The Simple 3-Step Guide to Succeed as a Product Operations Manager

All human beings on earth are unique and different in their own way. And being a manager entails getting a group of people to carry out certain tasks properly to get specific results. Making the team successfully work towards one goal can be quite hard at times, depending on the characteristics of both the team members and the manager.

As a product operations manager, you should be able to identify the basic skills that each team member possesses. Knowing the characteristics of each team member will help you make the right decisions in terms of helping them in their professional growth, and of course, the outcome (the product) will be optimized.

After knowing each team member, you need to know if their operational efficiency is in line with the company’s overall mission. Looking at just the product itself can be misleading at times; that’s why you need to keep a close (yet professional) relationship with your team members so that they will take your advice as an input for their growth and not as a threat.

The processes and workflows should be the main focus. It would be easier to tell which parts of the production process need improvement if each team member were analyzed independently.

One way to avoid misfits in the team is to select a great team from the beginning od the project. Product operations managers must select the right set of people. Sometimes the most qualified person may not be ideal for your project. As such, you need people who fit the bill for your specific goal. It is also important to select team member with diverse skills and experience levels. This will ensure that each team member complements the other, thereby making the team more effective and producing great results. Always remember that the best team members are those with great interpersonal skills who can relate well with others.

There are three questions that project managers must be able to answer:

1. Are the team members productive?
2. Are they efficient?
3. Do they get distracted?

The increase of operational effectiveness is an immediate consequence of knowing how to answer the question above correctly. You will be capable of not just helping your team members but also helping yourself by improving your skills as a manager.

Most product operations managers hold weekly, monthly, or quarterly meetings to remind everyone in the team of what is truly important, which is the result. They get to meet and familiarize themselves with the already existing team members through these meetings.

Constantly giving feedback to your team helps immensely in identifying where the operations processes may need improvement. This is vital as it keeps team members on their toes and ensures that the bigger picture is still in view.

It is not easy to manage your team; however, the benefits of good management cannot be overemphasized. It is also not always easy to use certain essential features like feedback (in public) due to the nature of your team member. In such cases, you can easily apply technology to make the whole process easier for you.

Here, we list some of the most important aspect to consider if you want to effectively manage the product operations team:

It is just not enough to know who your team members are, what they do, and provide ways to make them better at what they do. Finding out what part of the operational process makes your team members happy or how you can make them feel comfortable on the job is a bonus. It is true that job satisfaction is one huge key to great results.

An excellent software based on operational management would have an in-depth feedback system to determine if your team members are satisfied with the job or are satisfied working with you. For best results, the feedback feature should come with a provision for members to provide reasons for some answers they give.

AllActivity has these in-depth features, and its users’ privacy settings make it more enticing and exciting to use. You will not just concentrate fully on getting results via the software but also get to know your team members. This will help you make the right decisions based on duty relegation, which, when done right, will give you the desired product at the right time and in the right condition.

Subsequent actions to increase your team’s productivity are based on self-development. Introducing them to relevant self-development programs is one way to achieve that. You can engage them in in-house activities that encourage unity and more friendly relations amongst themselves. Organizing fun social gatherings for them is another way to foster unity and understanding amongst your workers. But during all this, moderation is the key. It is essential to do all of these while balancing the professional side of things.

With the branding and image of the company technically in your hands, there is no excuse to fail or go below standard or optimal quality. Applying the key ideas and tips given in this article will not just ensure your success as a product operations manager but also improve the life-work balance of both you and your team members.

As it stands, your success as a product operations manager rest in your hands today. What are you going to do about it?