Opportunities come in different ways. Some are easy to spot and gladly accepted (getting that promotion at work). But more often opportunities are obscure and usually difficult to perceive as providing benefit. If the old saying is true, how do you spot opportunities? I don’t have a magic bullet, but here are three actions that have helped me:

• Seek: Look around you. Observe what’s going on in your daily life. Pay attention to what’s happening and look for ways to turn small things into big opportunities. Seek out advice from mentors and friends who care about you.
• Accept: When you recognize an opportunity, say “yes” and accept that it can improve your life. Do your homework and make sure it’s something you want to do, but don’t get too caught up in the things you can’t predict.
• Act: When you accept a new opportunity as something that can improve your life, run with it. Make a plan. Set aside the time and resources and go for it.

What are the big opportunities staring you in the face?

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The Product Management Perspective: Opportunities can be difficult to recognize for product managers. They often come in ways you don’t expect. They are sometimes subtle and almost always difficult to detect. However, opportunities do exits. New products are out there waiting for you to discover them. Significant improvements to existing products are looking for daylight. Seek them out, accept them and go to work making new realities.

The great thing about activities like mountain biking is they give you a chance to get away and help you put life into perspective. Many of the things we do for recreation provide apt lessons for other things we do in life. During my experience on the mountain I thought of a few leadership analogies:

Don’t ride alone: I was a slow getting ready and ended up taking my first ride down the mountain alone. The ride up seemed long (and boring) and I wasn’t sure which trail would be the best to go down (my buddies, who know the area much better than I, were far ahead). Success comes when you work together with your team members. Those who try to do things alone and get all the credit end up doing lower quality work. Effective leaders know their team members and guide them to work effectively together.

Learn from the falls: During my Sundance excursion I had two spectacular falls. The first one I saw coming, but still ended up on the ground with scraped hands and knees. The second fall caught me completely off guard. My front wheel hit a rock and I flew over the handlebars face down on the ground. Both times I got up, shook off the dust and kept going. I realized the mistakes I’d made (each different) and was careful not to do the same thing again. All leaders make mistakes. Successful leaders get back up and move forward. They don’t feel sorry for themselves and they don’t make the same mistake again.

Enjoy the ride: When you’re biking down a mountain it can get intense with all the turns and rocks and potential hazards. It’s easy to tense up and focus too much on what could go wrong, and miss the beauty of entire experience. After my first trip down the mountain I realized I needed to relax. I met up with my friends and we rode together. It made the day much better. Sometimes in work situations we get far too caught up in the day-to-day grind and end up missing the “beauty” around us. Leaders find ways to get their teams excited about their work. They know that committed individuals work more effectively and are much happier. Leaders find ways to make work more fulfilling for their teams.

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The Product Management Perspective: One of the biggest fears of many product managers I know is that their product will not be successful. Too often they react by closing off (i.e. keeping it inside) and not sharing their concerns with others. This behavior never works in the end. Bad ideas and bad products will be exposed. My advice is to be open with your team, acknowledge potential problems early, learn from your mistakes, and keep moving forward. Product management can be a thrilling job…enjoy the ride!

Holding user conferences is one of the great pastimes of organizations far and wide. In the technology world, conferences have grown into huge events that attract thousands of participants and occupy massive convention centers. Hosting technology conferences has turned into an industry driven by big money and advertising. The value to individuals has diminished as the industry has commercialized. Enter BarCamp.

BarCamps sprouted up in 2005 as the unconferenceway of gathering and sharing ideas. They are open, participatory workshop-like events where the participants provide the content and attendees collaborate to learn and grow in their specific areas of interest. The BarCamp phenomenon has gone viral and spread far and wide.

Leaders in product management and product marketing have extended the BarCamp idea to ProductCamps (or PCamp). PCamps are free, collaborative un-conferences organized to help product people (product managers, product marketers, UX designers, developers, etc.) network, learn and improve their ability to create great products. The first PCamp was held in Mountain View CA in 2008 and has grown into a significant event in Silicon Valley. From Silicon Valley the PCamp wave has spread to Austin, Boston, London, Sydney and many other cities all over the world through blog posts and word of mouth. The ProductCamp growth has been incredible.

After months of planning and preparation, the Utah Product Management Association is hosting the first ever ProductCamp Utah on Saturday, September 10, 2011 in Bluffdale Utah. We invite you to register for this free event and join us for what is sure to be an insightful day of learning, networking and growth.

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The Product Management Perspective: Let’s face it, we all need to improve our product management/marketing skills. Product camps are a great way to sharpen the saw and grow your network. I strongly encourage you to seek out and participate in a ProductCamp in your area. Don’t just go there to listen, step forward and host a session. You will not regret it!

Take initiative: Volunteer for new assignments that no one wants to do. Don’t be afraid to do work that seems beneath. Taking initiative lays a strong foundation for success.

Work hard: Perseverance is the key to moving forward.  Those who keep working — despite trials, difficulties and stress — eventually achieve what they’re working towards.  As Abraham Lincoln once said: “Things may come to those who wait, but only what’s left behind by those that hustle.” Work hard and create your own opportunities.

Create success: Determine what success means to you and go for it. Be a learner, be inquisitive, find new ways to solve problems. Here’s a great three minute video by motivational speaker Earl Nightingale that describes why people succeed.

Iterate: No matter how much initiative we take or how hard we work, difficulties will arise. Don’t stop, don’t get discouraged. Reset and keep moving forward.

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The Product Management Perspective: Product managers almost always have more work than hours in the day to do it all, yet the pressure to release quality, market-driven products on time never ceases. To have enduring success as a product manager, incorporate the actions mentioned above to drive your product direction.

Our culture has become increasingly obsessed with perfection. You see it everywhere. It’s pervasive in the entertainment industry, as depictions of celebrities contribute to an unattainable idea of what beauty really is. It also permeates the culture of higher education, as applicants vying for spots in prestigious graduate business programs are often made to feel that an A- in Economics 101 might as well have been an F. But in the business world and beyond, employers and employees alike should abandon their traditional notions of success and embrace the idea that an “F” every now and then isn’t necessarily a bad thing. In fact (dare I say it?), failure can even be a good thing.

Leaders today are well served to appreciate the positive aspects of failure. The following tips can help us adjust our mindsets and accept failure as a part of the process of success, rather than a defeat:

1. Shifting Focus: As mention above, in many facets of our society, the prevailing point of view equates success with perfection. By those strict standards, Edison could have been derided as a colossal disappointment based on his initial attempts (and, thus, you very well might be reading this article etched on paper by candlelight). As Edison aptly recognized, if we ever want to move forward, we have to take chances. Invariably, by taking chances, the best of us will fall flat our faces sometimes. When we do, we have to stand up straight and move forward, taking note of why the last process didn’t work, why the last strategy was not well received, or why the last device didn’t function properly. The lessons learned through focusing on the process rather than just the end result can help you emerge as a risk taker and leader in innovation.

2. Get Management Onboard: Particularly in the business world, managers should take the lead in creating a culture where employees are encouraged to explore their creative impulses. If the boss appears to embrace a trailblazing working style, employees will feel comfortable taking risks. But if employers adopt a less enthusiastic approach to innovation, employees will adhere to the status quo, thereby possibly missing opportunities for advancement. An environment where managers furnish employees with freedom to be creative, freedom to take their time and explore all the nuances of the problem, and freedom to think outside the box will undoubtedly translate into fertile ground for progress. Sure, employees who have been freed from the constraints of our perfection-obsessed society may suffer some scrapes and bruises along the way, but if we think of these obstacles as minor setbacks instead of defeats, we can revolutionize the way some companies do business.

3. Reward Good Failures: Not only should managers permit employees to experiment in finding solutions to problems, they should also reward creative thought. Even if an inventive idea does not lead directly to the answer to the question, awarding provocative thought can create a whole culture of progressive workers.

4. Punish Bad Failures: While managers should reward employees when they fail in pursuing a new idea in a smart, calculated manner, all failures do not deserve praise. To be sure, all failures are not created equally. Failures that result from a lack of proper planning are unacceptable. Failures that involve an abuse of resources should not be tolerated. And employers should take action when an employee’s failure results from recycling old theories that have already been dis-proven. A real leader must understand the difference between a good failure and a bad failure.

5. Take Time to Reflect: True leaders don’t just accept failure and move on. Instead, they take time to consider the implications of the failure and why the idea did not work. Never losing sight of the ultimate goal will help you conceive a perspective that views these bumps in the road as a part of the process and as motivation to keep going.

In his role in the self-storage industry, Tim Eyre helps customers care for their cherished belongings that must be put in storage. Tim regularly visits his facilities including a San Jose self storage center. He also was recently meeting customers and staff at the San Bernardino self storage center.

Motivation is a key principle discussed in the book. Motivation leads to action, which leads to more motivation. The more you get done, the more motivated you are to do things. So you do more things, and you get even more motivated. The best way to increase motivation is to increase action.

Author Tom Connellan uses the “business fable” style for The 1% Solution, interlacing actionable ideas with a fictional plot. The main character is Ken, a soccer dad who goes on a journey to find out how to improve his execution and increase his success. He learns about key success factors such as the following:

• The difference between exceptional and EXCEPTIONALLY exceptional = 1%.
• You can’t be 100% better than everyone else, but you can be 1% better at hundreds of things.
• You may not win all the time, but you can have a winner’s heart if you do something better today than you did it yesterday.
• Not everyone can be great, but everyone can be better than they are right now.
• Aim to be swifter, higher, stronger — not swiftest, highest, strongest.

You have to start from where you are. Doing your best in the present must be the rule. Everyone who spends time in deliberate practice improves his or her performance. Focus on how great it will be when you succeed, rather than on what will happen if you fail. An finally, take time to “recharge your batteries.” Get at least eight hours of sleep each night and take regular vacations.

While the story line is good, there are a few parts that are a bit banal and hard to follow. However, the principles taught throughout the story are excellent, and Connellan brings them out with sidebars and figures that convey the ideas powerfully. If you feel stuck in your current situation and are looking for a shot in the arm, I highly recommend The 1% Solution.

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The Product Management Perspective: The rigor required in product management can lead to stress and frustration. We all have days where it feels like we just can’t quite get over the top and feel like we’re succeeding. The principles taught in The 1% Solution apply nicely to PM and if applied will make a significant difference in your motivation and outlook on the future.

Following the 15 Minutes Including Q&A model helps you focus on the audience’s key business issues. What are the three things you want the audience to remember? Give clear direction; your presentations will resonate with the audience. Here are the five steps for the presentation part (seven minutes) of Asher’s 15 Minutes plan:

1. The Hook – 30 seconds: Describe the business issue.
2. The Preview – 30 seconds: A quick overview that details how you plan to solve the problem. Give the audience three thoughts they must remember above all else.
3. The body of the presentation – five minutes: Go into detail about each of the three key points (or “bumper stickers”). Give a few sentences of explanation, and then give evidence in support of your point.
4. The Recap – 30 seconds: Remind the listeners of the three key points.
5. Call to action – 30 seconds: End by telling your audience the next steps.

The “secret sauce” of Asher’s plan is the second half, the Q&A. “Q&A is the element that fills the gaps and gives a robust feel to your presentation.” This is the opportunity for you to answer all the audience members’ questions and give them confidence in your message. It also helps them understand your message and intentions more clearly.

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The Product Management Perspective: Product management presentations usually focus on product features and direction, and rarely focus on the key business issues. In most cases, delivering seven-minute presentations will not only get your message across more clearly but also rivet the main points more clearly and strongly in the minds of the listeners. Plan short presentations and then engage your audience in dialog to fill in the gaps and answer all their questions. They will appreciate you for it and your value in the organization will increase.

We often study the principles of leadership in order to become leaders ourselves. However, as helpful as reading about leadership from a conceptual angle can be, the most effective way to learn is by example. Here are a few well-known leaders who are perfect examples of the saying, “Great leaders are made, not born.”

1. Steve Jobs

2. Henry Ford

3. Thomas Edison

There are millions of examples of successful leaders out there, and not all of them are as famous as the ones presented here. The key thing to remember about leadership, as evidenced by these inspiring lives, is that persistence in the face of failure, ridicule, or just regular old stagnation, and above all, trust in one’s self and others, is what separates leaders from followers.

This guest post is contributed by Anna Miller, who writes on the topics of online degree.  She welcomes your comments at her email Id: anna22.miller [at]gmail.com.

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The Product Management Perspective: These three leaders provide good examples of leadership in product management. Steve Jobs is a great (perhaps the best) example of understanding your markets. He understands his customers perhaps even better than they understand themselves. He is the master at anticipating future trends and turning them into reality. Henry Ford became the subject matter expert not just in cars, but in getting cars to market at a low-enough price that consumers could afford to buy his products. He took calculated risks and was rewarded accordingly. Thomas Edison brought new meaning to the word ‘persistent.’ He continually looked for new ways to do things, and never settled for ‘good enough.’ He was the thought leader of his time. Learning and implementing behaviors from these (and other great) leaders will improve your success as a product manager.

Lucky breaks are nothing more than unexpected rewards for intelligent choices we’ve chosen to make. Success doesn’t just happen because someone’s stars line up. Success, both in business and personally, is something that’s consciously created. Success is created through conscious choice.

Two things have jolted me back to reality and to a new desire to stop making excuses:

1. Reading Trust Agents by Chris Brogan and Julien Smith. This is an excellent book that lays out simple steps to become a person other people trust, especially online. I will write more about the book here soon.
2. Listening to Tribes by Seth Godin. I downloaded the audio book and started listening on a run (podcasts and audio books keep me running a lot of miles these days; you can follow me on Daily Mile) and was instantly drawn in to his discussion on leading ‘tribes’ of people in areas for which you have passion. More on this later too.

This recent jolt has made me realize I’ve neglected my friends in the online world (no product release is worth that). For those of you who have me on your RSS feeds: Thank you and I apologize sincerely. For those who just happened to stop by, welcome to Lead on Purpose.

I started this blog (in 2007) to promote leadership principles in product management. This is an important discipline that does not get enough attention. I’ve hopefully added at least a drop to the bucket.

My commitment: For the next six months (at a minimum) I will write at least one post a week. I will continue to learn and share and identify blogs, books and people who are doing great things in leadership and product management.

My appeal to you: Keep me honest. Leave comments and let me know how you feel, even (especially) if you disagree. I’m blogging to learn, not to make money. Comments, criticism, advice and opinions are welcome here.

Thank you, and please check back; I will.