(Mostly) Everything I’ve Read About Product Management in Less Than 300 Words

Know your value prop

Product managers deliver the most value by being able to empathize with the user and represent their needs, galvanize teams, and most importantly, execute. Insanely sharp product sense coupled with the drive to deliver will help the team build and ship delightful products.

Business, first

Building and bringing products to market requires deep understanding of the business goals, vision, and culture. Delivering great product doesn’t happen in a vacuum; it involves intense cross-collaboration and likely will have implications for design and technology. It’s important not to lose sight of the bigger picture and how product supports the strategic vision.

Data-informed = Data-driven

Great product managers don’t take educated guesses, they make data-driven decisions and challenge assumptions. Be eager to understand the competitive landscape and determine how to make the organization a first mover in the industry. Ask a lot of questions and find the answers that will enable the creation of the right products and define a winning product.

EQ is everything

Product managers are influencers — our job is to gather the right people to make decisions, build consensus, and ensure strong communication amongst all teams. We aspire to generate enthusiasm for products and encourage collective ownership. It’s critical to understand team dynamics and introduce new ideas in a non-invasive and collaborative way.

Geeks are cool

The best product managers I know love product, design, and technology and are excited to tackle unique challenges and answer the hard questions. Be passionate about innovation and technology and don’t be ashamed to admit to being a total product geek. Aspire to build products that are changing the way we live.

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-- This article originally appeared on Medium on May 24, 2016 --