How to be a great product manager

“[The PM] is the key to success or failure. They can single handedly ruin a project.”

Do you know how to be a great product manager?

Though there have been countless articles written on this topic, in reality, there is no “right formula” for being a great product manager. It takes a little bit of know-how, combined with experience, and a natural ability to lead. A product manager is able to lead his team without completely taking over. A product manager leads with the knowledge that his team is fully capable of seeing the project through. It takes both patience and a sense of urgency. It is a complex role that can be the determining factor between the success or failure of a project or product.

No pressure, right?

This morning, I stumbled across a recent post in Slate, The Age of the Product Manager, by David Auerbach. This article beautifully highlights the importance of leadership in product management. In his article (using Yahoo CEO Marissa Bayer as a shining example) he describes the ideal product manager:

“…she works as a peer to draw the necessary connections between them and keep them in sync. She pays attention to the existing self-organization of small groups of smart people and sympathetically exerts soft power to try to leverage their skills on a larger scale, without wrecking what they already do well. She does not build from the ground up, but helps fit pieces together—horizontally.”

What are your thoughts on this? Do you agree or disagree? What qualities/skills/strategies do great product managers have?

The floor is yours. Happy Friday!