Product managers have a challenging yet critical responsibility – to understand customer needs and guide the development of solutions that deliver value. While Product Managers may be deeply immersed in the details of their products, building connections with company executives is equally vital to drive alignment and secure the support needed to succeed.
However, forging strong executive relationships poses difficulties. Executives operate with intense demands on their time and multiplying priorities to balance. Meanwhile, Product Managers often have less visibility and influence at senior levels to capture attention on their goals. Still, overcoming these hurdles to develop mutual understanding between PMs and executives leads to better outcomes for the company and customers.
This post covers tips tailored to the Product Managers perspective for establishing authentic, productive executive connections even amidst busy, asynchronous schedules. With consistent effort, Product Managers can earn trust and advocacy at senior levels to empower better decision-making across teams.
Why Building Strong Executive Relationships Matters
While heads-down building and iteration come naturally to most product managers, creating executive alignment plays a subtle yet crucial role. Without sustained engagement from company leaders, Product Managers lack the context, resources, and validation needed to drive great solutions forward.
On the other hand, by focusing energy on executive relationships, Product Managers can accelerate their impact by:
Securing Executive Buy-In on Priorities
As stewards of the customer perspective, Product Managers possess valuable insights – but they require executive sanctioning to translate ideas into roadmaps. Product Managers who communicate effectively with executives get their priorities heard and approved faster.
Unblocking Critical Resources
Even the most ingenious product designs lean on additional skills and people to deliver. Whether pursuing capital for new initiatives or needing cross-functional cooperation, executives control essential resources Product Managers don’t directly manage.
Receiving Clear Strategic Guidance
Keeping products aligned with the company’s vision is impossible without executive clarity. Connected Product Managers can surface potential conflicts early and receive course-correcting insights from leadership.
Gaining Political Capital
In large organizations, building consensus across stakeholders is key – something executives do well. Enlisting executive sponsors generates momentum for a Product Manager’s proposals and lends credibility to their efforts.
In summary, investing in executive communication helps Product Managers get more done – removing roadblocks, securing buy-in, landing resources, and nudging workflows toward efficiency. But purposefully building these C-level and VP connections demands thoughtfulness and tenacity even for experienced PMs.
Challenges Product Managers Face in Working with Executives
While positive executive relationships unlock major value, nearly all PMs grapple with familiar obstacles in connecting with leadership:
Competing Against More Visible Priorities
Executives operate with a bird’s-eye view of the company – they ping-pong between functional groups and shift focus rapidly to address the hottest issues. Compared to revenue targets, technical debt, or compliance controls, Product Manager initiatives can easily fade into the background noise.
Heavy Constraints on Executive Time
Regardless of organization size, an executive’s calendar stays filled to the brim. The average C-level connection has back-to-back meetings covering diverse subjects, leaving few open windows. Their bandwidth to dig into specific product concepts stays slim.
Asymmetry of Power and Status
PMs usually pack different credentials than executives who earn titles based on experience and leadership aptitude. Regardless of a Product Manager’s own tenure or expertise, the gap between individual contributor and executive levels can feel intimidating.
Reliance on Third-Party Information Access
Where executives enjoy direct visibility into financials, operations, and hiring pipelines, Product Managers often lack easy access to the information executives discuss daily. This disconnect makes bringing targeted, insightful data into executive discussions tougher.
While these dynamics pose very real challenges, they can be overcome through tailored techniques covered later. But first, unpacking why connections across the leadership ladder matter so much helps reinforce the return Product Managers realize by investing in executive relationships.
Tips for Building Strong Executive Relationships
While every executive and company organizes differently, some universal techniques help PMs start meaningfully engaging with senior leaders.
Research Background for Context
Before attempting outreach, PMs should brush up on an executive’s specific role, tenure, past initiatives, and pubic bio details. These signals allow Product Managers to reference relevant context, ask informed questions, and identify hooks aligned with executive interests – leading to richer discussions.
Leverage Executive Assistants
Executive assistants play a vital, hands-on role in managing uphill relationships. Assistants control access to schedules and maintain an informed perspective on upcoming executive priorities. Develop positive rapport through responsiveness, then lean on assistants to surface the best meeting windows or mediums.
Be Punctual and Prepared
Every meeting slot with an executive becomes precious due to their jam-packed calendar. Product Managers should confirm details days before, arrive early in case of schedule changes and over-prepare talking points to maximize the time. Think through what specifically you want from the meeting in advance as well.
Present Trade-Offs and Options
While Product Managers get caught in solution mode, executives judge priorities and complexity from a different lens. Boiling down tensions between speed, quality, and resources presents the situational constraints for alignment in tactical next steps. Identify 2-3 alternatives rather than prescribing a single path.
Follow Up with Consistency
A single great meeting won’t cement a lasting connection – follow-up proves commitment beyond the initial discussion. This means recap notes, next step confirmation, and sharing relevant news or articles to stay top of mind. Track follow-ups in your calendar for accountability.
Propose Low Risk, High Return Collaborations
Big novel ideas may inspire, but bite-size projects create opportunities for low-stakes interactions that build trust gradually. Offer to contribute slides to an executive’s upcoming board presentation for additional exposure while delivering value.
Filter Information and Prioritize Needs
Information overload already plagues every executive – Product Managers who relay unimportant bits or non-critical requests simply add noise without meaningful ROI. Be intentional by only relaying product updates, risks, or action items that surfaced after asking “Does this warrant executive attention?”
Leverage Connections Across the Organization
Executives delegate heavily to their direct reports – forging productive ties across people leadership teams grants valuable perspective while also providing more exposure touches. In some cases, securing buy-in with a VP unblocks alignment more easily than accessing a time-strapped CEO directly.
Invite Two Way Dialog
Executives appreciate Product Managers who actively listen and draw out their experience beyond formal status updates. Asking thoughtful questions centered around executive knowledge domains pays dividends for mutual understanding. Consider scheduling walking meetings for a change of context.
Overcoming Roadblocks and Setbacks
Even with consistent effort, Product Managers will inevitably hit snags in developing executive relationships – but responding constructively preserves credibility for the long term.
Reframe Early Rejection
If a product concept faces immediate dismissal from executives, the natural reaction feels discouraging. But written-off ideas still provide crucial insights into current executive thinking. Analyze the root objections collaboratively so the effort becomes an opportunity for mutual learning.
Stay Patient But Persistent In Down Cycles
When major company events like product launches, leadership changes, or budget issues arise, executives direct attention to urgent matters first. Rather than going silent, keep engaging during hectic periods by providing value where feasible even if involvement stays limited.
Manage Elite Behavior Carefully
While most executives maintain approachable demeanors, some still cling to old-school mentalities around seniority and status hierarchies. Adjusting tones and directness for specific personalities demonstrates emotional intelligence in getting past counterproductive ego conflicts.
Collect Feedback From Multiple Sources
Rather than banking on a single executive relationship, Product Managers should adopt a portfolio mindset in developing connections across the leadership team. Building constituencies beyond a potential executive detractor can help balance perspectives when roadblocks emerge.
Measuring Progress and Results
Judging the maturity of executive relationships goes beyond tallying meetings or pleasantries exchanged. Some metrics that indicate true traction:
Inputs Acted Upon:
When Product Managers see their data, proposals, or product ideas actively shape strategic plans and outcomes, executive alignment becomes tangible.
Access to Critical Forums:
Invitations to present at offsite leadership meetings, boardroom discussions or customer advisory events signal credibility.
Proactive Inclusion:
Engaged executives ensure Product Manager participation across processes like budget planning, succession moves, and expansion goals early on rather than after.
Visibility Across Peers:
Supportive executives mentioning your team or priorities to other leaders demonstrate influence taking hold.
Resource Commitments Accelerating:
Growing executive willingness to fund headcount, tools, R&D, and bold visions means they see Product Manager-led progress.
Tracking soft traction points like these helps quantify goodwill and momentum beyond vanity executive access. Most importantly, savvy Product Managers realize executive relationship building remains a long game rather than a one-off accomplishment.
Key Takeaways for Building Strong Executive Relationships
While executive access opens doors for Product Managers, effort invested in building strong executive relationships compounded over months and years determines the ultimate value realized in return. Core lessons for Product Managers seeking to level up executive connections:
- Prioritize rapport-building sessions early, not just when urgent needs arise
- Prepare diligently for any meeting or discussion time granted
- Frame issues and choices, don’t just pitch solutions
- Follow up consistently without becoming needy
- Involve a spectrum of leaders rather than banking on just one
With executive time so precious – yet also necessary for Product Managers to unlock their full potential – applying emotional intelligence and creativity sustains positive partnerships over the long haul.
