Sydney Finkelstein on LinkedIn: What To Do in Your First 30 - 60 - 90 Days as a Product Manager | 11 comments (2024)

With the warm Chicago weather, I decided to try making BBQ ribs for the first time. A task that I soon realized was not for the weak.Between the hours spent researching recipes, consulting my expert rib-making father, gathering ingredients, preparing, marinating, and cooking the ribs - I was cautiously optimistic.They turned out just so-so.So why am I posting this on LinkedIn? Whether it be a new recipe or a career challenge, we can prepare everything seemingly right, yet the outcome isn’t as desired. We can’t change what has happened, but we do have the power to determine what’s next.We can choose to:- Use the failure as a reason to give up- Cry- Outsource to an expert, maybe order from Morton’s instead? $- Reflect and research what went wrong and try again- Pivot to another option, maybe BBQ-pulled chicken would fulfill my BBQ craving and be easier?Don't let your current failure prevent you from reaching your future success. In case you're wondering, I will be attempting BBQ ribs again. Just not right away.#TuesdayThoughts #GrowthMindset

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I passed my exam! I am now a certified Professional Scrum Product Owner🙂

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Challenging ourselves is synonymous with being uncomfortable. Spaces of growth are unlocked by the keys of discomfort. It's easy to feel imposter syndrome as we debate stepping into new spaces, but it's important to allow ourselves the opportunity. Everyone is learning.Embracing the journey of growth, I applied for the Empowerment Fund for the Women In Product 2024 Conference to further my education in product management from industry experts. I'm excited to share that I've been selected as a recipient of the Empowerment Fund! I'm grateful that this opportunity will help me evolve as a product manager and, with time, empower others.For those also seeking to upskill and build confidence in their knowledge to fight imposter syndrome, I encourage you to register for the conference next week on May 14th - 15th! Conference Link: https://lnkd.in/gTWdwi3m #productmanagement #womeninproduct

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I attended the Women Impact Tech conference today and here are some of my takeaways:- Tech is ever evolving, which means we will forever be learning. While this allows for the possibility of getting left behind, it more so allows us the opportunity (especially as women) of propelling ourselves ahead on new tech and emerging as leaders.- Focus on being effective versus being right. - Whitney McGinnis - Remember your differences are your power. This is one reason why diversity in hiring is so important. - Whitney McGinnis - We can be our authentic selves, be kind, and still be effective leaders. If our environment doesn’t support that, then it isn’t the right environment. - Michelle D Greene I got to meet many outstanding women from different areas of tech. If we met today, please don’t hesitate to reach out! Always open to coffee or seeing how I can help.As any introvert knows, a day like today is both exhilarating and exhausting. I ended today with eating some delicious pasta to decompress(pictured)!What else did everyone take away?🙂#womenimpacttech #womenintech #product

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Being a product manager has broken my perfectionism.𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈’𝐯𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐝:- A great product and imperfections can coexist. Even our favorite products still have bugs- It’s impossible to design a new feature to perfection because "perfection" is only our best guess. We can collect as much validation ahead of time and it likely will still not be enough once the feature is released- If a product were perfect, my role wouldn’t be needed𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐰:- Don’t waste time on "perfection". Aim to build great feature foundations and iterate from there after the release - Focus on incremental improvements and get excited for wins at any size- Maintain high standards for my work, but accept perfection isn’t realistic - Challenge myself and my team to discern a want versus a necessity for pushing a release- Be kinder to myself, not only in work but in life. We each are our own product and like what we work on, growth takes time.What’s a lesson you’ve learned since becoming a product manager? #productmanagement

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Happy International Women’s Day! I got to celebrate with this amazing Women In Product event. I’m grateful for all of the empowered women I’ve met through being a part of the organization. Thanks again for organizing Anna-Mi Widman and Discover Financial Services!If there are any interested women seeing this post that aren’t a part of the organization yet or would like someone to join with them going to a future event, please message me! It can feel intimidating trying something new, but trust me it’s worth it and you will feel accepted🙂

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A lesser-known fact about me is that I actually majored in psychology and had plans to become a high school psychology teacher.While life took another direction, psychology has remained a passion of mine. So, when I heard that my worlds of product and psychology would collide with the seminar on “The Power of Gamification in Production Management," of course I’d be in attendance!I’d like to thank the Chicago Product Management Association for organizing and author Michael Hyzy for presenting on this interesting topic. No matter the industry, there are ways to connect gaming principles and psychology to create more enjoyable and engaging products for our users. My wheels are already turning on how I can integrate this knowledge with my own product.Accounting for personalities, motivations, and learning styles in day-to-day interactions as a product manager allows for stronger relationships and, in turn, stronger products. I am biased, but I really do believe that psychology connects to product management more than it typically gets credit for.Pun intended, what are your thoughts?🧠

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