Demystifying Technical Program Manager (TPM) Responsibilities: Collaboration – Part 3

Priyanka Shinde
Feb 5, 2021
5 min read

Updated: Mar 22

This is the last part in the Demystifying TPM Responsibilities series. You can read Part 1 and Part 2. In this last part, I will focus on TPM Collaboration Responsibilities and Alignment aspects. A TPM’s role involves a lot of influencing without authority and therefore aligning with your stakeholders becomes crucial to a program’s success. Creating alignment, influencing peers and persuading leadership often requires a TPM to have sharp soft skills :-). I consider it the most important tool that a TPM can have in their repertoire.

Work cross-functionally to develop best practices and product development processes in a quickly-changing and dynamic environment.

Technical Program Manager (TPM) Responsibilities: Collaboration and Alignment

During the planning phase, you identify your key stakeholders (core team, partner teams, managers etc). These stakeholders can be internal to your team, cross-functional (outside your main team) or external to the company. The role of a TPM is to identify the right strategy to work with each of these groups to ensure that inter-team collaboration and dependencies are successfully resolved. For example, building trusting relationships with your core program team will help you during times when difficult decisions have to be made.
At first glance the job statement feels like a TPM is responsible for developing processes and TPM best practices. However, bringing about a change through these processes is one of the most challenging aspects of the TPM job. It is not enough to write up a document that outlines a new process. The real impact only comes when the process is agreed upon and adopted by all relevant stakeholders. Change is hard for everyone, so it is important to empathize and understand the viewpoint of your stakeholders. For example, TPMs often want to bring execution structure to an organization to provide better visibility and improve efficiency. However, the long term benefits are not often seen similarly by engineers who may perceive structure as a speed breaker. In such a case, a TPM should work with multiple influential peers, address their pain points and aim to create a win-win situation
As a TPM, think about creating strategic alignment with key partners like engineering, product, and design. Be agile and keep an open mind during your conversations with stakeholders and be quick to adapt based on feedback that you receive. This approach of openness and trust will make it easier to solve challenges together as a team. For example, a TPM will engage with cross-functional teams to Identify resource gaps and constraints. They will work together to propose the right solutions to manage bottlenecks and quality issues.
At times, you may be in a situation that demands negotiation or escalation. it is important for a TPM to take an objective and data driven approach to create alignment and get the desired outcome. For example, you may need to negotiate with a team in a different org on deliverable timelines to address dependencies. You may disagree about priorities across your teams. This is the time to bring in all the data to support your proposal and ask for the same from the other team so you can both look at it objectively.

I cannot stress enough the importance of collaboration and alignment to the success of a TPM. The impact you achieve is amplified with the right behavior which often involves working with people in a collaborative, respectful and inclusive manner. Your ability to build strong relationships can take you from being a good TPM to a great TPM.

Also, Read: How to Be a Strong Leader in the Tech World

I hope this series on the Technical Program Manager (TPM) responsibilities provided valuable insight into the TPM role and how you should approach it on a day-to-day basis. Think deeply about what actions will drive the outcomes required of you. What lessons have you learned as you developed strategies to address challenges in program planning, communication, or collaboration?

Understanding Technical Program Manager (TPM) responsibilities in collaboration is crucial for driving cross-functional alignment and ensuring successful program execution. When crafting your resume or preparing for interviews, focus on the results you achieved and how you implemented TPM collaboration strategies to overcome obstacles and drive impact.

In my opinion, a TPM’s role is not just about setting up program structure or sending regular status updates. The TPM role is highly people focused and smart, effective collaboration is key to achieving your program goals.

Did you miss Part 1, Part 2 of the series.?

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are the key responsibilities of a TPM in terms of collaboration?

A TPM must work cross-functionally to develop best practices and product development processes, identify key stakeholders, and build trusting relationships. They need to create alignment, influence without authority, and ensure inter-team collaboration and dependency resolution.

How does a TPM facilitate inter-team collaboration?

A TPM facilitates inter-team collaboration by identifying the right strategy for working with each stakeholder group, building trust, addressing pain points, and creating win-win situations. They work with key partners like engineering, product, and design to identify resource gaps and constraints and propose solutions to manage bottlenecks and quality issues.

What challenges do TPMs face when it comes to collaboration?

TPMs face challenges such as resistance to change, differing priorities across teams, communication barriers, and aligning stakeholders with varying interests. They also have to navigate conflicts and negotiations to ensure collaboration and alignment.

How can effective collaboration contribute to the success of TPM initiatives?

Effective collaboration ensures that all team members are aligned, inter-team dependencies are managed, and stakeholder interests are addressed. This leads to smoother execution, higher efficiency, better resource utilization, and ultimately, successful program outcomes.

What strategies can TPMs employ to build strong collaborative relationships with stakeholders?

TPMs can build strong relationships by being empathetic, understanding stakeholders' viewpoints, being open to feedback, adapting strategies based on input, and maintaining transparent communication. They should also focus on creating strategic alignment and addressing pain points collaboratively.

How does a TPM navigate conflicts and disagreements among team members during collaboration?

A TPM navigates conflicts by taking an objective and data-driven approach, facilitating open discussions, and focusing on finding common ground. They should bring relevant data to support their proposals and encourage other teams to do the same, enabling a collaborative resolution based on facts.

What role does communication play in successful collaboration within TPM projects?

Communication is crucial for aligning team members, setting clear expectations, and ensuring everyone is informed about project status, risks, and dependencies. Effective communication helps build trust, resolve conflicts, and maintain alignment across all stakeholders.

Can you provide examples of successful collaboration initiatives led by TPMs?

Examples include TPMs leading cross-functional workshops to identify and resolve bottlenecks, organizing regular sync meetings to keep all teams aligned on project goals, and facilitating negotiation sessions to agree on timelines and priorities. Successful initiatives often involve clear communication, collaborative problem-solving, and stakeholder engagement.

How does collaboration impact the overall efficiency and effectiveness of TPM projects?

Collaboration enhances efficiency by ensuring all team members are working towards common goals, reducing duplication of effort, and managing dependencies effectively. It improves effectiveness by leveraging diverse perspectives and expertise, leading to more innovative solutions and higher-quality outcomes.