Main Takeaways: - Understanding humans - Communicating with humans as PM - 3 roadblocks and how to overcome them

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Communicating with Humans,
the PM Way by Expedia PM

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6. Communicating with
Humans - The PM way
By Swathi Kantharaja | Expedia Product Manager

7. Top reason why businesses fail
Failure to communicate value propositions in clear,
concise and compelling fashion.

8. Today’s Journey
Part 3
Roadblocks for
effective
communication
and how to
overcome them
Part 1
Understanding
Humans
Part 2
Communicating
with Humans

9. About me
Product Manager, Expedia
Fmr Product Manager, BBC
Instagram: @the_product_lead

10. What comes to your mind when you
hear the word Human?

11. Thoughts | Feelings | Emotions

12. EQ - Emotional Intelligence
● Being able to identify your own and other people’s
emotions and use them as a guide in thinking, taking
actions and to influence those of others.
● Today, EQ is one of the key quality to be a good
leader

13. The 4 types of personalities
Fiery
Red
Sunshine
Yellow
Earth
Green
Cool
Blue

14. Our thinking process

15. How do we make decisions?
We all have 2 minds
● Logical thinking brain
● Emotional thinking brain

16. Fiery Red - Meet Red Robin
● Competitive
● Demanding
● Determined
● Strong willed
● Purposeful
● Aggressive
● Controlling
● Driving
● Overbearing
● Intolerant
● Be direct to the point
● Focus on the results and objectives
● Don’t hesitate
Slogan: “Be brief, be bright, be gone”

17. Sunshine Yellow: Meet Yellow Yana
● Social
● Dynamic
● Optimistic
● Inspiring
● Easy going
● Frantic
● Hasty
● Undisciplined
● Indiscreet
● Flamboyant
● Open and flexible
● Involve them in the decision making process
● Don’t tie them to routine or structure
Slogan: “Involve me”

18. Earth Green: Meet George Green
● Patient
● Empathetic
● Considerate
● Kind
● Supportive
● Uncertain
● Dependent
● Stubborn
● Compliant
● Docile
● Be patient with them
● Slow down and let them work at their own pace
● Don’t push them to make quick decisions
Slogan: “Show me you care”

19. Cool Blue: Meet Bella Blue
● Structured
● Logical
● Questioning
● Meticulous
● Methodical
● Critical
● Stuffy
● Indecisive
● Suspicious
● Reserved
● Be well prepared and thorough
● Provide them with details
● Don’t invade their personal space
Slogan: “Give me the details”

20. On a bad day
Aggressive
Controlling
Frantic
Hasty
Passive
Stubborn
Indecisive
Stuffy

21. Today’s Journey
Part 3
Roadblocks for
effective
communication
and how to
overcome them
Part 1
Understanding
Humans
Part 2
Communicating
with Humans

22. As a Product Manager - We
communicate
Product Vision Why
Product Strategy
Product Roadmap
How
What

23. We communicate to
Stakeholders Customers
Tech team

24. Communicating Roadmap
Stakeholders
Customers
Tech team
User registration Browse an item Book an item
Feature ROI Timeline
What problem is it solving?
Priorities Epics, Stories

25. How are we communicating?
Verbally Written

26. Verbal Communication

27. Written Communication
1-2-1 Group

28. Written Communication
1-2-1

29. Emails - 121
Subject: “Feature prioritisation”
Body: “Can we catch up, to decide on the
product feature?”
Signature: “R”

30. Subject: “Feature prioritisation”
Body: “Ahead of tomorrow’s meeting, I would
appreciate it if you could familiarise
yourself with the necessary background
information, this should help us in deciding
the feature. I have attached 3 documents.”
Signature: “Best regards, Bella”
Emails - 121

31. Written Communication
Group

32. Documentation
Yearly
Quarterly
Weekly
North Star
OKRs
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
2020
Roadmap
W1 Wn Weekly highlights

33. Today’s Journey
Part 3
Roadblocks for
effective
communication
and how to
overcome them
Part 1
Understanding
Humans
Part 2
Communicating
with Humans

34. Roadblocks for effective communication
Knowledge
gaps
Language
barrier
Ambiguity

35. Roadblocks for effective communication
Knowledge
gaps
Language
barrier
Ambiguity
Customer value | Business Impact | Technical feasibility
Focus on punctuations | Job journal | Empathy
5 Whys | Ask Questions | 121 communication

36. “Product management is the glue that holds together
all the various functions and roles across a company
that speaks different languages. A product isn’t
going to be successful without that glue holding
those teams together”
Ken Norton, Google Ventures Partner and PM

37. Thank You...
Swathi Kantharaja, Product Manager, Expedia

38. References / Resources
1. Surrounded by idiots by Thomas Erikson
2. Have You Eaten Grandma by Gyles Brandreth

39. www.productschool.com
Part-time Product Management Training Courses
and
Corporate Training