Product Management: PM Skills

A Product Manager is the person on a product team who is responsible for —

• Choosing the right problems to go after

• Defining what success looks like and

• Guiding their team to achieve successful outcomes

  
  

They are responsible for overall success of their product. The role is all about outcomes, not output.

What Skills does a Product Manager need?

Skills can be categorized into 5 broad categories:

Product Skills —

Helps one in designing a high quality product that delights customers & solves their needs. Product Skills include —

1. User Insights

2. Data Insights

3. Analytical Problem Solving

4. Technical Skills

5. Product and Design Sense

Execution Skills —

Enables one to run and deliver projects quickly, smoothly & effectively. Execution Skills include —

1. Project Management

2. Minimum Viable Products

3. Scoping and incremental development

4. Product Launches

5. Time Management

6. Getting things done

Strategic Skills —

Improves ability to set direction and optimize for long term impact. Strategic Skills include —

1. Strategy

2. Vision

3. Roadmaps

4. Business Models

5. Goal Setting

6. Objectives and Key Results

Leadership Skills —

Allows one to work well with others and improve the team. Leadership Skills include —

1. Communication

2. Collaboration

3. Personal Mindsets

4. Mentoring

People Management Skills —

These come into play when a Product Manager has an official responsibility to hire and develop people. Some of the skills and responsibilities include —

1. Recruiting

2. Coaching

3. Performance reviews

4. Product Processes

5. Team organization

All the above are my notes from the reference book — Cracking the PM Career by Jackie Bavaro (Author), Gayle Laakmann McDowell (Author)