How PMs Can Improve Working & Communicating with Engineers w/ Paul Lunow, Head of Technology and Innovation at XU Sustainable

Lessons in Product Management - Working & Communicating with EngineersGuest: Paul LunowHost: John DoeEpisode Duration: ~28 min[00:00 - 01:37] IntroductionJohn welcomes Paul Lunow to the podcast.Paul previously hosted John on Product and Cake.Background on Paul’s 20-year career in tech.[01:37 - 04:05] Paul’s Background in Product & EngineeringStarted in Berlin as a web developer, grew an agency to 30 people.Founded Nepos, a startup building a tablet for elderly users.Moved to eBay to experience corporate innovation.Now Head of Innovation & Technology at XU Group, building a B2B learning platform.[04:05 - 06:45] The Role of AI in Learning PlatformsDiscusses AI’s role in education.AI is a tool for augmentation, not a replacement for learning.[06:45 - 10:38] How Product Managers Can Work Better with EngineersThe importance of psychological safety in teams.Engineers need a space to fail, ask questions, and collaborate.Great product managers create environments of trust.[10:38 - 14:46] How Much Tech Knowledge Should a PM Have?PMs don’t need to code but must deeply understand the product.The worst thing: a PM who pretends to know coding but doesn’t use the product.PMs should be the first to log in daily and experience the product firsthand.[14:46 - 18:08] Anti-Patterns: What Drives Engineers CrazyOverworked and stressed PMs create pressure and disconnection.Avoid last-minute changes and unclear expectations.Balance deep work vs. reactive work—don’t just respond to messages all day.[18:08 - 22:26] Managing Workload as a PMSplit work into offense (strategic work) and defense (reactive tasks).Prioritize one key task per day instead of juggling everything at once.Time-box meetings and avoid unnecessary stakeholder discussions.[22:26 - 24:59] How PMs Can Earn Engineers’ TrustBe a sparring partner, not just a requirement-pusher.Never throw engineers under the bus—own decisions as a team.A PM should always support and defend shipped features.[24:59 - 27:36] Final Thoughts & Paul’s WorkMistakes happen—focus on developing strong personal values as a PM.Paul’s new novel about an engineer in Big Tech (available in German).Connect with Paul on LinkedIn.[27:36 - 28:00] Closing RemarksSubscribe to Product and Cake & Lessons in Product Management.See you next week!