Why I’m Returning to Product Management

My wife has always enjoyed crafting projects. A few years ago, she knitted a large, heavy blanket. It took months, as she would work on it here and there as she needed to fill time. When it was finished, it was beautiful. We still have it, and today it serves as a great decoration piece.

Why is the blanket now a decoration, you might wonder? Well, as great as it looks, it was created with very heavy yarn. Things that are knitted have holes, and the heavier the yarn, the bigger the holes. At our house, we use blankets to stay warm. If a blanket has enough holes in it, it defeats the purpose.

Improvise, adapt, overcome! I still used the blanket by placing a sheet under it and another sheet on top of it. It was a blanket sandwich. After doing that for about a week, we came to an understanding that what we really needed was a quilt. Since then, my wife has made quilts for us, our friends, and even one of my SentryOne teammates who got married.

So how does this story tie into product management? Combining great talent with great ideas does not always result in a great outcome. Someone must ensure that what is created solves problems for people in a way that adds or returns value to their lives and performs for the business. That someone, at least in the tech industry, is often the product manager. For me, I can think of nothing more fulfilling than serving as the conductor in a symphony of success.

Another reason I’m moving back into product management is personal. I have served in many roles throughout my career. A theme I recognize when reviewing my former roles as an aggregate is that I love doing many different things. Product management is the ultimate role for someone who enjoys diversity in responsibility and cross-functional challenges.

Finally, a major reason is our merger with SolarWinds. As fulfilling as product management can be, it is not for the lighthearted. You can easily burn yourself out because it’s always there. As I met the Product team members that I’ll be working with at SolarWinds, something stood out to me—on average, the Product team leaders and PMs have worked at SolarWinds and in product management for more than 10 years. That tells me so much more than any words from any person ever could. Product management at SolarWinds is something special. People want to be there for a long time. Further, the company’s strong performance tells me that their brand of product management also works from a business perspective. I’ve already developed a desire to be a part of that team and to learn their formula to add to my leadership toolset.

So, here’s to my next chapter, which is really just a cover of my previous chapter. I’ll be chasing you all down soon to find out what you need from our products going forward!

Until next time,

-JRH