How do you do, fellow product managers?
We spend a lot of time focusing on serious and important parts of product management, and while there’s nothing wrong with that, it’s nice to remember that the best part about being a product manager is the fun you can have with your team.
If you’re going through a little bit of a lull, try peppering some of these hilarious jokes and memes into the daily stand-up to start your day with a laugh!
We’re not sure why all his apps are dating apps, but it’s still a funny comic from Shipping Tomorrow.
PM is a lifestyle, even if you don’t intend it to be.
“A product manager tries to walk into a bar but can't because the door isn't scheduled until next release.”
We must treat our schedules like laws. We must not stray from the path. We must only do as the schedule says.
There are dozens of failed attempts for every successful code deployment with zero explanation as to why it failed. Quick, test it again, just in case.
What happened to the product manager who could only write 3 lines of code?
He got promoted.
There’s a stereotype of product managers that causes some to assume that product managers can’t code. This is actually true (in a sense). Tech companies are looking for someone who can manage people and projects, so coding knowledge is often a secondary consideration.
Developing a product can be a very slow process.
It can look like days and days of work amount to nothing to those on the outside. A good product manager understands that greatness takes time.
Poor product managers continue to focus on deadlines instead of value.
What’s the best way to pay a product manager?
American Express. They love taking credit for things.
When a product is successful, a product manager is directly or indirectly responsible for it and can take credit. Of course, this quickly turned into “product managers take credit for everything,” but we let teams have this little joke while we have the credit. ;)
We’ve all had our fair share of product managers that don’t quite understand the project but know it needs to be done quickly, leading to amusing and totally helpful questions like this.
What does a Jeopardy loser and product manager have in common?
They both ask a lot of stupid questions
Have you ever spent your evening screaming at the contestants on Jeopardy or Wheel of Fortune? That’s how dev teams feel on a very regular basis.
Product managers can’t afford to be nice all the time. Sometimes we have to dish out some harsh truths.
The difference between a good and a great product manager is how you deal with the fallout.
What do you call an engineer who’s not meeting expectations?
A product manager
Ah yes, back to that old faithful product manager joke. Product managers can talk all day and back it up, but they don’t have to. They help set and reach expectations while the dev team are the ones who need to succeed.
We’ve all been here. If an organization doesn’t listen to the product manager and the product fails, stakeholders would rarely take the blame. Instead, they’ll mention things like teamwork to shift the blame to everyone else.
“A product manager walks into a bar. It isn’t what they expected, so they immediately blame the product development team for no reason.”
Product managers are responsible for making sure the product works well, not for products that don’t work. So if the product doesn’t work, that’s the development team’s problem, not the PM’s… right?
Stakeholders and customers aren’t afraid to give suggestions for improvements, and most of them are not feasible. To escape a long conversation about why they’re wrong, it’s simpler to say we’ll add it to the product backlog and just hope they forget about it.
Check out this post if you’re dying for more PM jokes and memes, and stay tuned to the airfocus blog for product management info, advice, and occasional (but much needed) humor!