The New PMT Playbook

Make your manager look good. Backchannel praise, pre-align before big reviews, and proactively remove friction from their plate.
Keep a log of work wins and tradeoffs. Useful for self-reviews and defending decisions later.
Understand team dynamics early. Who are the needle-movers? Who’s influential in decision-making? Build trust with them.
Say no when needed. Last-minute asks (unless from VP+) can be gently pushed with realistic timelines. Loop in your manager.
If you don’t know—say so. “I’m ramping up, so I may need extra context to be most useful. Can you walk me through it like I’m new to the space?”

Messages: Respond same day. If no answer, say:“Thanks for reaching out! I don’t have the answer just yet—let me get back to you by [date].” Then set a reminder.
Emails: Respond to all within 2 days. Emails from leadership = same day or next.Block 40 min daily for inbox triage.
Meetings:
- Always send meeting notes + AIs same or next day.
- Keep 1:1 notes, especially with your manager.
- Not every invite is a must-attend. Ask: “Is product input needed?” If you skip, request notes and AIs.
- Reschedule only once or twice max—beyond that feels flaky.
Set focus time. Block a weekly window for deep thinking. Inform your manager and key collaborators.

Create a ramp-up plan with timelines. Share with your manager.
Define SMART goals (3–6 months). Co-create with your manager to clarify what success looks like.
Understand leadership interest. Who in senior leadership cares about your area? Set up 1:1s or periodic syncs.
Ask: “How are decisions made?” Is it top-down? Which leader drives those calls?
Know your info sources. Who owns the data? Who knows the customer best? Who can unblock you?

Get access to dashboards. Understand metrics, trends, and key levers.
Request vision docs, MBRs, QBRs. These give high-context snapshots of the space.
Push for customer insights. Ask for recent interviews, anecdotes, feedback loops.

Ask how prioritization happens. If no process exists, propose one.
What’s the intake process? Define one if missing, then align with your team.
Understand roadmap cadence. Quarterly/annual? How often is backlog reviewed?
Ask how goals are set. Push for clarity on success metrics—primary vs. secondary.
Own the review rhythm. If not formalized, set your own roadmap/backlog sync cadence.

Plan recharge time. If in a high-stakes team, take a day off monthly if possible.
Pre-plan quarterly leaves. Don’t let burnout sneak up.
Block recovery and strategy windows. Use them to zoom out and think, not just do.

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