The document discusses building great relationships with your team as a product manager. It provides three principles: 1) connect with each individual personally through 1:1 meetings, 2) create psychologically safe spaces through rituals like lean coffees, and 3) foster strong partnerships by treating team members as co-founders. The presentation encourages spending time collaborating and focusing on long-term goals and impact rather than day-to-day tasks. Product management is about providing direction and alignment. Building relationships is key to effective product management.

1. JM Coaching & Training © 2020
www.productschool.com
Building Great Relationships With
Your Team by Intercom Sr PM

2. JM Coaching & Training © 2020
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Management Certificate™
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4. Free Product Management Resources
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6. Building great relationships with
your team and beyond
JEAN-PIERRE PEQUITO

7. JEAN-PIERRE PEQUITO
@hellojeanpierre
● 7 years as a PM (Intercom,
ServiceNow, Amboss, Cupenya)
● Working on a new product,
previously started 2 companies
● No, I’m not French!

8. Product management is
about direction &
alignment

9. I felt an imposter.

11. Organizations are
networks of information
and people.

12. 3 principles
for building great
relationships

13. Connect with each individual
in your team personally.
1

14. Spend 1:1 quality time
● Be genuinely interested about what’s
going on with their life
● Ask about how current projects, what’s
next up or what is top of mind
● Ask how you can help
Weekly, bi-weekly or monthly(ish)
Gather info, build trust

15. Take the initiative
● Pick a couple of engineers
and attend a conference
● Organize social gatherings
(BBQ, picnic, drinks etc)
● Go out the office for ice
cream, have lunch
together
Be proactive to gain influence
Bond and have fun

16. Create safe spaces,
psychologically safe.
2

17. Team rituals that
encourage safe spaces
● Outside the office
● ~5 min to brainstorm topics and vote
to sort them by priority
● 3 min timer per topic, when it’s over
👍 👎 to extend 2’ or move on
● Have guests join you :)
Lean coffees on Friday mornings
Relaxed chat for top of mind concerns

18. ● If you are given feedback, just
listen, don’t justify, appreciate
their effort
● When you give, share the
trigger, how it makes you feel,
use “I” and avoid “you” (eg.
you always do..).
● Compliment often
Feedback-giving culture
Encourage 1:1 feedback
Giving feedback is hard

19. Foster strong partnerships,
treat them as co-founders.
3

20. ● When someone suggests a
feature, be curious and find
out what triggers it
● When you receive stakeholder
feedback, don’t answer right
away. Take it, consider it,
reevaluate and follow up with
them about the outcome.
Assume best intent
People mean good
Avoid getting defensive

21. ● You don’t need to write user stories,
prioritize backlog, or run
projects—think bigger, longer term!
● Spend more time collaborating
together, long whiteboard sessions
Let others do product
Focus on impact and goals
Coach others to think like a PM

22. 1. Connect with each individual in your team
personally.
2. Create safe spaces, psychologically safe.
3. Foster strong partnerships, treat them as
co-founders.
PM = Direction + Alignment
Building great relationships

23. @hellojeanpierre
jp@pequito.me

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