. A few useful and Read More2019-05-0327 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceHow To “Get Out Of The Building”As you know, I’ve been doing a weekly video series on YouTube about various product management topics. I’ve found they make good podcasts as well. (Despite the fact that you can’t see the visuals in the podcast – a link to the original video is below!) The topic for this episode is some practical guidance Read More2019-04-2529 min
Helping Sells Radio108: Nils Davis Say No to a Customer? Oh No He Didn'tAfter Nils Davis, author of The Secret Product Manager Handbook, and I shared a panel at the January Customer Success Network Meetup, it seemed natural to further the discussion on the podcast. We go deep into how product management and customer success team can work better together in service of the customer. My favorite part of our discussion had to do with how to say "no" to customers. Actually, we don't say "no." It is more a matter of prioritizing, how to communicate that to customers, and more importantly, how to listen to customers and dig into what they...2019-03-0653 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceThe Value Inequality Part 2: Managing Risk and ChangeRisk Versus Price Versus Value This is the second of two episodes centered around what I call the Value Inequality. It’s a way of thinking about your customer’s perception of risk versus cost and value of your product. This one’s a bit wider ranging than the last episode. I start out talking about some of Read More2019-02-1440 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceIntroduction To The Value InequalityThis episode is about a new way of thinking about pricing, value, and the customer’s perception of risk. I call it the Value Inequality. Of course, the first rule of pricing is: Your product must cost less than the problem costs the customer. No customer will pay more to solve a problem than the problem Read More2019-01-2525 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influencePersuasion Tips: Part 2This episode and the previous episode came about after some recent executive presentations. I guess I seemed very persuasive because a few colleagues asked me for tips on how to improve their persuasion skills. So I wrote a series of blog posts. Then, on a roll, I did two live videos on Facebook (part 1 Read More2018-11-2724 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influencePersuasion Tips: Part 1After some recent executive presentations in which I guess I seemed very persuasive, a few colleagues asked me for tips on how to improve their persuasion skills. So I wrote a series of blog posts about this. Then, on a roll, I did two live videos on Facebook (part 1 and part 2) about persuasion. Read More2018-11-0927 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceHow To Deliver Bad News (Without Getting Fired)Bad news is product management stock in trade In this episode I talk about the best tactics for delivering bad news. Have you ever had to tell a customer you weren’t going to deliver their favorite feature? Or inform your executive team that your new product version will be later than you had promised? We Read More2018-10-2525 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceNot Technical? No Problem! Tech Secrets You Need To Know, Part 1This podcast is the first of a series discussing some of the key tech concepts you need to be an effective software product manager, even if you aren’t technical. I briefly cover all the different types of skills and characteristics product managers need to have (technical skills is just one of these, an equal among Read More2018-10-0825 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceOvercoming The Curse of Knowledge In Market DiscoveryWe are experts in our product, and often in our domain. How do we overcome our expertise – the Curse of Knowledge – to discover new things about our market? In this podcast, taken from my weekly live Facebook video, I talk about a few simple questioning techniques you can use. The video/podcast was inspired Read More2018-09-2920 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceRyan Troll of The PM Genome Project“You should never get attached to your idea because it will change.” In this episode of All The Responsibility, Nils and Rob interview Ryan Troll, co-founder of the PM Genome project. Ryan started focusing on startups and the startup space after reading a Harvard Business Review about the life of CEOs. In 2016 he and Read More2018-02-2724 minThe Secrets of Product Management PodcastRyan Troll of The PM Genome Project“You should never get attached to your idea because it will change.” In this episode of All The Responsibility, Nils and Rob interview Ryan Troll, co-founder of the PM Genome project. Ryan started focusing on startups and the startup space after reading a Harvard Business Review about the life of CEOs. In 2016 he and Read More2018-02-2724 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceHow To Get Out Of The Building and Talk To Your MarketMarket discovery and how to do it In this episode Rob and I continue our conversation on the things you can do as a product manager even before you have expertise in the product or space. In the last episode, our topic was common problems that product managers can start addressing on day 1 of Read More2017-11-2937 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceThere’s Always Something, Isn’t There?“Always Problems” The genesis of episode’s topic came up in many conversations I’ve had with experienced product managers. Most product management job listings want you to have direct experience with the product you’ll be managing, or at least experience in the space. On the other hand, most experienced product managers think domain experience is the Read More2017-10-1726 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceInterview with David Binetti on the concept of Innovation Options, Part 2Innovation Options are superior to ROI for justifying investment in innovation At the end of 2016, Nils heard and met David Binetti at a Product Tank meetup. He was blown away by David’s take on the ROI of Innovation and Innovation Options. So we asked David to come in for a more in-depth interview. This Read More2017-07-1126 minThe Secrets of Product Management PodcastInterview with David Binetti on the concept of Innovation Options, Part 2Innovation Options are superior to ROI for justifying investment in innovation At the end of 2016, Nils heard and met David Binetti at a Product Tank meetup. He was blown away by David’s take on the ROI of Innovation and Innovation Options. So we asked David to come in for a more in-depth interview. This Read More2017-07-1126 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceInterview with David Binetti on the concept of Innovation OptionsAt the end of 2016, Nils watched a Q&A with David at a Product Tank meetup. He was blown away by David’s take on the ROI of Innovation and Innovation Options. So we asked David to come in for a more in-depth interview. This is the first of two parts of what turned into a Read More2017-04-1130 minThe Secrets of Product Management PodcastInterview with David Binetti on the concept of Innovation OptionsAt the end of 2016, Nils watched a Q&A with David at a Product Tank meetup. He was blown away by David’s take on the ROI of Innovation and Innovation Options. So we asked David to come in for a more in-depth interview. This is the first of two parts of what turned into a Read More2017-04-1130 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceInterview with Andrea Saez of ProdPadA few months ago, San Francisco played host to the Mind the Product conference, a meetup meant to inspire collaboration and bring together the ever growing community of product managers. The conference, now in its 5th year, was started by some of today’s leaders in product management including the founders of the ProdPad product management Read More2017-02-2823 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceRetrospectives – What Went Well, What We Could Do BetterThe power of retrospectives Teams that do structured retrospectives or debriefs are typically 25% more effective. What does this mean for you? That improvement can translate into very big business results, like multiplying your profits by a factor of 10. Want better retros? Download my 5 Tips To Unleash The Astounding Power of Retrospectives. How Read More2017-01-2524 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceBecoming the Product Manager for an Existing ProductTaking on an existing product In this episode, we talk through an underrepresented topic in the world of Product Management: how specifically to approach the management of an already existing product. Much of the conversation in the podcast and blogosphere about Product Management focuses on the act of bringing a new product to market. But Read More2016-11-0125 minThe Secrets of Product Management PodcastHow To Learn Product ManagementHow did we learn product management? In this episode Rob and I share some stories about how we learned product management, how we learn new things in general, and what we’re focused on learning right now. How Did Nils Learn Product Management In The Dark Ages? I start out by talking about how I learned Read More2016-10-0632 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceHow To Learn Product ManagementHow did we learn product management? In this episode Rob and I share some stories about how we learned product management, how we learn new things in general, and what we’re focused on learning right now. How Did Nils Learn Product Management In The Dark Ages? I start out by talking about how I learned Read More2016-10-0632 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceThe Feature Canvas – One Page for Getting Your Feature S**t TogetherRob created the Feature Canvas to help manage the development of major new features. We think other product managers would find it valuable. He presented about it at Product School recently, and offered to share it on the podcast. Some of you already have a picture in your head what that might look like, simply based Read More2016-08-3030 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceHandling The Product Teardown Question – Part 2: ExampleIn our earlier episode about how to answer the "product teardown" question in a product manager job interview, we promised a real life example. Here it is!2016-05-2633 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceGuarantee Success In Your First 100 Days In A New Product Management JobHow do you lay the foundations for success when starting your first product management job, or your third, or your tenth? In this episode we go through a set of ten activities that - if you do them - will get you off to a great start.2016-05-1929 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceHandling The Product Teardown Question – Part 1: TheoryIn this pair of episodes, we focus on that very common and somewhat feared question that occurs in many product management interviews: What’s a product you like and how would you improve it? I think we can all agree that in an interview context, the interviewer does not really care what products you like. This Read More2016-04-2028 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceBeing Better At Getting Customer FeedbackWe product managers are not our customers. Without good market information, we can’t make good product decisions. So, we need to spend a lot of time talking to customers and our market to find out what we should make. Here's how to do that better.2016-03-1531 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceHow Much Is That Feature In The Window? Podcast Episode 6It's a question we all get a lot from our executives - “How much money will we make from this feature?” In this episode we explore a few techniques for answering the question.2016-03-0731 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceHow Much Is That Product Manager In The Window?How Much Is That Product Manager In The Window? In this episode we revisit a topic from last season – the business value of product management. How much is your time worth? How much should your PM work this year contribute to revenue next year? Does it make a difference if you’re managing enterprise software Read More2016-02-0227 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceAdvising – Do You Know As Much As You Think You Do?Rob and I both do some advising, are invited to advise various companies, and lead workshops. The conversation in this episode grew out of self-reflection we’ve both done about our advising, our readiness to be advisors, and what organizations seeking advice should consider when seeking out advisors.2015-12-2527 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influencePart 2 – Interview with Hubert Palan of ProductBoardThis is part two of our interview with Hubert Palan, found and CEO of ProductBoard, and long time product management leader and executive. Part 1 is here. Three things you can start doing today As always, we like to give you actionable takeaways from our podcast episodes. The three ideas below come directly from our Read More2015-12-0421 minThe Secrets of Product Management PodcastInterview with Hubert Palan of ProductBoard, Part 1Nils first met Hubert Palan about a year ago at the Product Management Summit in San Francisco. Nils was presenting some ideas on a “roll your own product management system of record,” while Hubert was there to talk about the product he was building – a real product management system of record. This product, ProductBoard, Read More2015-11-2224 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceInterview with Hubert Palan of ProductBoard, Part 1Nils first met Hubert Palan about a year ago at the Product Management Summit in San Francisco. Nils was presenting some ideas on a “roll your own product management system of record,” while Hubert was there to talk about the product he was building – a real product management system of record. This product, ProductBoard, Read More2015-11-2224 minThe Secrets of Product Management Podcast by Nils Davis: tips for product managers, covering storytelling, go to market,innovation, resumes, job interviews, PRDs, working with developers, persuasion and influenceIntroducing Season Two Of The All The Responsibility PodcastWe are very excited to unleash the first episode in our new season of All The Responsibility, None Of The Authority, a podcast for product managers, product marketers, innovators, entrepreneurs – everyone who wants to be more effective and more successful creating and selling products. Season Two has a lot of changes, including a new Read More2015-11-1412 min