Strategic Planning for PMs: Part 3

Welcome and Introductions

Kenny Kranseler | 00:00–04:20
Hello everyone and welcome back to our final session in the Strategic Planning for PMs series. I’m Kenny Kranseler, Principal Consultant and Trainer at Productside. We’re thrilled to have you all here for Part 3—Communicating Strategy to Stakeholders. It’s been an amazing journey through this series, and today we’re closing it out with one of the most important skills every PM needs: communication.

We’re joined today by Roger Snyder, who has been leading this series and helping product managers sharpen their strategic thinking. Roger, welcome back!

Roger Snyder | 04:20–04:45
Thanks, Kenny! Great to be here and see so many familiar names again. This has been a fun series, and I’m excited to talk about communication—it’s often the missing piece between great strategy and great outcomes.

About Productside and Webinar Logistics

Kenny Kranseler | 04:45–09:05
For those who are new to Productside, we’re an outcome-driven product partner. That means we don’t just deliver training—we help teams implement real change. Our mission is to help PMs and product leaders build high-performing, outcome-oriented organizations.

You’ll get the recording of today’s session, so no need to take frantic notes. Use the Q&A feature to drop in your questions as we go. We’ll try to answer them during the conversation or in the live Q&A section toward the end.

We also encourage you to connect with us on LinkedIn and subscribe to our Productside Pulse newsletter for upcoming webinars and resources.

Overview of the Strategic Planning Series

Roger Snyder | 09:05–13:00
If this is your first time joining, a quick recap. Part 1 was “Good Strategy / Bad Strategy,” where Tom Evans helped us distinguish between real strategy and wishlists. Part 2, “Connecting Product Outcomes to Business Outcomes,” was about linking what we build to measurable business value.

Today, Part 3 focuses on communicating that strategy effectively—because even the best plan fails if no one understands or supports it.

Recap of Part 1: Good Strategy / Bad Strategy

Roger Snyder | 13:00–17:35
In Part 1, we talked about the difference between a clear, concise strategy and what I call “strategy theater”—lots of buzzwords, no focus. The goal is to have a strategy that tells people not just what you’re doing, but what you’re *not* doing. Tools like the Product Outcome Canvas or PESTL analysis help you frame the big picture.

Recap of Part 2: Connecting Product Outcomes to Business Outcomes

Kenny Kranseler | 17:35–21:50
Last session, we focused on measurable alignment. How do product outcomes connect to business goals? We explored tools like outcome trees, OKRs, and metrics frameworks. The idea is simple: If your strategy doesn’t ladder up to company objectives, it won’t get support.

Poll: How Often Do You Communicate Your Strategy?

Kenny Kranseler | 21:50–25:00
Alright, quick audience poll to get us started. How often do you communicate your product strategy—weekly, monthly, quarterly, or rarely? Go ahead and vote!

Roger Snyder | 25:00–25:30
We see most folks doing it quarterly, which makes sense. But as we’ll discuss, strategy communication needs to be continuous—not just tied to planning cycles.

Why Strategy Communication Fails

Roger Snyder | 25:30–33:40
Let’s start with the most common reasons strategy communication falls flat. First, unclear corporate strategy—if the company vision isn’t clear, PMs can’t connect the dots. Second, the “curse of knowledge”—we know too much and forget how to simplify. Third, over-indexing on slides and under-indexing on story. Strategy isn’t about prettier decks; it’s about a shared narrative.

The Product Manager as Storyteller

Roger Snyder | 33:40–39:35
A good PM is a good storyteller. Think of your strategy like a movie: you’ve got characters (your customers), a conflict (their pain), and a transformation (your solution). The narrative gives meaning to the metrics. When people see themselves in your story, they care.

Building Strategic Story Arcs

Roger Snyder | 39:35–43:45
You can use story archetypes to structure your strategy. The Hero’s Journey, David vs. Goliath, Continuous Improvement—they all map to product stories. Each gives a frame to communicate why your initiative matters and where you’re taking the team.

Using the Product Outcome Canvas as a Story Tool

Roger Snyder | 43:45–47:00
The Product Outcome Canvas is one of our favorite tools because it tells the story visually. It links customer problems, business objectives, and product outcomes into a single page. This helps stakeholders see the “why” without 50 slides.

Storyboarding Your Product Narrative

Roger Snyder | 47:00–52:25
Think of your strategic presentation like a storyboard. The “WellNest” case study is a great example: we turned data and goals into a visual narrative about user wellbeing. Instead of just showing numbers, we walked the audience through a human story that connected empathy and outcomes.

Framing the Problem and Communicating Context

Roger Snyder | 52:25–56:40
When you present a roadmap, frame the problem first. Start with context—why this matters to users and the business. Context builds empathy. Once you have that, your proposed solution feels like the logical response.

Using Positioning Statements Effectively

Roger Snyder | 56:40–01:00:10
Positioning statements aren’t just for marketing. They help your internal stakeholders align on who you serve, what problem you solve, and why your product wins. Use them to make your strategy pitch succinct and relatable.

Connecting the Dots with Outcome Trees

Roger Snyder | 01:00:10–01:05:05
Outcome trees show how features connect to goals. When you present your roadmap, walk people up the tree—from feature, to product outcome, to business impact. It helps everyone understand the “so what.”

Integrating AI into Strategic Tools

Kenny Kranseler | 01:05:05–01:06:00
We got a question about AI—can it help with these tools?

Roger Snyder | 01:06:00–01:10:20
Absolutely. Use AI for draft generation, for example writing a positioning statement or summarizing research. But the PM still owns the judgment call—AI helps you frame faster, not decide for you.

Communicating Strategy Repeatedly and Consistently

Roger Snyder | 01:10:20–01:15:30
Great communication is repetitive. Say it seven times, seven ways—slides, one-pagers, sprint reviews, team meetings. Repetition builds alignment. Strategy is a drumbeat, not a one-time presentation.

Poll: Who’s Your Toughest Stakeholder?

Kenny Kranseler | 01:15:30–01:19:00
Next poll: who’s your toughest stakeholder—executives, engineers, marketing, or sales?

Roger Snyder | 01:19:00–01:19:30
No surprise—most of you said executives. The HIPPO effect: the Highest Paid Person’s Opinion can derail your narrative if you’re not ready.

Tailoring Strategy Communication to Stakeholders

Roger Snyder | 01:19:30–01:31:25
Executives care about business outcomes and risk. Engineers want clarity and stability. Sales wants differentiation. Marketing wants simplicity. Your job is to tailor one story with four lenses—so each audience hears what matters to them.

Executive Cheat Sheet: Common Questions and Templates

Roger Snyder | 01:31:25–01:37:10
When presenting to leadership, expect questions like “Why now?” or “What if we do nothing?” Anticipate them and prepare crisp, data-backed responses. We’ve included templates for common stakeholder questions in your follow-up toolkit.

Closing Key Takeaways

Roger Snyder | 01:37:10–01:41:15
To wrap up: Strategy isn’t just about the plan—it’s about how you tell the story. Lead with empathy, connect the dots visually, and repeat the message consistently. When people understand the why, they’ll follow the how.

Q&A and Final Wrap-Up

Kenny Kranseler | 01:41:15–01:44:30
That was fantastic, Roger. Thank you! And thanks to all of you for joining. You’ll get an email tomorrow with the recording, slides, and templates from today’s session. Keep an eye on Productside’s event page for our next series launching soon. Have a great rest of your day!