The way you introduce yourself sets the stage for how others treat you. I’ve had versions of the following chat with many early career Product Managers at a few companies. While subtle, I think a small change makes a big difference. Whether it’s your first interaction in a crowded Zoom call or a lively team meet-and-greet, the initial impression you create when you share your story lays the groundwork for future interactions. Let’s dive into why that first 'Hi, I’m...' is more important than you might think.
In product work, there are a million scenarios where people introduce themselves—live and in Zoom. This happens when teams intro themselves to new members, or when teams meet each other to collaborate. Essentially, any cross-team interaction begins with this 'introduce yourself to everyone’ setup.
Inevitably, the group goes around the room and each person briefly explains what they do. I see many early career PMs handle this by introducing themselves to a group referring to themselves in relation to their manager. Example: “Hi I am Lisa, and I work on April’s team.” I’ve seen MANY women who are early in their careers introduce themselves this way. I’ve observed some men doing this, too, but I much more often see women doing it. Across all genders, I’ve also seen some, but not all, interns or Associate PMs do this as well.
Pro tip: Think through an introduction that does not reference who your manager is.
A crucial part of being an effective PM is building influence leading a group of people who do not report to you. When you introduce yourself in relation to your manager, you minimize your value and create an impression for how that group should view you. Here’s how this can play out: I’ve seen people react to that type of intro and immediately assume they should connect with the relevant manager (as opposed to the product manager herself) whenever there is a downstream question or problem.
Your contribution is MUCH more valuable than “you are on X’s team.” It’s better to state what part of the product you lead, improve, build, focus on, etc. Even better is including the actual user or business problem you are responsible for solving:“I’m focused on making sure our members get value from our product the second they arrive.”
You weren’t hired to assist anyone. I can assure you, your company, your team, and especially your manager, are all relying on you to lead the solving of a specific problem. Getting hired for Product roles is competitive. No matter how early you are in your career, if you are in one of these spots it means the company is investing a significant amount of resources specifically in YOU. Own your role early.
Introductions matter. Don’t short circuit your ability to create influence by short-changing your own value in group intros. Thoughts? Think I missed anything? Let me know.
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Early Career Product Managers: How you introduce yourself matters
That 'Hi, I’m...' is more important than you think.
