今天我也落下俗套，写篇鸡汤文。
先简单说说我自己的经历吧，一直都是在外企工作。开始是在日本、回国后在日资做对日项目，后来去美资做产品经理，现在到德资做产品经理。虽然并不激动人心，也算是一步一个脚印走过来的。
尤其是这次跳槽，从美资到德资，文化不同；负责的产品技术不同；产品应用的领域也不同；开始的时候心里也有些没谱。现在第一个项目接近尾声，第二个项目马上就要开始了。反思一下，心里也有些感触，分享出来。一方面自我传销一下，另一方面也觉得有些借鉴意义。
开始的埋头苦干
刚开始工作的时候都是闷头干活，也想过现在这个产品行不行，是不是有前途？现在回头去看的时候，觉得这个就是个伪命题。因为现在我才发现：限制你的舞台的只有你自身，并不是你的职位、人脉、工资等等，都不是，只有你自身。
刚开始进入职场打基础的部分我就不多说了，认认真真多做点事情，多学点东西，都是好基础。后来到了美资的时候算是开了眼界。在铺垫一句，我在的日资就是正常的小公司，几十个人，各司其职，各尽其力。后来跳去的美资是全球知名的大牛公司，同事们也都是牛大哥、牛大姐，小朋友也都是交大复旦的学霸们。
开始的时候天天蒙圈，找不着北。好在同事老板们都很好，在他们，包括我当时的 Mentor （就是比你老的员工给你当导师）的帮助下，融入的速度还算可以。所以在你搞不清楚的时候，就认真做好自己该做的事情。把自己的产品了解透，自己做的东西负责好。
跨界的价值
因为后来慢慢熟悉了之后我开始接触到销售，营销，售后支持，美国核心团队等等。这时候你的逻辑思维和对产品的理解就很重要了。日本有个方法叫 5 Why 工作法。就是你在研究一个问题的时候多问问自己为什么。
举个例子，我那时候找美国核心团队研究，我们产品的一个报表要 3 个小时计算完成。我跟他说这个不行，3 分钟要出结果。他说为什么？我说客户用的时候要 5 分钟出来才好确认。他说他那为什么要5分钟出来确认呢？今天下班的时候点了，明天来上班的时候看结果不就行了吗？我说，呃，我不知道。。。好了，别人肯定不给你做了。
但是换过来，如果我是告诉他因为别人看到结果之后还要做一些调整再跑一遍。而他们这个报表最晚 2 天就要提交，这两天里他们还要做些其他的事情（列一下其他的事情，每个要花多少时间）。这么算下来 5 分钟已经很紧了。这时候对方才会认真考虑你说的这个事情，好像确实是这样。他才会开始计划你的事情。
我这次是告诉核心团队我们一个本地化的需求。你也可以告诉销售人员其他客户是怎么解决这个问题的；告诉合作伙伴某一个技术方案后续可能会遇到什么问题；告诉营销某一个客户案例非常具有代表性；告诉技术人员他们做出来的产品用户是怎么用的等等很多。这些对他们来说非常有价值。
后来自然变成了别人有类似的问题就来找你。问你的人多了，这也就成了你的影响力。慢慢积累下来，你也就成了他们沟通的桥梁，这也就变成了你的价值。
产品知识和业务经验非常重要，可并不是唯一的。项目管理、沟通技巧、时间管理、执行力这些软实力都是可以创造价值的。我这次从美资到德资是既换产品也换领域，虽然很困难，但同样很开心。专业有专业的优势，跨界有跨界的价值。别让现在的一些事情限制了你，多想想自身的不足，然后改善。
吾日三省吾身；温故而知新，可以为师矣。
The Sky is the Limit
I will share an inspirational article like everyone else.
Let me introduce my experience a little bit at the beginning. I have always been working at a foreign-funded company. In Japan at the start, when I came back to China I went to work for a Japanese-funded company for Japanese projects. Then i went to a US-funded company to be a program manager. Now, in Germany-funded company as a product manager. It was not exactly a fancy career, but I came all the way through my own effort.
Especially my last job change, from US company to a German company with different cultures; different product technologies; and different product domain as well; I was not confident I can do this at the beginning. Now I am completing my first project, and the second one is about to begin. Look back at what I have done, I got a few reflections that I would like to share. For one purpose to promote myself a little bit, and on the other hand, for your reference as well.
Heads Down at the Beginning
When I first started working, it is all about heads down on my own work. I wondered if this product can make it, if this is a good career? But now looking back, it should not have been a issue concerns me. Only now I have realized: Your only limitation is yourself. It is not your position, connections, salary or what ever, none of those. Only yourself defines you.
There is not so much to talk about at the early stages. Just do what you are supposed to do, and to learn, this will be come your foundation later. Joining to my US employer changed how I looked at stuff. By the way, the first Japanese company that I worked for was a small one, a dozen of people with their own positions, doing their best. The US company was a famous company on the globe. All my colleagues are all so good, even the junior guys were the best people graduated from the top universities.
I did not know what I was doing. But my luck is that I have got a bunch of good colleagues and good bosses, including my mentor. With their help, I have blended in pretty quickly. So, when you do not know better, do what you are supposed to, with quality. Learn your own product and what you are expected to complete.
The Value of Cross-Domain
Gradually, I started to interact with sales, marketing, support, and US core teams. Now your thought process and understanding of your product become important. Back in Japan, I have learnt a methodology called the 5 why method. When you are approaching to a problem, you ask yourself whys.
For example, I was requesting my US core teams, about a report that runs for 3 hours. I told them this is not good, we need the result in 3 minutes. They say why? I say our customers want the result in 5 minutes. They say why it has to be 5 minutes? They can start the report at end of their work, and the second day when they come, they will have the report. This does not work? I could not answer. Therefore, they did not do it.
But now thinking about it, if I told them that the customers had to do some adjustment and run it again. And they need the report at least in 2 days. They cannot even work on the report fully for the 2 days. They had so many to do (a list of work items may come here with their time spending). With all the calculations, then 5 minutes is already a very tight duration for the report. Now the development team can think about it seriously, and may conclude maybe what you are telling is the case. Then they can start planning what you are requesting.
This is a story that I send a local requirement to the core team. But you can also share with your sales team on what other customers are resolving a problem; share with your partner on the real problems if they chose a specific technical solution; share with your marketing that how a customer case is so representative; share with your tech guys on how their product is been used. These are all very valuable conversations to them.
Naturally, they will come to you when they had a similar problem. More people asking you questions, this become your influence. With time for accumulation, you will be come their hug, and this is your value.
Product knowledge and domain expertise are all very important. But they are not the only competitiveness. Project management, communication skills, time management, capability to execute, these are all items that create value. My job change from US company to German company this time, was a cross domain change: different product, and different domain. It was hard, but it was also fun. Expertise has its advantages, cross-domain creates its own values. Do not let other stuff limit you, think about where you are lack, and work on it.
Continuous reflection on yourself; learn new thing from the old, then you become a master.
（这句是我自己瞎翻的，不是引用）
