The Secrets to Resilience and Why Generalists Make Better Product Managers
4 Insights About Product Management, Productivity and Leadership from Martin, Director of Product Management at OLX Motors Europe
“The workplace transition during Coronavirus has kind of been like moving an offline store to the web in the 1990s, or a desktop site to a mobile one. We can’t mimic everything we did in the office. And we also must focus more on loyalty. Team members have to see the greater purpose of their work.” says Martin, Director of Product Management at OLX Motors Europe (part of OLX Group).
Recently, we sat down with Martin to learn more about his background and his work at OLX Motors (see part 1). We also heard some great insights on productivity and leadership.
Let’s dive in…
1. Adapt like it’s 1999
COVID-19 has catalyzed a rise in remote work. At OLX Motors, the team has learned to adjust.
What’s interesting is that Martin has been a part of monumental shifts before. In 2001, before Shopify was around, he started a company with three friends selling golf equipment online.
“We didn’t have an exit or get acquired or anything. But we were a part of that wave that was democratizing golf. We made the game more accessible through online selling and were a part of rewriting the rules in the industry,” explains Martin.
What that teaches us is that, when big changes happen, make sure you learn and understand the new landscape. Because the rules and ideas are still being written.
“With a remote workplace, it’s important to experiment and discover before implementing processes. From health checks to allowing for flexible work hours to making communication more simple, there’s a lot you can do.”
It will be exciting to see where this shift to remote working takes us. At OLX Group, extra focus has been given to health and wellbeing. You can do the same by following expert tips for optimizing the home workplace with: green plants, mood-enhancing scents, and a separate space for rest and relaxation.
“Every morning, I make sure to do an hour of sports and exercise outside too,” says Martin.
Taking such steps will enable you to maximize creativity and reduce stress. That’s important when working from home.
2. Be a generalist that can identify opportunity
Martin’s career path has allowed him to acquire a diverse skillset and have a diverse range of experiences. He began as an entrepreneur selling golf equipment, then worked in marketing and revenue generation for a large classifieds platform. He then came to OLX Group, just as the company was building teams and bringing different platforms together.
“Going forward, most of our product managers will need a broad toolset to understand research, marketing, sales, tech, the value of design, etc. They must be like a really good generalist. They need to be able to get more specialized if the job calls for it, but most product roles in our organisation have a broad scope,” states Martin.
Martin has good insights into the future. Many in product management believe the trend is towards being an extreme generalist.
Even though the world has become more specialized, it’s the generalists who can navigate the whole ecosystem that will triumph. David Epstein has a book called Range that illustrates this idea well.
Alex Mitchell, a product leader, also echoes this sentiment in an article he wrote about what will make a good product manager in the future:
“They will recognize quality designs vs. crappy ones, they will understand their customers wants and needs, they will know how to market and promote their products, they will understand what analytics they need and how to interpret them, they will even understand technical trade-offs and the high-level differences between programming languages. They will have the ability to activate the right skills for a new product, a shifting business landscape, or a strategic opportunity.”
We are still hiring. Martin’s team is also hiring. Check all our product roles here
3. Learn from the U.S. Navy SEALs
Product managers have a lot on their plate. At OLX Motors, they’re busy revolutionizing the way cars are bought and sold.
Having success hinges on your ability to prioritize the important things, both in work and daily life. You can’t get sidetracked.
“I want to solve problems at scale. I see leadership as a tool for making that happen. True leaders develop their junior leaders and empower them to make decisions. True leaders believe they can assist others in fulfilling their potential by providing a supportive climate within a clear context that inspires freedom. In addition, freedom within a framework enables ‘Decentralised Command’ and is a mark of an achievement orientated leader. For more inspiration I really recommend the book Extreme Ownership. Combat, the most intense and dynamic environment imaginable, teaches the toughest leadership lessons, with absolutely everything at stake. In this book, leaders of SEAL Team Three’s Task Unit Bruiser, teach us how to use those same leadership principles as leaders in businesses, companies, and organizations across the civilian sector.”
When you have a team that takes ownership, you can focus on what matters. You don’t get bogged down in pointless details or waste time.
“At work, I try to be more efficient with meetings. Instead of lengthy chats on Slack, I like to do 15-minute calls to connect with team members. In my personal life, I’m sure to enjoy free time by spending time with family, going sailing, and going out with friends.”
4. Boost your resilience in hard times
With all that’s going on in the world, including the COVID-19 pandemic, you have to pay attention to physical and mental health. If you don’t, you’ll burn out.
“Keep routines. They matter, and must be strong,” advises Martin. “From my morning exercises and breakfast to dinner with the family, I keep my routines. It keeps me stable.”
That’s powerful. For Martin, routines create a rhythm that enables him to do well at work and live intently.
“One thing I’ve learned from my kids is the importance of consistency. If you say something, you have to do it. Walk the talk.”
In short, consistency leads to success. And to be consistent, you need strong routines.
Thank you for the insights, Martin!
Well, that concludes our talk with Martin. When Martin is not busy solving the big problems at OLX, he’s hanging out with his kids, going sailing, and helping out startups at an accelerator.
We’ll leave you with one final quote from Martin:
“Always make time for the things you enjoy. Life is too short. Enjoy the moment!”
We are still hiring. Martin’s team is also hiring. Check all our product roles here
