My definition of a product management role has admittedly been pretty hand-wavy. As acknowledged by Matt LeMay, a concrete description for a product manager eludes us as the fluidity of the role makes it impossible to agree on a single definition. However, the statement “if it needs to be done, and it isn’t anyone else’s job, then … it’s your job” stands out to me as a reasonable interpretation of the occupation.
Product managers take on the responsibility for both their team and their product, and to ensure that both of these things succeed, they must have the dedication, adaptability, and communication skills to handle what falls through the cracks. This requires excellent leadership skills in order to organize, plan, delegate, and drive the team to meet any goals without compromising the nature of the team or the work-life balance of those in it. In the same vein, I think that this job demands a team player as much as it does a leader. While taking charge of the team, one can only wear so many hats, so it is imperative to be able to rely on and lean on your team when outside of areas of expertise.
Although the reading repeatedly emphasizes that product managers come in a variety of ways with an even more vast variety of toolsets, LeMay provides valuable insights as to both the glamorous and undesirable parts of this role. The undefinable nature of the job allows for such different perspectives and skill sets to step into the role; however, it remains quite demanding and can easily be an overworked role depending on the company.
The lingering question that I have comes with the uptick in the amount of people searching for product management roles. As the saturation increases, how can new grads and existing professionals looking to break into the industry stand out? Similarly, what is the demand for product managers and do companies need this increase of supply for the position?
