LeanCPTO

Leading a work package

This playbook is for everyone: product leads, product designers, product engineers, and anyone who can influence the product in one form or another. It is a guide to leading a work package - not just for product managers. It intends to ensure that product managers don't become implicit managers of a team.

Principles

Principles are non-negotiable fundamental truths that serve as the foundation for the system we are creating. They will act as guidance for the expected behaviour to deliver the strategy.

  • 1️⃣ Anyone can be a product manager
  • 2️⃣ Product managers lead initiatives where problem and solution are unclear
  • 3️⃣ Product designers lead when the problem is clear but the solution unclear
  • 4️⃣ Engineering lead initiatives where the problem and solution is clear

Challenges of a Managerless Organization

Running a managerless organization presents a significant challenge: the potential emergence of implicit hierarchies. While the organizational design may suggest a flat structure, certain roles often gain more influence, particularly in the eyes of leaders from other functions. One such role is that of the product manager. This dynamic is deeply rooted in how product managers have been trained over the past two decades. We could consider them a distillation of the old world of the project manager, scrum master of the agile movement, and product managers in their original intended form.

When I first introduced product managers at Lieferando, it was largely because it was the industry norm and widely advised - I didn't know better. These individuals were tasked with driving changes in product development. However, I soon noticed a troubling pattern: product managers began to centralize all communication with the engineering team, often exhibiting a savior complex. They would say, "The engineers are too valuable; let's not bother them. Talk to me first." Consequently, they took on all initial meetings and ideas, adding them to their backlog. Initially, I found comfort in this arrangement as it freed up my time, but I later realized that this disconnect from the product was harmful to my role as CTO - a learning that, over the coming 10 years, made me decide to move into the CPTO role to truly be impactful again.

Over time, the role of the product manager has evolved into a hybrid of numerous responsibilities: Scrum Master, Team Lead, Meeting Facilitator, Spokesperson, Priority Decision Maker, Project Manager, and Team Event Initiator, among others. In essence, product managers have inadvertently become de facto managers within the team. And arguably the worst kind of managers - the gatekeepers.

While product managers are often highly energetic and capable of juggling multiple tasks, the sheer volume of responsibilities can lead to burnout - a silent epidemic in the industry. It's rare to find product managers who have sustained this role into their 50s or still have joy doing the work or haven't pivoted into freelancing to avoid being sucked into this dark pit.

To address all these challenges, both for the individual and the organization, product managers must be refocused, and the rest of the team elevated simultaneously. Product managers should concentrate on areas where their skills add value, such as analytical investigation, research, and hypothesis building, especially when the problem is unclear. Once the problem and solution are well-defined, engineers can take over, handling the details, dependencies, and implementation.

Story Time

At Enter, we were revamping our approach to presenting energy consumption data to homeowners at the start of 2024. Our initial product was simple - we just shared our screen of the tool our consultants used. Obviously there had to be a more efficient way to transport the knowledge. A product manager experimented with a manually created slide deck, which significantly enhanced the customer experience for both homeowners and consultants. Now, with this insight, in my view the product manager's role was completed, having clarified both the problem and the solution. This set the stage for engineers to develop a scalable product, roll it out, and address any remaining issues with stakeholders or customers directly. This is the essence of product engineering, and I cannot emphasize its importance enough. In this phase a product manager would be only valuable as a project manager.

Conclusion

When running a managerless organisation, there is a set of roles that can have the tendency to fill a void. The point that this void should not happen, hence it is required that everyone steps up. This playbook sets out the rules how to fulfil this.

The Playbook

Below you find the playbook as it stands today (*27.02.2025*) at Enter. Side note, I approach the role of product leadership differently. I refer to the product managers as "product leaders" to emphasize my unique perspective and to mitigate biases associated with traditional product management roles.

The below product is for everyone: product leads, product designers, product engineers, and anyone who can influence the product in one form or another.

1. Ownership and Roles

  • Primary Leader: As a team member, you are eligible to be the primary owner of the work package, responsible for managing its scope, timeline, execution and communicating its progress.
  • Default Leader: Unless otherwise assigned, the Product Lead typically assumes the default leadership role. Whenever the product lead is the primary leader of a work package, the expectation towards that role are the highest. Product Leads scale the teams ability by role modelling how to lead a work package.

2. Initiation and Communication

  • Work Package: Create the management summary for the work package to align all stakeholders. The audience is everyone in the company, so avoid technical terminology and keep it short and concretely phrase the problem to be solved.
  • Kick-off: Begin the work package with a clear kick-off (can be a document, not necessarily a meeting) to outline the project's scope, timeline, and objectives. Ensure all relevant team members are briefed and understand their responsibilities. Ensure you understood the problem you are trying to solve for the customer.
  • Documentation: It is your responsibility to ensure you got your collaboration area all figured out before going into implementation.
  • Ongoing Communication: Keep the everyone regularly informed of progress during the stand up or similar meetings. Being asked about progress is a smell that this expectations has not been fulfilled.
  • Follow up: If stakeholders or other involved people communicate a lack of progress-visibility and information, review your communication strategy.

3. Management and Collaboration

  • Project Management: Take an active role in managing the project, including refining requirements as necessary. Collaborate not just within your crew but also across other crews for seamless integration and alignment. Maintain relevant project management systems if used.
  • Meeting Efficiency: Leverage existing meeting structures for discussions related to the work package, minimising the need for additional meetings.

4. Focus on the End-User

  • The end goal is to develop a product that effectively meets user needs. Maintain this user-centric perspective throughout the project to ensure the final product is well-received and successful. Have a good understanding how the work package will quantifiable impact the user. Delivering a BE service alone is not an initiative. Define the initiative by impact on jobs to be done of the users of the solution.
  • Prepare early measurements together with Data Analytics on the impact to be able to show the success of the work package.
  • Make success for the company and value to the user measurable.

5. Leadership Recognition through Action

  • Demonstrate Leadership: Lead through your actions and behaviors, emphasizing proactivity, transparency, and inclusiveness.
  • Engage and Empower: Actively involve your team members, delegate effectively, and support their professional growth, reinforcing your role as a leader through empowerment.
  • Consistent Communication: Maintain open and regular communication, fostering a transparent environment where feedback is welcomed and challenges are addressed collaboratively.
  • Lead by Example: Model the work ethic, dedication, and commitment you expect from your team. Your example will naturally establish your leadership within the team.

6. Drive to Completion

  • Gravity to Rollout: Keep the momentum toward the final rollout. Motivate your team, align them with the project goals, and ensure all actions are strategically aimed at launching a successful product. Find the right balance between quality and roll out speed to gather feedback.
  • Provide measurable progress: Keep the group updated on your weekly ambitions and update them.