I've worked with some pretty terrible product managers that thought they were gods. I've also managed PMs that were way undervalued for how much they brought to the table. But how can you tell the difference?
After leading and managing product teams for over a decade, I can't say I fully agree with a lot of what the community thinks great product management is. I hear teams prioritizing "SQL skills" or "analysis" or "phenomenal communication skills." These are great to have, sure. But they are ultimately just tools and don't address the outcome. You can, afterall, be the smartest person in the room and have no influence.
So here's my take on what makes an excellent product manager and how I measure the performance of product managers that work with me. No one is great at all of these, so building a high performing team requires making sure you have teammates that cover the bases.
Sway
You can influence others to move or change their mind. You know your audience and what to say, how to use data to back up your stance, and how to get to the point. You can articulate your vision into a win, and your ideas are selected on a routine basis. If there was a hostage situation, we'd nominate you as the negotiator.
Grit
You welcome difficulty, ambiguity, and failure. You get back up when you make mistakes, brush off the dirt, and get back into the game. You are able to handle whatever problem is thrown at you, and your ego is in check so that you support any team. You can be thrown into any volcano and figure it out. You are independent and don't need hand holding.
Leadership
You get groups of people on the same page, moving in the same direction, for the same mission. You set clear, measurable goals that matter, and you can cut through chatter to get consensus. You are followed, regardless of title. You model what excellent teamwork looks like, you manage relationships from end to end, and you lead up and down the chain of command.
Ownership
You own the outcomes of everything and everyone around you. If it falls apart, it's your fault. If it goes well, your team did it. You are humble. You admit mistakes and failure and are thirsty for critical feedback. Whatever is put on your plate, you dominate, no matter how unglamorous it is. People see you as the go to person for your topic.
Vision
Your concepts move mountains, not pebbles. You 10X whatever you touch, and your projects change the company. You are bold and take risks. Your opinion is highly valued in the room, and people lean in when you speak. You are full of ingenuity, think outside the box, and can see problems in many ways. You know what metrics really matter, and you come up with revolutions on your own.
Empathy
You recognize that people are more than numbers. You see that charts, data, and analysis don't ultimately matter in the end; for what matters is our customers. You understand the customer's needs inside and out, and you speak up for the customer every chance you get. You are authentic, and your passion for serving others is contagious.
Impactful
When you are in the room, better things happen. People fight to have you on their team, as you get results and get things shipped. You move metrics that really matter, and you are indispensable. You know what to prioritize, the smartest pathway to get there, and can break big things down into small, executable chunks. You gets wins on the board.
Clear
You don't need to repeat yourself. You can define problems with ease to align people towards a common goal. You get to the point, but keep your flavor. Your plans, presentations, and discussions enlighten the crowd. When there's confusion, people look to you for illumination.
These are the skills and characteristics I look for the most in product managers. This is what I also reflect on for myself, and find I come up short in different areas each time.
I'll cover some technical skills in a moment, as they are truly important. But I've found that they can be taught while the above soft skills really need to be brought. Keep in mind; the goal is great outcomes, not great presentations.
Prioritization
You assess what does and doesn't matter. You can rank, list, and maintain a roadmap on your own and articulate what is coming up to the rest of the team. You surface what is and isn't important so there isn't confusion down the line. You can succinctly clarify why something matters.
Analysis
You can pull your own data. You study data on your own and can dig into disparate datasets to create clarity. You know what the right and wrong KPIs are, and you easily define the ROI and tradeoffs for decisions. You can educate your audience on your findings, and when you present, they understand and agree.
Spec Writing
Teams want to build your specs as they are clear and effective. You have smart story points, and you break big ideas down into smaller chunks. Your MVP is truly an MVP. Your plans are iterative and adaptable. People take your specs and use them as templates. Your specs ship.
Design
You know what good design is and isn't. You can visually articulate user journeys as well as data flows. You create rapid prototypes, as you understand that people see apps with their hands. You use scalable systems and care about LOE. You balance the fastest path to value with the highest customer payoff. Products you build are beautiful and effective.