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Unspoken Positives of Product Management - Part I In previous posts, we've explored the challenges of product management. Now, let's shift gears and highlight some of the less talked about positives that make this role incredibly rewarding: 1️⃣ Cross-Industry Opportunities One of the greatest benefits of being a product manager is the ability to work across various industries. While some organizations value domain expertise, the core skills of product management—strategic thinking, problem-solving, and stakeholder management—are highly transferable. This flexibility allows you to explore fields from tech and healthcare to finance and education, keeping your career diverse and exciting. 2️⃣ Direct Impact on Users' Lives Product managers have the unique opportunity to make a tangible difference in people's lives. Whether you're simplifying daily tasks with a new app or improving health outcomes with innovative software, the products you manage can have a profound impact. This sense of purpose adds meaning to your work and motivates you to strive for excellence. 3️⃣ Endless Learning Opportunities The dynamic nature of product management means you're always learning about new technologies, market trends, user behaviors, and more. Each project brings unique challenges, keeping your work intellectually stimulating and ensuring you stay adaptable in a rapidly evolving industry. 💬 While challenges exist, these positives highlight why product management is such a fulfilling career. It's not just about managing products; it's about innovating, learning, and making a real difference. Follow for the upcoming part II What other unspoken positives have you experienced in product management? Share your thoughts below!

How do you know Product Management Is really for You? 🤔 Deciding to pursue a career in product management is a significant step. But how do you truly know if it’s the right fit for you? Here are some key indicators that product management might be your calling: 1. You get excited about identifying problems and finding innovative solutions. -Why it Matters:  PMs must continuously identify and solve problems to ensure their products meet customer needs, address user pain points and align with long-term business goals. 2. You have strong communication skills and can articulate ideas clearly -Why it Matters: PMs act as the bridge between stakeholders, developers, designers, users and more so effective communication is a must. 3. You are empathetic and genuinely care about user satisfaction and usability. -Why it Matters: Great products come from understanding and prioritizing the user’s needs and desires. 4. You can lead and influence others without having direct authority over them. -Why it Matters: PMs often need to inspire and coordinate cross-functional teams to achieve product goals. 5. You are naturally curious, always eager to learn new things and improve your skills. -Why it Matters: The product management industry is constantly evolving, requiring PMs to adapt and grow. And here’s the great news: It doesn’t matter what field you’re transitioning from. I've seen successful product managers come from very unconventional non-STEM backgrounds. The skills you've gained in your previous roles are transferable and can be leveraged effectively in product management. The key is to be intentional about applying these skills in your new context. Product management is a role that offers immense satisfaction for those who are passionate about creating value and driving innovation. If these attributes resonate with you, then product management might be for you.

My journey in TECH began two weeks ago and it has been so impactful, it's great to be part of African Tech Girl, I am a product management student. However, I will be sharing my knowledge with you. on what I have learned as a product manager. Let's start by explaining the following terms product, Management, Product Management and who is a product's owner. A product is something that is created to solve a problem, meet a need, or make life easier for people. It can be a physical item (like a phone, chair, or book) a digital tool (like software, an app, or a website), a service (like healthcare, education, or transportation) Products are designed to provide value to customers, making their lives better, easier, or more enjoyable. What is Management? Management is the process of planning, organizing, and supervising tasks and people to achieve specific goals and objectives. It's like leading a team to reach a common destination, In simple terms, management is about guiding and directing efforts to get things done effectively and efficiently, and it involves Setting goals and priorities Allocating resources (like time, money, and people), and assigning tasks and responsibilities. Now what's product management? Product management is the process of guiding a product through its entire life cycle, from the starting point and planning to delivery, launch and beyond, Product management involves defining a vision and strategy for the product to meet business objectives while making the end user happy. Product management is like being the "CEO of a product". It's the process of defining what a product should do and who it is for, deciding what features and benefits it should have, Working with teams to design, build and test it, and Ensuring it meets customer needs and business goals. Product management is about creating a product that people want, need and will use, while also meeting business objectives. It's like leading a product's journey from idea to reality. *Who's a product owner?* A Product Owner is a person responsible for defining and prioritizing what a product should do. They are like the "voice of the customer" and the "keeper of the product vision", a Product Owner is a negotiator, a navigator who guides the product to meet customer needs and business goals. I'm

Why is product management so undervalued? Having worked across a number of public sector organisations, it still amazes me how undervalued product management can be. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve seen a lot of places do product management really well, but some organisations are still lacking product as a core in-house capability. I believe it comes down to a number of things: 1. Organisations don’t understand the role of a product manager or witnessed first hand the value they can bring. 2. There isn’t a product manager on the team or another role within the team is acting as the product manager (usually the delivery manager) which means there is a skills gap and lack of ownership around value. 3. The product manager isn’t experienced enough or being supported to do the job they’ve been asked to do. 4. Teams get stuck in a cycle of not delivering value, timelines get pushed and organisations start to lose confidence in the vision. So what can be done to address some of these things? 🌱Invest in your people, start building in-house capability by hiring skilled, experienced product managers or even a product coach to support the development of existing teams. 👏🏼 Raise the profile of product across the organisation by celebrating successes and demonstrating the value they are delivering. 👩🏼💻 Ensure product management is a key role in delivery teams, don’t assume anyone can pick up the role of a product manager alongside their day job. ⭐️ Have a clear vision & strategy, and trust & empower your product managers to deliver it. 🔄 Encourage a culture of releasing often, don’t be afraid to release products that aren’t finished, the sooner we release something, the quicker we learn and the more value we can deliver. For product coaching please get in touch! lauren.tombs@methods.co.uk 👈🏼

Product management is one of the most fulfilling yet challenging jobs in the world. You're consistently dealing with complex problems that have no clear-cut answers. To excel in the role, you need to master the art of breaking down novel problems using: - First principles: Reasoning from the fundamental building blocks of a problem - Mental models: Frameworks for understanding and analyzing complex situations - Narrative framing: Communicating ideas in a compelling and persuasive manner This week, one of our Supra members, Brenton Sellati, gave a fantastic talk on this exact topic: The Foundations for Exponential Growth. Brenton's thesis is that intelligence, critical thinking, creativity, and influential communications are core pillars of product management craft. While these can be coached to some degree, when faced with deep complexity, the answers must ultimately come from within each of us. Brenton's presentation gave us a blueprint for continuously developing our problem-solving abilities. Here's what he covered: 1/A mental model for thinking about intelligence, critical thinking, creativity, and communication 2/Strategies for enhancing your ability to break down novel problems using first principles, mental models, and narrative framing 3/ Actionable tips for exponentially growing your proficiency in reasoning, creating mental models, and communicating compelling narratives over time Brenton generously agreed to let us record and share the session with the broader product community. Link to the full presentation in the comments 👇

Why Product Managers Should Come from the Business Side!  In Product Management, technical expertise is valuable, but business acumen remains the main and essential part. It’s easier to train a business-minded professional on tech essentials than to teach a developer how to think from a customer-centric and revenue-driven perspective. Product managers from the business side understand customers' needs deeply, can prioritize features that drive real value, and speak the language of impact. They know when a feature is a "must-have" versus a "nice-to-have" and can make decisions that align closely with business objectives. While having a technical background can certainly be beneficial, it should complement a foundation rooted in customer insights and business goals. The best products emerge from a blend of tech and business savvy—ensuring that what's built not only works well but also resonates with users and supports revenue. Business-led product management creates solutions that are meaningful, practical, and profitable.

Soft Skills vs. Hard Skills in Product Management: Which Matters More? Product Management is often described as a "jack-of-all-trades" role, but what truly separates great PMs from the rest? It’s the balance between soft skills and hard skills. 🔹 Hard Skills These are your technical abilities, the tangible skills that can be learned: 👉 Roadmapping and prioritization 👉Data analysis and SQL 👉Writing clear product requirements 👉Understanding APIs and system architecture They’re essential because they help you deliver measurable results and communicate effectively with technical teams. 🔹 Soft Skills These are often harder to teach but critical to a PM's success: 👉Empathy: Understanding user pain points and team challenges 👉Storytelling: Crafting a compelling vision that inspires action 👉Influence: Aligning cross-functional teams without direct authority 👉Adaptability: Thriving in ambiguity and pivoting when needed 💡 Why the Balance Matters Think of hard skills as the foundation and soft skills as the glue that holds everything together. Without data literacy or technical knowledge, you can’t build credible solutions. But without communication, leadership, and empathy, even the best solutions will fail to gain traction. Example: A PM might build a perfect feature (hard skill) but fail to launch it successfully if they can’t rally stakeholders around its value (soft skill). So, which matters more? Both. Product Management is a people-driven, data-informed craft. The best PMs master both domains to deliver impact. 👉 What do you think is harder to develop: soft skills or hard skills?

Enhance your product management capabilities with Herzen Co.'s Product Management Consulting. We seamlessly integrate into your product team as a trusted third-party partner, guiding your product’s journey and overcoming challenges with precision. Here’s why our consulting services stand out: 1. Cost-Effective Solutions Our subscription-based model provides access to seasoned product managers without the financial burden of long-term commitments or high overhead costs. 2. Expert Leadership Leverage the expertise of experienced product managers who offer strategic insights and effective problem-solving to drive your product's success. 3. Unmatched Flexibility Scale our services up or down based on your product’s needs, ensuring you get the right support exactly when required. 4. Strategic Focus Delegate complex product management tasks, allowing your team to focus on innovation and core business activities. 5. Customized Approach Benefit from tailored product management strategies that align with your product’s unique requirements and business goals. 6. Seamless Integration Our team integrates smoothly with your existing product team, enhancing collaboration and ensuring a harmonious workflow. Experience the difference with Herzen Co. Visit Herzenco.co to learn more about how we can elevate your product management.

Product management - Did you know: The role of product management has evolved significantly over time, becoming a key function in modern organizations. It traces its roots back to the early 20th century when Procter & Gamble (P&G) introduced the concept of “brand management” in the 1930s. Neil McElroy, a P&G employee, wrote a famous memo advocating for dedicated managers to oversee individual brands, laying the groundwork for product management by focusing on product strategy, market research, and consumer needs. In the 1980s and 1990s, with the rise of the tech industry, the role of product management expanded beyond consumer goods. Tech companies, especially in Silicon Valley, began to adopt product managers to oversee software development and prioritize product features based on customer feedback and business goals. The agile methodology, which became popular in the early 2000s, further cemented the importance of product managers in coordinating between engineering, design, marketing, and business teams. Today, product management is a highly strategic role, responsible for the entire product lifecycle, from ideation to launch, with a focus on maximizing value to both the business and its customers. It requires a blend of technical understanding, market knowledge, and leadership skills.

🌟 6 Key Hard Skills in Product Management 🌟 Are you aspiring to excel in product management? Mastering these six hard skills is essential for driving success and innovation in any product management role. 🚀 1. Basic Business Competencies 🏢 Understanding the fundamentals of business is crucial. This includes knowledge of financial principles, strategic thinking, and market analysis. A solid grasp of business concepts helps in making informed decisions that align with the company's goals. 2. Basic Product Management Knowledge 📚 Familiarity with the core principles of product management is a must. This encompasses understanding the product lifecycle, methodologies like Agile and Scrum, and tools used for product management. It lays the groundwork for effective product planning and execution. 3. Ruthless (Objective) Prioritization Skills 🎯 Prioritizing tasks and features objectively is key to delivering value. This involves assessing the impact, feasibility, and alignment with business goals. Being able to say "no" to less critical tasks ensures focus on what truly matters. 4. Proficiency in Research and Analysis 🔍 Strong research and analytical skills enable you to gather and interpret data effectively. This helps in understanding market trends, customer needs, and competitive landscapes, which are vital for making data-driven decisions. 5. Familiarity with Economics 📈 A good grasp of economic principles can significantly enhance decision-making. Understanding concepts like supply and demand, pricing strategies, and market dynamics can influence product strategy and positioning. 6. Knowledge of Development Principles 💻 Knowing the basics of software development and engineering principles aids in better collaboration with development teams. It helps in understanding technical constraints and possibilities, ensuring more realistic and effective product planning. Embrace these skills to thrive in the dynamic field of product management and drive impactful results! 🌐✨ #ProductManagement #Skills #Business #Research #Prioritization #Economics #Development #CareerGrowth #Innovation