My First 90 Days as Head of Product: A Playbook for Impact
Stepping into a Head of Product role for the first time is an incredible opportunity. It's also a period where the learning curve can feel vertical. I often get asked by new and aspiring product leaders how to navigate these initial months effectively. Drawing from my own journey and the timeless wisdom of product leaders like Marty Cagan and Gibson Biddle, here’s a practical playbook for making a real impact in your first 90 days.
1. Embrace the Unknown & Listen Intensely
The most crucial first step? Acknowledge that you don't have all the answers, and that's okay. Your primary goal initially is to learn – about the product, the market, the team, the company culture, and the existing processes. As Gibson Biddle advises, even create a "SWAG" (Stupid Wild-Ass Guess) of the product strategy early on, not as a definitive plan, but as a tool to facilitate discussions and gather insights through one-on-ones with peers, direct reports, and your CEO.
2. Shift Your Focus: You're Managing People Now
What got you here as a Senior PM or a Principal PM won't be enough to make you successful as a Head of Product. Your primary role shifts significantly towards managing, coaching, and empowering people. Your success is now deeply intertwined with the success of your team. This means dedicating a substantial portion of your time – especially if you're a first-level manager (managing ICs) – to mentoring, coaching, and ensuring you have the right people in the right roles. I’d say around 80% of your time should be here, with the remaining 20% on the broader strategic context.
3. Master Your Craft to Coach Effectively
Your team will look to you for guidance. They want a leader who has been in the trenches, who understands the craft of product management deeply, and who can genuinely help them get better at their jobs. This isn't about micromanaging; it's about being able to provide insightful coaching on what truly matters and helping them cut through the fluff. To do this, you must continue to hone your own product skills.
4. Understand Your Mandate: Transformation or Status Quo?
This is critical. Were you brought in to fundamentally transform the product organization, perhaps to shift towards a more empowered model? Or is the company relatively happy with the current state and looking for optimization and steady leadership? Don't assume. Work to understand the explicit and implicit expectations for your role. Your approach will differ significantly based on this understanding, and ensuring you have the necessary support for your mandate is key.
5. Assess Your Team and Identify Gaps
The clock starts ticking from day one. You need to quickly get a handle on the strengths and development areas of your team members. Are they appropriately leveled? Where are the skill gaps? I'm a big fan of frameworks like Petra Wille's PM Wheel to conduct a thorough assessment. This isn't about judgment; it's about creating targeted development plans and ensuring everyone is set up for success.
6. Balance Quick Wins with Core Strategic Work
Especially in larger, more political organizations, demonstrating some early quick wins can be important for building credibility and momentum. However, these shouldn't come at the expense of the deeper, core product work that will drive long-term value. Find the right balance and communicate clearly how short-term initiatives align with the broader strategy.
For those leading multiple layers of PMs (e.g., Director, VP), the 80/20 rule often inverts: 80% of your time might be on the strategic context (vision, strategy, team topology), and 20% on direct coaching of your leads.
Your first 90 days are about setting the foundation for long-term success. It's about learning, building relationships, understanding the landscape, and empowering your team. What were your biggest learnings in your first leadership role?
