Want a C-suite role? Break into Program Management - a role and skill that connects strategy and execution to achieve best overall outcome. Every successful leader has to have program management skills. Webinar and other details here https://dragonboat.io/break-into-program-management-to-csuite/

1. Eying a C-Suite Role?
Break Into Program Management
Becky Flint

2. Program Manager Group
Dedicated to the growth and support of program managers (and
their friends)
Dragonboat
Complete roadmap execution platform enables teams
to work smarter and achieve results faster
becky@dragonboat.io
dragonboat.io/

3. My Journey
CEO co-founder
VP Product Programs
VP Biz Ops, VP TPM
Head of PMO
Head of PMO
Group Product Manager
Program Manager
Project Manager
Product Consultant
Startup TPM
MBA Finance
LinkedIn/in/BeckyFlint

4. Program
Manager
PMO
Manager
Director/
VP PMO
Principal
Program
Manager
Project Manager/
Scrum Master
Chief of Staff
to CXO
Scrum backlogs
End to end projects (from
idea to go to market)
Roadmaps for Product Line/
Business Units
+ People & Local Process
Portfolio of product lines/
portfolio + company-wide
processes
Programs &
Roadmap for a
Product Area
Large programs
COO /CPO/
CTO/CIO/ CEO
The Leadership Pipeline for Project Program Management

5. Portfolio
Program
Project
How do you lead Portfolio, Program and Projects?
Who Horizon Activities Units
VP/ Dir PgM 6-12 month
(quarterly check-in)
Set /align
Strategy
Months &
team
Sr. PgM 2-6 month
(bi/ weekly check-in)
Roadmap
execution
Weeks &
team
Product owner
Scrum Master
Project Manager
1-2 Sprints
(daily standup)
Tasks Days or
points &
individuals

6. What Does Program Manager deliver?
- Connect Strategy and Execution for Outcome
Top down
Bottoms up
Cross functional
Product features
People/teams
Cross functional activities
Deliver Projects
Achieve Program Goals
Portfolio Allocation for Outcome
Visibility Alignment Outcome

7. What do (some) others think Program Manager do?
Director of Product from a prominent Product Blog
https://productsthatcount.com/resources/blog/brilliant-product-director-on-demystifying-product-management/

8. Iterative
Responsive
Strategic Execution
ResourcesTime
Outcome
Program Management Drives Outcome - Like in All Leadership Roles
ROI
$
$
MoAR
Metrics on Available Resources

9. Agile Program Management: SAFe, Scrum @Scale, Double Diamond
Roadmap Iteration
Quarterly & EPICs
Team Iteration
Sprints & Stories
EPICs ⇒ Stories
Learning + Feedback
Dragonboat Jira

10. Where should Program Manager spend her time and brain power?
Automate
Simplify
Goal and Strategy focused
Horizon and unit appropriate
Allocation
Problem solving
Measurable
Learning & Insights
Visibility Alignment Outcome

11. Member Question 1 How do you handle competing demands from other teams?
1. Build a prioritization framework
a. Intake
b. Cadence
c. Define Roles and responsibilities
d. Use the right measure: MoAR - metric on available resources (vs. ROI - return on investment)
e. Prioritization is not linear, it’s about allocation (portfolio of product, portfolio of goals)
2. Be the Expert on the Six elements of a good execution roadmap
a. Impact
b. Effort
c. Resources
d. Dependencies
e. Deadline
f. Time in market

12. Product Management
CEO of the Product
External Focused
Vision + Strategy
Customers
Markets
Impacts
Program Management
COO of the Business
Internal Focused
Strategic Execution
Initiatives
People
Processes
Member Question 2

13. Program
Manager
PMO
Manager
Director/
VP PMO
COO /CPO /
CTO /CIO / CEO
Principal
Program
Manager
Project Manager/
Scrum Master
Sr. Product
Manager
Product Manager or
Product Owner
VP Product Manager
Chief of Staff
to CXO
Group / Dir. Product
Manager
Program Management and Adjacent Career Path
Other adjacencies:
Business operations, Marketing operations, Sales operation

14. Product led growth
Rise of technology startups
Ever faster Speed of Change
More Distributed Teams
More Temporary/ On demand Teams
Confused Agile and Silo’s
Outdated $ driven practice of Portfolio
Management (PPM)
The Opportunity and Demand For Program Management
The number of technology
based startups surged 47%
in the last decade

15. It’s not what you do, it’s how you do it….
Automate busy work such as status reports
Focus on strategic impact - align for outcome
Focus on strategic effort:
Create alignment for outcome

16. Takeaways
The art of program management is to achieve/ optimize outcome through and with teams
Every leadership role needs program management skills
Visibility + Alignment ⇒ Outcome (More than what you do, how you do it matters!)
You are in Demand! Take advantage of it!

17. Appendix

18. Product
Team 1
Product
Team 2
Product Team 3 Product
Team 4
Program 2
Program Management - X Shaped Connector
Marketing
Customer
Success
Legal HR
Program 3
FinanceSales
Program 1
T shaped: Specialist capable working with cross functional teams
X shaped: Generalist working with cross functional teams & multiple functional teams

19. From Program Management to C-suite
Lead the Complete Strategic Planning and Execution Process
Strategy
KPI
Portfolio
Roadmap
Portfolio
Progress
internal/ external
inputs
Issue mgmt &
communication
Roadmap Delivery
Evaluate & Prioritize
Themes
Define objectives & key
metrics (OKR)
PMO establishes &
leads the process
PMO establishes &
facilitates the process