Up until now, I regarded PMs as mini-CEOs who were authoritative figures with all the power and all the responsibility. At least, this was the conceptual impression I had. However, after reading Chapter 1, I realize that this is not the case. Here are a few takeaways on how I view Product Managers.
First, the section on responsibility and duty piqued my interest because it stated that as a PM, you are accountable for the success or failure of your product, but must always collaborate with others. You’re completely reliant on the trust and hard work of your team. People cannot be forced to work with you, but rather they should be willing to, if not yearn to, work with you.
Second, the fact that PMs need to be proactive rather than reactive is something that resonates with me. It is your duty to constantly be searching and planning for the next action item. Product managers need to be focused on the future just as much as the present. In a sense, product managers are like chess players: you have to plan at least a few steps ahead.
Third, I was able to reflect heavily on the reading’s points about a bad product manager. I admit to sometimes trying to be viewed as the ‘Heroic’ Product Manager, which now I realize was partly influenced by my lack of confidence. From now on, when revising my resume, I plan on taking into consideration the ‘Heroic Product Manager’ persona and trying to deviate away from it as much as possible.
Question:
The reading states that the actual value of product managers can be difficult to quantify at times. When crafting a CV and/or preparing for an interview, what would be the strategy in communicating your performance value in previous roles, if there are limitations in quantifying it?
