I spoke at the first TPM Conference and I left inspired
A retrospective and notes on the future of something special.
Dearest Readers,
Last Friday, I had the privilege of speaking at the inaugural TPM Summit 2023. In the coming weeks, I look forward to sharing the video of my presentation with you.
The TPM Summit conference was an inspiring event which I enjoyed immensely. I was so impressed by this community of technical program managers that I am eager to share my reflections and look forward to the future of the TPM Summit.
The TPM Community Is Hungry and Active — I had always assumed the Product Management community was far more organized than the Technical Program Management community. I was proven wrong; TPMs had organized communities, they just needed a rallying point to bring everyone together. The enthusiasm for learning was palpable and energizing. The speakers were inspiring and eloquent. The organizers achieved something special.
The TPM Community Has Amazing Thought Leaders — Every speaker at the conference was exceptional; their ideas were innovative and grounded in personal experience. They held the audience's rapt attention, who took notes, photographed slides and asked thought-provoking questions. Thought leaders like these are invaluable for inspiring and motivating communities to reach their potential.
The layoffs and RTO reduction have caused a lasting and profound effect —
“I have been looking for a new role after my layoff for the past 7months now. What can I do differently?”
“I moved away from the Bay Area during the pandemic; the RTO/Layoff is hitting me hard. What opportunities do you see in the market for someone like me who is remote?”
At the conference, many attendees came in search of help with their job hunts. Kudos to the organizers for recognizing their need and providing a "Coaching Corner" with experienced TPMs. Unfortunately, the high supply of talented TPMs and the lack of roles, especially remote friendly, makes the job market difficult for everyone. It would be nice if hiring companies still considered remote work as an option; past two years has shown that remote teams can produce great results even during a pandemic. However, the hiring companies are in the strong position in negotiations now.
Opportunity for more structure and organized learning for TPMs — The speakers held the audience's attention, who took pictures and notes. It was a wonderful sight, signaling a potential opportunity. The workshops were jam packed, with many participants leaving charged and equipped with new skills.
Engineering leaders were also present and interested — I met a handful of engineering leaders with TPMs reporting to them, within their organizations or exploring the TPM role. All wanted to know how to best leverage this important role to be more efficient and effective. This shows not only how important this role is and will be in the coming years as all across the industry the mantra of “Year of Efficiency”, “giving time back to crafters”, “We don’t need middle managers” and such slogans rage loudly; the desire for leaders to bring TPMs on to help them build and run effective organizations is high.
Where do we go from here?
I hope for what the future holds and what actions we must take with the momentum gained from this conference are:
This Summit is the equivalent of ProductCon for TPMs and needs to keep going and growing.
Can we build something akin to Product School for those interested in Technical Program Management classes by Technical Program Managers?
More mentorship and coaching opportunities for new TPMs looking for guidance is needed.
It is clear that there is a gap in accredited certifications specifically for the field of Technical Program Management; how do we fill that? Maybe they exist and I don’t know of them.
How can we communicate the importance of the Technical Program Manager role to product, engineering, and senior leaders so that it is used correctly, and those in the role and those working with TPMs do not become dissatisfied?
I am hopeful that a spark of something special will be catalyzed from this conference, leading to a lighthouse that will help guide both current and aspiring Technical Program Managers to reach new heights in their professional and organizational pursuits.
For my part, I will keep writing this newsletter, keep teaching my course, offer to have conversations with TPMs and speak at more conferences. As I said, I am so inspired.
Until next time 👋 !
-Aadil
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P.S.
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A fantastic mix of tools, information, and real world examples to increase my understanding and capabilities. - Ryan Curry Technical Project Manager
This course had real life examples, great group of like minded professionals, and such insightful conversation. Best training I’ve had so far in this space. - Favour Okoh Sr. Technical Program Manager
Aadil is an excellent presenter and speaker, and the material he left us with was thought-provoking and actionable. I took so much value out of this class and can't wait to use this new toolkit to become better. I took so many screenshots of the slide deck, and I even printed out one of the slides to hang above my desk! - Michelle Andreana Technical Product Manager
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