I see the product manager as simultaneously a Jack of all Trades, overseer, fire fighter, and organizer. Depending on the day or the needs of the organization/team, you can wear any of the hats at any time. Additionally, there is no consistent background or requirements list as to what makes a good product manager, in no small part due to how variable the job needs can be. You’re a leader without authority, and will have to do whatever it takes to ensure the job gets done. Sometimes that means design, sometimes reviewing pull requests, sometimes something you’ve never done before. Whatever it takes. I thought the various archetypes of a bad pm were especially interesting, as it shows the careful balance you have to strike to between pushing your team and yourself and making sure everyone is healthy, productive, and not overwhelmed.
My biggest questions are around said bad PM archetypes, specifically I would love to hear how the author recognized they were falling into the dangerous patterns and how they went about correcting their behavior in the long term.
