A framework for PM skill development | Vikrama Dhiman (Gojek)

ℹ️ EPISODE INFO

Released

May 12, 2024

Duration

1h 12m

Channel

Lenny's Podcast

Watch on YouTube

▶ Open ↗

📝 EPISODE DESCRIPTION

Vikrama Dhiman heads all things product at Gojek, including product management, design, program management, and research, across Indonesia, Singapore and India. He has over 16 years of experience building internet products, consults with Fortune 500 companies, and is among the most well-known and respected product leaders in all of Asia. In our conversation, we discuss:

• The most common traits among successful product managers
• The 3 W’s framework for PM career growth
• The Four A’s of leveling up in product management
• The right way to push back as a PM
• Common pitfalls that stall PM careers
• Vikrama’s advice for transitioning into product management
• Why intent alone is not enough

— Brought to you by:

• Uizard—AI-powered prototyping for visionary product leaders: https://uizard.io/lenny
• Webflow—The web experience platform: https://webflow.com
• Coda—The all-in-one collaborative workspace: https://coda.io/lenny

Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/a-framework-for-pm-skill-development Where to find Vikrama Dhiman:

• X: https://twitter.com/vikramadhiman
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vikrama/
• Website: https://www.vikramadhiman.com/

Where to find Lenny:

• Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com
• X: https://twitter.com/lennysan
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/

In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Vikrama’s background (03:56) Three common traits among great PMs (07:09) The first W: What you produce (15:40) The second W: What you bring to the table (18:58) The third W: What’s your operating model? (20:36) Three traits that make you a great PM to work with (21:49) How to improve the quality and quantity of your outputs (23:26) The art of the pushback (26:55) Common factors that impede career growth (33:39) Vikrama’s personal reflections (39:33) Choosing which skill(s) to focus on developing (46:28) The ambiguity of the PM role (51:47) The 8 axis for PM growth (56:57) Contrarian corner: Why intent alone is not enough (59:30) Lightning round Referenced:

• Taxi mafias, cash vaults, and 100% MoM growth: The story behind Southeast Asia’s biggest startup | Kevin Aluwi (Gojek): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/taxi-mafias-cash-vaults-and-100-mom
• How to scrappily hire for, measure, and unlock growth | Crystal Widjaja, Gojek and Kumu: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-to-hire-for-measure-and-unlock
• Gojek: https://www.gojek.com/en-id
• SQL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SQL
• Oracle: https://www.oracle.com/
• Crystal Widjaja on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/crystalwidjaja
• Raditya Wibowo: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raditya-wibowo-a0845436/?originalSubdomain=id
• Sidu Ponnappa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sidup
• Leveraging mentors to uplevel your career | Jules Walter (YouTube, Slack): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/leveraging-mentors-to-uplevel-your
• Kevin Aluwi on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaluwi/
• Workday: https://www.workday.com/
• Salesforce: https://www.salesforce.com/
• Small Data: The Tiny Clues That Uncover Huge Trends: https://www.amazon.com/Small-Data-Clues-Uncover-Trends/dp/1250080681
• Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World: https://www.amazon.com/Originals-How-Non-Conformists-Move-World/dp/014312885X
• Thinking, Fast and Slow: https://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Fast-Slow-Daniel-Kahneman/dp/0374533555
• Miss Congeniality on Prime Video: https://www.amazon.com/Miss-Congeniality-Sandra-Bullock/dp/B002R5HQDK
• Schitt’s Creek on Prime Video: https://www.amazon.com/Schitts-Creek/dp/B083LDRW9F
• DramaBox: https://www.dramaboxapp.com/
• Am I Overthinking This?: Over-Answering Life’s Questions in 101 Charts: https://www.amazon.com/Am-Overthinking-This-Over-answering-questions/dp/1452175861/
• Crazy Rich Asians on Prime Video: https://www.amazon.com/Crazy-Rich-Asians-Constance-Wu/dp/B07JGJFXBF
• 9 Best Hawker Centers in Singapore—and What to Eat There: https://www.afar.com/magazine/best-hawker-centers-in-singapore-and-what-to-eat-there

Production and marketing by https://penname.co/. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email podcast@lennyrachitsky.com. Lenny may be an investor in the companies discussed.

🎤 SPEAKERS

• Lenny Rachitsky

  host

• Vikrama Dhiman

  guest

• Narrator

  other

🧾 EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of Lenny's Podcast, featuring Lenny Rachitsky and Vikrama Dhiman, A framework for PM skill development | Vikrama Dhiman (Gojek) explores Vikrama Dhiman shares pragmatic framework for accelerating PM careers Vikrama Dhiman, Head of Product at Gojek, breaks down a practical framework for product manager career growth built around three “What’s”: what you produce, what you bring to the table, and your operating model. He argues early-career PMs should obsess over outputs and execution quality, not strategy or abstract “impact,” and that strong artifacts (PRDs, briefs, strategy docs) are key proof of value. As PMs grow, their leverage comes from how they work with others—raising hard issues well, getting decisions made, and focusing on what they can control, their relationship with change, and the stories they tell about themselves. He also shares a skills matrix (data, design/research, tech, strategy, communication, collaboration, organization, community) and how he uses it to develop and transition talent into PM roles.

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