How effing hard is Product Management?
Does one need to be super business oriented, have a “Do anything to win” attitude, and slog it out in an industry one doesn't necessarily have a passion for (Basically all traits of an MBA)? I feel these are the real winners. Not the goody-shoes people (eg. Designer turned PMs), who are contentious and just want a decent life. Roast this opinion! #pm #productmanager #product
Imho, people who have the mindset of creating value, solving problems, building growth and business are the best PMs. 🎤🫳🏻
Ideal case, does not reflect reality in most organisations.
Wrong hires.
A good PM is a guy who listens well to it's customers and is able to translate that into features prioritized on the value added and new market share they would being. And follows the market trends, and should easily observe now is not a good market to be a PM in search of a new job ;)
Listens to customers yes, but figures out what they really need and executes on that, as opposed to doing what they say they need which usually has a kernel of truth but is off in some important way.
Amongst 100 things, they KEY for a PM is prioritization (decide what to do when). Best performing PMs are those who know the market and domain in-and-out. If you are lucky to have a good Eng counterpart, then tech decisions are managed with rationale. Given my exp, I have seen that consultants make the best PMs.
Were you a consultant?
Good one. ROFL!
Looks like Designer turned PMs are good at giving themselves good adjectives
“Do anything to win attitude” I would argue this is a tenet of any high performing person no matter the job. I don’t like working with people who can’t match this energy with me.
This, and not afraid to push back and at any level
Cisco that competitive?
I’m a designer turned PM. Multiple devs have called me the best PM they ever worked with. I’ve been hardened into the MBA type and it’s exhausting. It’s effing hard.
What do you mean by ‘hardened into the MBA type’?
Since when a good feedback from engineering decides a good PM. They like you doesn't mean that you are a good PM.Most probably you are easy to push around and influence which they like.
I transitioned from SWE to product and product is way harder IMO. The amount of stakeholder bs, nonstop meetings, pressure from all different sides is not a good time. Product is all of the responsibility with none of the authority.
I am trying to pivot to product from eng. could i trouble you to share your journey?
Curious, have you considered switching back to swe?
Not here
IMO Best product managers are usually former devs with good social skills, that care about the product, and can form an informed opinion with a backbone rather than leaving everything up to committee decision
The best PMs and POs I've worked with were exactly this.
Don't need to have been a developer, actually someone with both technical and customer-facing experience is needed. I have found SEs make the best PMs