If you are looking to upgrade yourself from a Product Manager to a Product Owner, this mantra is likely to help you the most: ‘The ball is in my court’. Chant this mantra 4 to 5 times a day and give a serious thought on what more and what better you could do for your product.

• Is there anyone who is waiting for any information from someone to get moving, may be I should step in get it done faster.
• Anyone whose time can be better utilized, is any of my key resources putting time in less priority jobs
• Any feature that can be included or dropped to make the feature release plan more effective
• Anyone blaming anyone around, cannot afford this. I must ensure that ball keeps rolling from one court to another and if it stops it has to be my court only.
• Anything I am missing on competitive intelligence or market intelligence, let me do it now.

Think again and again, firmly believe that you have a lot more to do, a lot more to take care than what your are currently doing. You cannot afford to relax or say ‘all is well’.

Just as you,

• are caught in cross-fire between various stake holders’ expectations,
• start thinking what next should you do or
• start relaxing on your desk thinking you did a good job

say to yourself, ‘The ball is in my court’. I have task to accomplish…..

This mantra will work as a booster, will enrich you with a sense of ownership & responsibility, will strengthen your vision and willingness to improve the product. Trust me once you start chanting this mantra often enough, you will experience a greater confidence and control in yourself.