The Essential Skills and Best Practices for Effective Product Management – Echezonachi Ndeokwelu

Product management is a multifaceted field that requires a diverse set of skills. Central to this role is managing customer feedback loops to ensure products meet real-life needs. Effective communication aligns expectations with stakeholders, while active listening addresses any concerns. Conducting market research is crucial for identifying trends and assessing competition. A strong focus on user experience ensures products are engaging and intuitive. With business acumen, adaptability, and a growth mindset, these skills enable product managers to make informed decisions and drive continuous improvement in their practices.

For someone starting new as a Product Manager the required skills might seem very complex and unachievable, this is why our correspondent here at NaijaNews sought one of the best Product Managers In Nigeria to help simplify this process and skills making it more achievable for beginners in the field. 

This week we sat with the Product Manager and Founder of Bonded by Tech, Echezonachi Ndeokwelu to explain the nitty gritty of this field to us. Echezonachi is an author and a successful Product Manager who is passionate about empowering aspiring minds and contributing to the growth of her community. She has written several articles addressing pressing issues and providing valuable insights to fellow product managers and subordinates. Echezonachi led the development of Lumia, one of Nigeria’s leading service providers for buying electricity. If you’ve ever had the ease of using Lumia to purchase your electric units, then you know who she is. Presently, she works as the IT Development Manager at the Port of Dover where she leads the team of developers in the creation of applications that improve efficiency in operations across the port. Chances are, if you’ve eaten a banana from the UK, it passed through the Port of Dover. 

What skills do product managers need?

While there are several essential skills for product managers, the most critical ones include managing the customer feedback loop, effective communication, active listening, market research, focus on user experience, business acumen, adaptability, and a growth mindset. Successful product managers must be customer-centric, understand business needs, and excel in negotiation and stakeholder management. Technical skills can be an added advantage as it helps you have a better understanding of the development process and improve work relationships and trust with the delivery team

How do you handle delays in timelines?

Delays are inevitable in the software development life cycle. Whether they occur during design, implementation, or testing, it’s crucial to plan and address them effectively. I focus on proactive planning and risk analysis to mitigate predictable issues. When unexpected challenges arise, I collaborate with my team to tackle them promptly and efficiently. Some delays in the timeline are out of the PM’s control, however, if it is within my control then it is my responsibility to ensure minimum impact. 

How do you promote creativity in your team?

Promoting creativity involves providing space for team members to express their ideas. I hold one-on-one sessions to understand their individual needs and preferences. Since everyone is different, what works for one person might not work for another. Building personal relationships with team members helps in supporting their creative processes.

What methodologies do you use and/or recommend?

I’m a strong proponent of the Agile methodology. In a dynamic tech environment, involving stakeholders from the beginning helps in creating the best product. The Agile approach allows for flexibility and iterative development, whereas the Waterfall methodology may result in outdated products by the time development is completed.

How do you build and foster a high-performing product team?

Autonomy is key to building a high-performing team. Trusting team members to perform their tasks without micromanaging fosters a productive environment. Allowing individuals the freedom to manage their work leads to better outcomes and a more engaged team. Team members need managers rather than micro-managers, I know I have an amazing team, so I trust them to get their work done and provide the absolute best support. I’m also very keen on my team’s mental health, we have processes in place to support people experiencing difficult times but I genuinely care about my team and that helps as well. 

How do you handle conflict within your team?

Handling conflict requires a case-by-case approach. I aim to de-escalate situations with minimal fallout. If necessary, disciplinary actions based on organizational policies might be required, but my preference is to resolve conflicts before they reach that level.

What are some of the challenges you’ve encountered when dealing with product teams?

Building a product is complex and fraught with challenges. Unforeseen issues and resistance to change are common. Managing these challenges involves handling people dynamics and adapting to evolving customer feedback. Working in an agile environment means that we are constantly getting feedback from stakeholders. Feedback is amazing, it improves my products, however being the deliverer of bad news to my team is never a fun assignment. Managing change requests requires explaining the why, explaining the why before the what, and how helps boost the acceptance of change requests in our development life cycle.