Main Takeaways: - Pitfall 1: Not getting a proper lay of the land. Gather raw data from everyone to form a picture of how things work, but don't assume everything is optimal. There is probably more dysfunction than you think. - Pitfall 2: Focusing on action too early instead of connecting the dots to company strategy. Its easy to get distracted by incoming requests or pass-downs from your boss. It's critical to first align your mandate to the company's strategy. If that is solid, everything else is a prioritization exercise or investment case. - Pitfall 3: Blindly following others in your first project. Rely on your instincts and think for yourself with your first project. Don't paint by numbers if the details don't make sense to you. In the end, you'll be the owner of the outcomes.

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3 Early Pitfalls New PMs Can
Encounter by Dropbox Group PM

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5. “I just joined and what’s going on?”
by Kevin Sung, Group PM
www.productschool.com

6. Kevin Sung
S P E A K E R
Group Product Manager, Dropbox

7. A B O U T M E

8. Quick Disclaimer
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The contents of this presentation are personal opinions,
broadly applicable. They do not reflect beliefs or practices
of any specific employer, past or present.

9. Learning Objectives
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● Having an effective first 30 days on the job
○ Avoid three common pitfalls
○ Explore with the right mindset
○ Build for long term success

10. Core Premises about PMs
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● PMs = instincts, sound judgment, and pattern
recognition, not just execution
● Even veteran PMs need significant time to ramp up
effectively to truly deliver outsized value to the company
● First 30 days = critical window of time when you can
investigate objectively

11. Your new adventure begins...
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● Challenging interview and offer
negotiation
● Interviewers painted a rosy picture
of the company
● IT mailed your laptop
● You’ve finished your HR checklist
in Workday
● At first 1:1, your manager exclaims:
“I have high expectations for you!”

12. Your new adventure begins...
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If you’re lucky, support structures are in place to help you find
your balance.
“Ramp up” plan from
your manager
PM boot camp or
official company
onboarding
New-hire buddy

13. Your new adventure begins...
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But depending on the company, you’re also feeling a variety of
pressures. They might include...
● Lack of clear direction
● Everyone quietly judging
● Anchoring first impressions
● Fire-fast culture

14. Your new adventure begins...
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In this kind of high stress
situation, it’s no wonder
people find being a new
PM intimidating!

15. Your first 30 Days: Figure This Out
● What game am I playing?
● What are the rules to the game?
● What’s my starting position?
● How do I succeed?

16. 3 Common Traps
Getting a
poor lay of
the land
Focusing
on action
instead of
strategy
Ignoring
your
instincts

17. 3 Common Traps
Getting a
poor lay of
the land
Focusing
on action
instead of
strategy
Ignoring
your
instincts

18. Gather data, but don’t take
everything at face value
Don’t assume others have up-to-date
facts or sound strategy; triangulate
from many sources

19. Locate Key Influencers
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● Map the org charts
● Understand every person’s roles and responsibilities
● Identify approvers and drivers

20. Learn What’s Canon
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● Internalize the company’s key metrics
● What’s the company slang?
● What’s the source of truth when it comes to documenting
decisions?

21. Get Below The Surface
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● Ask provoking questions
● Understand what people really think
● Gather context, not gossip
● Separate fact from fiction

22. Learn what’s really going on
Your impression of the situation
before you signed the job offer may be
different from the reality, once you’re
on the inside. Figure it out quickly.

23. 3 Common Traps
Getting a
poor lay of
the land
Focusing
on action
instead of
strategy
Ignoring
your
instincts

24. Connect your mandate to
the company strategy
If you’re able to do this and get
aligned, the rest becomes a
prioritization exercise
Company strategy
Team strategy
Your mandate

25. Understand Your Starting Position
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● Learn how value gets created at the company
● Ensure all the dots connect logically

26. Inventory Your Levers
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● Are your levers direct or indirect?
● Are they easy or difficult to pull?
● What’s the operating model to prioritize which levers to pull and
when?
● How much control do you really have?

27. Test for Common Understanding
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● Don’t settle for “I don’t know”
● Alignment of goals and outcomes is at the center of everything
● What if the company doesn’t have a clear top-down strategy?

28. Spend the time to understand
how and why your role is truly
valuable for the company
This gives you insight to make smart
decisions throughout your first year
Company strategy
Team strategy
Your mandate

29. 3 Common Traps
Getting a
poor lay of
the land
Focusing
on action
instead of
strategy
Ignoring
your
instincts

30. Think for yourself
Like it or not, you’re
directly responsible now

31. Your Options With A Hot Potato
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● Proceed
● Delay
● Cancel

32. Delay and Investigate
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● Do the research and business case pass the smell test?
● Do the expected outcomes connect back to the company strategy?
● Can others on the team explain why it’s important, without
referencing names of specific internal champions or executives?

33. Rework The Problem Methodically
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● Re-evaluate the problem space first
● Once problems are agreed upon, evaluate the solution space
● Only after the directional solution is vetted, figure out the
remaining executional details

34. If it doesn’t feel right, take
the time to figure out why
Short term pain to change course is
always preferable to correcting a
costly mistake after the fact

35. Summary
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● Being a new PM is intimidating due to many pressures to perform
● DO gather raw facts from drivers and approvers
● DON’T assume all information you hear is correct
● DO tie the company’s product strategy back to your mandate
● DON’T over-index on small, early wins
● DO resist pressure to deliver something you don’t believe in
● DON’T blindly follow instruction without your own due diligence

36. Thank You!
www.productschool.com

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