Organize girly only meetings in the washroom. Privacy guaranteed.

Girly only ≠ girls only!

Ok, I am German and have worked years in product management...

a) this guys attitude is not at all "German", quite the opposite actually in some details. The average German approach to product management is far too often too much engineering and not enough marketing. Your guy sounds the opposite to me... So I do not thing you have a cultural problem here, but a personal one.

b) as others said already are we usually quite direct. Swiss are less so but my last Swiss boss, head of product management, told our CEO directly in front of the entire crew that he really hates to have a last minute two hour meeting booked from 11.00-13.00 after we all concluded that there was no real emergency but the standard corporate strategy talk you hear once a month. Lunch breaks are quite "holy" in Switzerland and next time the guy sends and invite - reject it. I told people directly in their face that I do not go to meetings that do not have a clear agenda or last longer than an hour if there is no plan how to fill the time. If there is a five hour workshop, I will ask which part of it I need to attend.

c) always having to add something when you present as well as talking vague bullshit is not at all a sign of too much self esteem - quite the opposite actually. I guess the guy does not know what he is doing and feels insecure. His shows barely cover that... Product management is actually something fairly applied, at least compared to anything else in marketing. You don't need to talk vaguely, you can present concrete product road maps, explain new features, what needs to be improved and why, what direction are the competitors going on a product basis... so: if he really pisses you off: challenge him! Ask him to present his plan, where he is right now, where he wants to go towards and why... what the message for the customers is supposed to be. I can make minced meat of a poor performing product manager in minutes. That typically shuts them up. Once he is quiet, tell him that you do not want hot air but applied info you can work with.

Thanks everyone! I feel compelled to give an update especially after all the thought and effort you have put in to helping me!

I especially found challenging him worked quite well - thanks Treverus for the great advice: "You don't need to talk vaguely, you can present concrete product road maps, explain new features, what needs to be improved and why, what direction are the competitors going on a product basis... so: if he really pisses you off: challenge him...." I don't really have a personal problem with him, at least not anymore. But I do have a problem with him not delivering as agreed or on time.

As for being assertive - I have been taking the bull by the horns and it seems to be working ; ) One of the best things that has happened is my boss has clearly defined our roles and he has repeatedly reminded us of our boundaries so now the team (basically he and I) know what our roles are.

Result is - he is now holding up the show because he doesn't have a clear roadmap or hasn't produced the collaterals he should have delivered ages ago.

I feel much better. I am focusing on my work and doing my best and not letting him interfere with tasks that are entirely my responsibility. I am more assertive also now, because I know that I have my boss's backing. He has offered to "step in" whenever I need him to.

Work is busy and challenging but it is going much much better!!!!!

Thank you all for the support!

agree with this completely. just had this experience recently - and the idiot just de-rails the meeting with his nonsense babble. on participant first started checking his blackberry during his babble and then when he started again, just got up and left

Things have taken an interesting turn! My colleague is now under big pressure to deliver. Many of my colleagues complain that his work is not satisfactory and my boss has argued with him on various occasions over the lack of quality and speed of delivery of his projects.
I feel as though he tried to establish some sort of superior status over me when I first came on board, as if trying to establish an authoritative role and show off to our boss - obviously that has backfired and he has lost a lot of face.
Now he stays out of my projects and we only cross on ones where we both have a major stake.

If you accept my opinion

If you found a chance to help him please do so, so it comes back to you when you need help, that is how life goes always.

I think people in his place are starting to feel a bit lost with all the pressure and stress may also misbehave, and just some advice may make him progress better and all are winning at the end.

what do you think ?