Emotional Intelligence in Product Management: Why It Matters and How to Develop It with Christian Idiodi

Do you struggle to get buy-in for your product-led initiatives? Are you having a hard time convincing executives and colleagues to embrace the change? In this episode of Product Thinking, Melissa Perri talks with Christian Idiodi, Partner at Silicon Valley Product Group. They explore the key elements of successful product transformations: through his years of experience, Christian has observed that emotional intelligence, humility, and a willingness to transform yourself are key drivers of successful organizational change. He shares valuable insights on how to build trust and read the room, in order to transform your organization into an empowered, customer-focused team. Christian Idiodi is a Partner at Silicon Valley Product Group (SVPG), where he advises and coaches executives, product teams, and leaders on how to build great products. With over 200 products built in his career, Christian has experience in the HR technology space, financial services, and marketplaces. Before joining SVPG, Christian led a major transformation at Merrill Corporation for several years. You’ll hear Melissa and Christian talk about: Emotional intelligence and awareness are critical for product managers to gain buy-in from stakeholders and executives. Arrogance and ego can hinder organizational change and transformation efforts. People are often promoted to leadership positions without adequate training or development, leading to insecurities and impostor syndrome. To get buy-in, seek to understand the needs, goals, and reward structures of key stakeholders and executives. Product managers should do discovery on key people in the organization, including executives, to understand their perspectives and challenges. It's important to understand the reward structure and incentives of executives, and it's okay to ask about it directly. Creating a user manual for managers or stakeholders can help product managers better understand their perspectives and motivations. The true stakeholders of a transformation effort are usually a small group of people with high levels of interest and influence, and understanding their perspectives is critical. Ask open-ended questions and show a genuine interest in the success of stakeholders and executives; this can help to build trust and facilitate buy-in. All problems in a transformation are people problems, and leaders need to coach their teams to play a new game. Success in product management is not about the title, but about the impact on the environment. Emotional intelligence and the ability to read a room are crucial skills for product managers and executives to succeed in their roles. Arrogance, ego, and imposter syndrome can hold product leaders back from developing their emotional intelligence and reading the room. Building trust is essential for product leaders to establish themselves as competent and credible. Positioning yourself as ignorant and seeking to learn from others can help you build trust and establish productive relationships. Tailor your presentations and communication style to your audience’s preferences can help you connect with them and read the room effectively. Organizational transformation starts with individual transformation of leaders who are willing to put in the effort to change themselves and their environments. Successful transformations often have strong product leadership, competent product managers, and an empowered culture. A powerful indicator of an empowered organization is when engineers can articulate their work in the same language as top executives. Resources: Christian Idiodi on LinkedIn | Twitter | SVPG Silicon Valley Product Group