At one point he said:

“I want to do the work that’s most important. Not what’s most paid.”

He gave me his two options:

• Cardiologist — helping sick babies and children

• Mountain rescuer — saving people in the mountains

That conversation stayed with me, because there was an important career lesson in this.

Many adults do the reverse.

They start with salary, title, or status first — and only later confront the reality: they’re unhappy, constantly stressed, or burning out under expectations they can’t sustainably meet.

The Adult Mistake

Salary is measurable. Titles are visible. Promotions are socially rewarded.

So adults do what seems rational: aim for the bigger title, the higher package, or join the “hot” company. This is how they define success.

And somewhere down the road they face the reality: a role that doesn’t match their personality, a culture that wears them down, or a mission that doesn’t motivate them.

A bigger title doesn’t fix a bad fit. It just makes the misfit louder.

The Career Equation I Trust

If you want to make career decisions that are both meaningful and sustainable, I trust this simple equation:

Here’s what that means.

Values & Principles (what you can’t compromise on)

Values and principles are your non-negotiables.

This is not about the list of values on a company website. It’s about what the company actually stands for in practice.

Values and principles show up through the mission a company pursues, the behaviours it encourages, and the trade-offs it makes to achieve its goals.

Your happiness at work depends heavily on whether you’re surrounded by behaviours that align with — or violate — what you personally consider acceptable.

To be clear: you don’t need to fully align with everything. If the company loves big parties — and you don’t — that’s fine.

But if the company normalizes behaviours you dislike or oppose (continuous overtime, politics, cutting corners on safety, treating customers poorly), that misalignment will slowly wear you down.

Strategy is part of this, too.

If the company competes on too many fronts while you value focus — or constantly shifts priorities while you prefer a stable operating rhythm — that mismatch will drain you over time.

So watch reality:

• What trade-offs get made to meet deadlines?

• What behaviour gets encouraged — and what gets ignored?

• Who gets promoted, and why?

• What keeps getting prioritized — and what always gets deprioritized?

That’s the values-and-principles system you’ll be living in every single day.

Capability Fit (how you’re wired to work)

This is the part many of us fail to answer honestly — and then wonder why a “great” job feels heavy.

You can build knowledge over time. You can learn a domain. You can stretch into new responsibilities.

But how you’re wired to work — the kind of work that gives you energy and focus — doesn’t change easily. It can change, but it usually requires openness, intention, and time.

A simple way to describe it is three work modes:

• Builder (often: individual contributor): you enjoy doing tasks on your own. You thrive when you go deep and build — solving, designing, shipping, writing, becoming expert at a craft.

• Enabler (often: people manager): you like to guide others and help them do great work — coaching, aligning, setting direction, removing blockers.

• Visionary (often: accountable leader): you thrive when you set a vision, design a system others can execute, make decisions under uncertainty, and carry accountability.

This isn’t a hierarchy. You can be highly successful in any of these.

It’s also not black-and-white. Most roles include some building, some enabling, and some decision-making. What matters is which mode consumes most of your week. If 70–80% of your time sits in a mode that drains you, your happiness will eventually suffer — even if the remaining 20–30% is enjoyable.

But watch out. Titles can be misleading.

A role’s title suggests a mode, but the environment and culture often determines the real one: the company size, operating model, manager expectations, and how ownership is distributed.

Misplacement can be hard.

For example: if you love building, but your role is mostly chasing alignment, reporting, managing others who build — you might be “successful” on paper and still feel depleted every week.

If you have a strong drive to lead, own vision, and make decisions, but your role keeps you in a space with little ownership, you’ll feel constrained.

This matters regardless of where you are in your career. If you’re junior but feel a strong need for ownership and vision, look for environments where you can own something, even a small scope, or managers who value autonomy.

Market Demand (where your fit is rewarded)

The first two factors are internal. But there’s also external reality: market demand.

You can have a strong internal fit — values and capability fit — but if the market doesn’t value that combination right now (in your geography, level, and industry), you’ll feel stuck, underpaid or you’ll struggle to find the next job opportunity.

Market demand doesn’t replace your values or identity. It answers a practical question:

Where can my work be actually valued today?

A few signals to look for:

• Are there many roles that match your profile?

• Are multiple companies willing to pay well for this combination of scope and capability?

• Is demand increasing or slowly declining?

A concrete example: over the last years, Security has repeatedly gone through waves where it moved from “nice to have” to “board-level priority”. In those moments, the same person with the same capability fit suddenly has more options, stronger bargaining power, and faster career progression.

Market demand works like that across many areas (e.g., cloud migrations, data/AI, privacy, sustainability). Follow this trends. Because it’s not just what you can do — it’s when and where the market urgently needs it.

The Intersection (where you should optimize the deal)

Once you’ve found a role that fits your values and capability fit — in a market where that combination is in demand — you’re in the right place to optimize the deal.

This is the part many people get backwards. They start with compensation.

Compensation is a powerful lever, but it’s a terrible compass.

So here’s the order I recommend:

1. Get the fit right first.

2. Then negotiate inside the fit.

Inside the overlap of the three factors, you can negotiate confidently because you’re not trying to “buy” motivation — you’re pricing your contribution.

If you optimize the deal while forgetting the rest, you may win the offer — but pay for it in happiness, health, or time.

Why This Works: Flow Wins Force

This equation isn’t just a career advice. It’s also a performance strategy.

When your values and capability align with the work you do — and the market rewards it — you’re much more likely to spend time in Flow.

A flow is a state in which people are so involved in an activity that nothing else seems to matter. The experience is so enjoyable that people will continue to do it even at great cost, for the sheer sake of doing it.

When you operate in flow, productivity is highest.

It’s also where your next opportunities come from. When you’re operating in flow, your output improves, your confidence grows, you build a stronger track record, and people notice.

Even in a saturated market, this is where you tend to stand out — because you’re not just “doing the job,” you’re getting better at a much higher tempo than the rest.

When you’re misaligned, you can still perform — but it often takes force. And force is expensive and takes time.

Facing Reality (and choosing consciously)

There is an important nuance to be added. Often life doesn’t allow for the perfect overlap.

At the end of the day, you need to pay the bills. Often you need to take a role that’s not ideal.

That’s fine.

What makes it mentally heavy is not the imperfect choice — it’s the confusion about why you made it.

If you’re clear with yourself (“I’m taking this role for stability for the next 12 months,” or “I’m building a skill that will open doors,” or “I’m buying time while I search for a better fit”), you gain peace of mind and you can make a plan instead of silently resenting the job.

Try a Small Exercise

If you want to make this practical, assess your current role (or the one you’re aiming for) using this simple framework.

Write down:

• Your non-negotiables: what you won’t tolerate. Do you see any mismatch? If yes, your best fit is probably elsewhere.

• Your dominant work mode: what energizes you most — being a Builder (deep work and craft), an Enabler (helping others do great work), or a Visionary (vision, decisions, and outcomes). Then ask: what does your role actually require most of the week?

• Market direction: is the domain you’re in growing, stable, or shrinking? Are there roles you’d want in 1–2 years — or is it narrowing?

Then answer one question:

What’s the smallest change I can make in the next 30 days to move closer to the overlap?

That might be choosing a different team, reshaping your scope, changing how you spend your week, or even targeting a different type of company.

Back to The Story of My Son

My son is currently prioritizing value. He wants to do what’s “most important.”

But over time, I hope he learns something even more powerful:

You don’t always have to choose between what matters and what you enjoy. You can combine both.

Maybe he won’t become a mountain rescuer or cardiologists.

Maybe he’ll build robots that rescue people in the mountains. Because he genuinly enjoys building robots. Or maybe he’ll work on medical technology that helps children live longer.

The adult version of that lesson::

Start with Values & Principles. Understand your Capability Fit. Respect market demand.\

Then — inside that intersection — optimize for salary.

That’s how you grow a career that looks good on paper and feels good in your body.

Welcome to the new edition of Lean Product Growth.

Today we continue the discussion with John Zilch, a passionate product leader with over a decade of product experience in various product roles.

In Part 1 of our discussion with John, we delved into the evolution of product management and the challenges faced by full-time product managers today.

In this article, we shift our focus to a slightly different topic. We’ll delve into one increasingly popular product management role: the Fractional Chief Product Officer (CPO). We’ll unpack what this role entails, the benefits it offers, and when companies should consider hiring one.

John is a product leader, with over a decade of experience in product management. Throughout his career, he has held numerous product management positions, most recently serving as the Senior Director of Product Management at SugarCRM.

Today he is the founder of Breakthrough Ventures, providing Fractional Product Management and Product Marketing Services to software companies. He combines his Fractional CPO responsibilities with teaching product management courses to undergraduate students at Province College.

Interim CPO, Fractional CPO, and CPO Advisor: What's the difference?

These are different terminologies that are sometimes misunderstood.

In my view, an Interim CPO typically steps in temporarily to cover for someone on leave or until a permanent replacement is found. They are there to maintain continuity and stability and ensure things run smoothly during transitions.

On the other hand, a CPO Advisor works quite differently. Advisors usually operate on a retainer model, providing strategic advice for a few hours each week or month. They do not get deeply involved in day-to-day operations, but you know you can turn to your advisor when an important decision needs to be made. Some might even work for equity instead of direct payment.

A Fractional CPO role is a different form. This role is typically part-time and can be long-term. Companies hire Fractional CPOs when they need the expertise of a CPO but don't require someone to be present full-time. Typically, a Fractional CPO focuses on high-impact activities, dedicating, for example, about 20 hours a week. It's a cost-effective model for growing companies that need experienced leadership without the full-time commitment.

How effective can a Fractional CPO be in a part-time role?

The nature of the Fractional CPO role is such that makes your work very effective. As a Fractional CPO you have high responsibility, but limited time. That gives you focus. You are following the 80/20 rule, focusing exactly where you have most impact.

If I went full time, I think I would end up working on that 80% on things that would provide little impact to the company.

In the past when I was in a full time role, I remember sometimes sitting in a 3 hour meeting, with very little contribution. I was thinking: “This is not the right thing to do and be paid for”.

With the focus that the Fractional CPO is following, you can offer high value to the company but for much less hours.

When should a company consider a Fractional CPO role?

I think the Fractional CPO role works best for smaller companies that need a CPO but don’t require full-time engagement. This cost-effective model allows growing companies to access the expertise they need without committing to a permanent full-time role.

In a smaller organization, it is an advantage that constant interaction isn't as necessary as it is in larger companies. Because of this, smaller organizations can benefit from the effectiveness and focus that a Fractional CPO can provide.

This role is particularly useful when specific expertise is needed that the company doesn't possess internally. A smaller organization might not have a mature product management structure in place and can hire a Fractional CPO to fill specific gaps.

For example, my background in analytics and CRM has been a great fit for my current role. So, if a company has a specific objective and needs outside help, a Fractional CPO can add significant value.

How do you compare your experience as a part-time CPO vs full-time?

I really enjoy the flexibility and freedom of working part-time.

Full-time roles sound that they offer higher job security, but there is a big concern and pressure of finding the next position if things don't work out. On the other side, part-time contracts offer an easy way out if things don’t go as expected.

Part-time work fits my personality better, allowing me to explore different ventures and diversify my income. It also provides better financial security since I can have multiple clients. Additionally, I appreciate the freedom to try different things, such as teaching.

Fractional roles help me stay sharper and more focused. They require me to deliver value without getting bogged down in less impactful activities. This approach brings me greater fulfilment as I can provide more value through my work.

Is there anything you miss in your current role as a Fractional CPO?

The part I miss the most in my current role is the in-person interaction. My current role is remote, which is quite common for a Fractional CPO engagement. While this provides a lot of flexibility, I do miss the live interactions with clients and colleagues.

That’s partly why I'm spending some of my time teaching. Teaching allows me to be in a physical classroom, interacting directly with students and other professors.

What skills do you think are essential for success as a Fractional CPO?

As a Fractional CPO, you need to be a self-starter with a high level of curiosity. Companies hire Fractional CPOs to tackle challenges or mysteries they haven't been able to solve. Without a blueprint to follow, you must leverage your expertise, curiosity, and creativity to solve unique customer problems.

You must quickly grasp product situations and understand both the product and its customers. The ability to explore, solve problems rapidly, and mobilize the team into action is essential. You need to swiftly identify and address issues, explore possible solutions, and lead the team to implement or experiment with them.

Focus and discipline are crucial characteristics for this role. A Fractional CPO must address the specific challenges the company faces, always aligning efforts with the company’s goals. This requires a strong sense of prioritization, being highly oriented around the company’s objectives, and avoiding less critical issues. It's important to filter out distractions and concentrate on the company’s core goals.

What would you advise someone considering to transition to a Fractional CPO role?

Exploring a role as a Fractional CPO can be highly rewarding. It offers flexibility, diverse experiences, and the freedom to explore different ventures.

However, it's crucial to ensure that this path aligns with your personality, skills, and expertise. While expertise is essential, having the right personality is equally important. If you are adaptable, proactive, enjoy solving unique problems, and thrive on focusing on high-impact tasks, this role could be a perfect fit.

Seek out companies where you can provide the most value, and enjoy the benefits this dynamic role offers.

We thank John for this insightful conversation.

If you want to connect with John and explore more of his insights into Product Management, be sure to check out his writings on Build it Ship It.

The role of Product Management has dramatically transformed over the past two to three decades. Today, it stands at a crossroad, facing new challenges and uncertainties.

To dive deeper into this topic, we spoke with John Zilch, a passionate product leader with over a decade of product experience in various product roles. John's journey in Product Management is insightful and inspiring. He shared his personal experiences and unique perspective on the evolution of the Product Management field.

John began his career in project management and business analysis before transitioning into Product Management, a field he has passionately pursued for the last 10-12 years. “I felt it was my calling. I love working closely with customers and collaborating across various organizational functions,” he said.

John has held product roles at various companies in different stages, most recently serving as the Senior Director of Product Management at SugarCRM. He is now the founder of Breakthrough Ventures, providing Fractional Product Management and Product Marketing Services to software companies.

A few years ago, John also discovered his passion for teaching. He is now teaching Product Management courses to undergraduate students at Providence College, a role he greatly enjoys combining with his fractional CPO responsibilities.

If you want to connect with John and explore more of his insights into Product Management, be sure to check out his writings on Build it Ship It.

Build It Ship It

Exploring the art and science of product management

By John Zilch

John, how has the role of a Product Manager evolved since you started your career?

My journey as a Product Manager began more than a decade ago. Reflecting on those early days, I realize that my responsibilities were more aligned with a Product Owner rather than a true Product Manager. I spent considerable time within the office rather than engaging directly with customers. My primary tasks involved attending standups and working directly within a scrum room alongside engineering teams.

Historically, I think the Product Owner role, which still exists in many organizations, was more process-oriented. A lot of time was spent on scrum ceremonies and collaborating with engineering teams to ensure efficient execution.

Over the years, we’ve seen a noticeable shift towards engaging more with customers. And this shift aligns well with the original intent of the Agile Manifesto, which emphasizes creating working software through customer collaboration.

Is the role of a Product Manager clearly understood across different organizations?

Absolutely not.

The responsibilities of a Product Manager vary widely across organizations. Throughout my career, I've observed that these responsibilities can differ significantly, even at higher levels such as mid-manager or director positions. These differences are often influenced by the specific team and organizational structure.

In some organizations, Product Managers focus on technical tasks, leading engineering teams, completely isolated from customers. In other cases, they are responsible for prioritizing backlog items, leaning towards a Product Owner role. Other Product Managers focus more on design work. Essentially, they need to fit where there is a need.

The true role of product management is to focus on managing and aligning the product strategy with the company direction. This involves facilitating conversations, ensuring everyone is aligned and excited about the direction, and understanding how specific product decisions contribute to broader corporate objectives.

The most effective Product Managers are those who understand the impact of the product on the company's goals, rather than just responding to customer demands in isolation.

With today’s complex market dynamics, it seems that the Product Management role is under fire. What is your perspective on this?

Despite its critical contributions, the Product Management role often doesn't receive the appreciation it deserves.

Product Managers contribute substantially to various departments like finance, sales, and marketing, yet their efforts are not always directly linked to clear, individual metrics.

For example, Product Managers play a crucial role in product adoption and user growth, but these successes are often attributed to design or marketing teams. Because of this, it is easy for their value to be overlooked by leadership.

I’ll share an interesting story from my first role as a Product Manager. We were only two Product Managers in the role. Once, my colleague and I were walking around when we noticed a pizza party hosted by the sales team. They invited us, and as we joined, I mentioned to my colleague: “While every team likes us and wants to work with us, we're never really part of any team celebrations.”

This nature of the Product Management role has made it an easy target during layoffs, particularly in times of economic downturns when companies need to expand profit margins. Especially the full-time product management role appears to be under significant pressure today.

Therefore, as the role continues to evolve, it must navigate these perceptions and seek to more clearly demonstrate its direct value to organizational success.

We might not have clear metrics like sales quotas or financial statements, but our work in aligning teams and driving product strategies is crucial.

Are there any interesting trends you see with Product Management as a result of this market dynamics?

I see a significant overlap between the work of product marketers and Product Managers.

In many places I've worked, there's often a disconnect between these roles. Product Managers typically hand off the roadmap to product marketers, who then take on a project management role for market launches. This isn't ideal. Both roles should be thinking about positioning, competitive space, and differentiation.

Given this overlap, I foresee these roles merging over time, especially as the lines between product strategy and marketing continue to blur.

We are already seeing this trend at some tech companies, like Airbnb, where Product Management is combined with Product Marketing. This is a trend I expect to see more frequently.

Some companies take the route to merge the CPO role and CTO role into CPTO. Is this a winning strategy?

I think it depends on the skill set of the leader.

Sometimes, product leaders come from a technical background and tend to lean towards technology. I've seen instances where a CPO with an affinity for technology was running the technology team. Ultimately, he moved to the CTO role because the product side wasn't getting sufficient attention.

In general, I think it is really hard to find someone who excels at both technology, architecture, cloud, and simultaneously thinks about the market and the strategic side of the product.

There are unicorns like that, but even in those cases, the stage of the company can be a determining factor. If both your technology and product teams are not mature enough, and you need to improve both sides at the same time, it can be a big stretch.

What advice would you give to someone considering a career in Product Management?

Do your homework first. Talk to people who have experience in the role and see if they still enjoy it. If you're targeting a specific company, reach out to current or former Product Managers there to get a sense of the work environment and culture.

Remember that Product Management varies significantly across organizations. So it's crucial to understand what you're getting into. We're still figuring out the best practices and standards for Product Management.

Many product leaders today didn't start in Product Management because the role either didn't exist or wasn't well-defined when they began their careers. This means you might find leaders from operations, technology, or other backgrounds who may not approach Product Management with the product mindset focused on discovery and analysis.

Find a company with a strategy that aligns with your ambitions, and even more importantly, a leader who understands and values Product Management.

We thank John for his great insights and the amazing advice.

In Part 2 of our interview with John, we delve deeper into John's unique role as a Fractional Chief Product Officer.

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Over the past few decades, the demand for software engineers has been continuously on the rise. However, the role and skills required from a software engineer have undergone a significant transformation. What we looked for in a software engineer two decades ago is different from what we should look for today.

Traditionally, software engineers were seen a…

Read more

As a tech startup founder, you might wonder if product management is a necessity at this early stage. Isn't it usually reserved for larger, well-established companies?

Here's a simple truth: Yes, you absolutely need it to thrive. Every tech startup, big or small, needs a touch of product magic to soar!

However, at this stage, you probably don’t need a dedicated product management function. As a founder or co-founder, you're in a prime position to shoulder this responsibility. But even if you don't carry the formal title of a product manager, it's essential to embrace product management thinking.

In simple terms, product management is about overseeing the entire lifecycle of your product. The ultimate goal for every product manager or product leader is to drive business growth through their product.

If you're an entrepreneur, don't let the term "management" intimidate you. Your startup is the playground for innovation and trailblazing. Sure, there's a need for structure and process management. But here's the twist: it's not the traditional kind of management. It's fluid, it’s fast, and it’s all about growing smarter by the minute. Success is measured by how much you learn and how quickly you achieve the product's market fit.

A little insider secret: neglecting product management practices is much riskier for startups than for big companies.

For established tech companies, a lack of product mindset can result in a lot of wasted resources. But for startups, the stakes are survival.

Now, let's delve into some product strategies every startup should have in their toolkit.

Pre-Product Stage

Defining the problem

It all starts with spotting that unique niche and a problem that needs solving. This phase isn't about product creation; instead, it's about acquiring deep insights into the niche, refining your understanding, and understanding the challenges of your niche.

In my interactions with founders, I'm starting to notice a positive shift—More and more are swapping the "build first, validate later" tactic for "discover and validate first" approach. And that’s a game-changer!

Nevertheless, there's still significant room for improvement. Even though Eric Ries introduced the Lean Startup approach decades ago, many founders continue to invest heavily in product development without accurately pinpointing the problem they intend to solve. They often skip essential steps, such as engaging with potential users, and rely solely on their assumptions.

Ever heard of that gem from Albert Einstein? He said, "If I had an hour to solve a problem, I'd spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and five minutes thinking about solutions." 

The lesson for startups here is: know your problem like the back of your hand before diving into fixing it.

Evaluating opportunity

Not every problem deserves your attention. To make informed decisions, it's valuable to structure your thinking and address these key questions:

What's the exact problem you're solving? You must have a clear understanding of the problem and the ability to explain it clearly to others. That's your rock-solid Value Proposition.

Who benefits from your solution? Do you have a clear picture of the users interested in your product? This defines your Niche.

Is your target user group sizable? If the problem you've identified is very niche and affects only a tiny part of the population, it may not be wise to proceed unless it's a critical and urgent issue. This defines the Market Size.

How is the problem currently solved? Scope out the scene. Are the existing solutions sufficient, or is there a need for a better one? This identifies your Competition.

You can visualise these questions on a chart like the one below. If the problem isn't significant enough, it may not be worth pursuing. If it's essential but already well-served by existing alternatives, it's a crowded market, and entering it might not be advisable. The ideal opportunity is solving an important problem with few good solutions, relevant to a broad user base. That's your sweet spot. Aim right there.

Product Stage

Iterative Development

The concept of the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) isn't new, yet even after two decades since its introduction, MVPs still face challenges.

In fact, we've reached a stage where some are switching up the playbook and tossing around names like the MLP (Minimum Lovable Product) or MMP (Minimum Marketable Product).

But despite debates over the name, everyone agrees on the fundamental approach MVP represents: frequent validation of hypotheses and iterative product development, focusing on features that resonate with end users and have proven effective.

Throughout this process, our emphasis remains on testing the riskiest hypotheses upfront. Here's the golden rule: if the initial concept isn't viable, it's better to uncover this early before investing significantly.

The initial MVP doesn't need to be (and shouldn't be) a fully functional product. For instance, when validating an idea, a landing page MVP may suffice. To assess design and user experience, wireframe or mockup MVPs can be quite effective. As we progress, we eventually reach the minimum viable version of a live product that's ready for users. And after the product is live, we continue to iterate, improve, add features, and steadily enhance its value for users.

A Feedback-Driven System

In the ongoing validation process, a feedback loop is essential. Think of it as the magic ingredient to shape your product into something users are eager to purchase.

A range of techniques is available to gather this feedback, including customer interviews, user testing, product analytics, A/B testing, and more. The choice of technique depends on your product's current stage of development. For example:

• During the discovery phase, when you're uncovering problems and understanding user needs, interviews and surveys are effective.

• As you move into the design stage, usability testing techniques come into play.

• In the delivery stage, particularly when your user base grows, product analytics becomes your golden ticket to keep a pulse on what they're loving.

Regardless of the technique, establishing a structured feedback system is a necessity. It's the bridge to refining your product into something that genuinely resonates with the end users.

Ready to see product management through a fresh lens?

If you're building a tech startup, you don't need a formal product manager role. However, nurturing a product-centric mindset is the key ingredient to building a successful and scalable product that propels to success.

Even if these concepts sound familiar, it's all too common to lose sight of them in the whirlwind of daily tasks. Find a moment to pause, reflect, and ensure you’re on the right track. Subscribe on my newsletter, where I regularly provide valuable insights on building and scaling products.

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Prefer a more comprehensive approach and want to understand the entire journey from conceiving an idea to launching a product? Check out the online course for a step-by-step guide from that lightbulb moment to a product market fit.

Online course

Many thanks,

Marina

I often get this question from aspiring product managers. Which skills are essential to transition to a product role and to be successful in that role? In this article, I'll explore the nuances of the role and shed light on the key skills required.

The Evolving Role of a Product Manager

The role of a product manager (PM) is evolving. The responsibilities that come with this role can vary based on factors such as company maturity in product management, size, and specific needs. Unlike the clear-cut expectations for software engineers—developing code and possessing knowledge of specific technologies—the PM role is more nuanced.

In some companies, a technical PM role is required with hands-on tech experience. Other organisations assign PMs to manage the engineering team. Sometimes a PM is responsible for only handling the backlog, for others a PM’s focus is on the strategic aspects of the product.

As a general rule, a Product Manager (PM) plays a vital role in overseeing the entire lifecycle of a product, from its conception to launch. This role is the crucial link between diverse teams, stakeholders, and customers, ensuring the successful development and delivery of a product that fulfils market needs and aligns with business objectives.

As a PM, you'll have touch points across various domains, including marketing, sales, engineering, and more. However, it's important to note that being an expert in all these areas is not a prerequisite for the role. PMs typically come from one of these areas, often engineering, UX, but it can also be sales, consulting, or other background.

The Skills of an Effective PM

So what are the key skills that you need to have or develop to excel in product management role? I’d consider the following areas as crucial indicators:

Culture fit

While not specific to PMs, cultural alignment is vital. I always look for a strong culture fit with new candidates. This lays the foundation for a fulfilled and motivated employee who thrives over the long term.

For a PM, this is even more important because the role involves working closely with many stakeholders. It's essential to click well with others, as being trustworthy and respectful encourages them to follow your guidance.

Critical thinking

As a strong PM, you should have the amazing ability for organising chaos, handling uncertainty, and connecting different pieces together. A strong PM can spot the important parts and seamlessly bring them all in harmony.

This skill is essential for setting product goals that match the company's objectives and creating a sense of togetherness within the team.

Learning mindset

I highly value candidates who embrace a continuous learning and improvement mindset in their work. A person who is forward-looking and innovative, and who works on personal growth, would also encourage the product team to do the same.

A PM role should continuously look into improvement of the product, the development processes, the way of working, and the people in the team. This requires a learning mindset.

Lean mindset

PMs should adopt a user-centric mindset, but even more importantly, a lean mindset.

A good PM should be able to find continuously ways to maximise client value while minimising engineering effort and product complexity. Of course, this can be done together with the product team (the UX and an engineer will play a critical role here), but the PM is the person who should ensure that this is done successfully.

A lean mindset skill is critical for delivering delightful products effectively and without introducing a lot of complexity in the software.

Collaboration

Another important skills is effective collaboration and relationship-building skills. This is necessary for a PM to work effectively with cross-functional teams, including engineering, design, marketing, sales, and customer support.

A great PM excels at fostering cooperation to achieve common goals. It's essential to be able to listen and understand the problems of others. While it's not possible to please everyone, it's crucial to communicate the reasons behind decisions effectively, so that everyone can support them.

Understanding of technology

You don't need to know how to code to become a product manager. However, as a PM, it's important to have a good grasp of how software and technology function.

This knowledge helps you collaborate effectively with engineering teams, understand if product requirements are technically feasible, and bridge the gap between technology and business.

It's also valuable to stay updated on technology trends and explore how to use them in product delivery. This fosters innovation and improvement, making your product continuously better.

Understanding of the market

While not mandatory, having market knowledge is a significant advantage for PMs.

As a PM, it's important to fully dive into the product and gain a deep understanding of the market, competitors, and similar products. This is necessary to form your vision about the product and develop or maintain an effective product strategy.

Having an upfront market knowledge saves time on learning and helps you make better decisions.

Conclusion

You might notice that the skills I've listed above are primarily soft skills. While hard skills certainly have their place, I firmly believe that mindset and approach towards working with people and problem-solving hold greater significance in this role.

So, as you start on your journey as a product manager, focus on developing the right mindset and most importantly - ensure you learn continuously. Embrace these skills but also nurture your own unique approach to product management. This will empower you to excel in this role and make a significant impact in your new role.

You are stepping into a new product management role. Congratulations! Whether it's a new company or your first time in product management, it can evoke a range of emotions from excitement to the fear of the unknown. New challenges, responsibilities, and opportunities that come with this new role.

The first few weeks of starting any new job can present challenges, and stepping into a new product management role can be especially overwhelming due to the broad scope and variety of relevant topics. But rest assure, the start is just the beginning of a great journey. It is the time to set up a strong foundation that will help you later excel in this role.

Here are some tips for your first few weeks in this new position:

Understand your role

The role of a product manager involves developing a customer-centric product that aligns with the overall company strategy. But the concrete responsibilities vary significantly across different organisations. From managing backlogs, facilitating sprint ceremonies, having product managers or engineers as direct reports, talking to customers, defining product strategies or establishing robust product management processes. The expectations can differ based on the size of the company, the industry or the product maturity of the company.

As you step into your new role, take the time to understand what is specifically expected from you. Take the time to discuss with your manager and the stakeholders to understand their perspective and expectations. While it's great to show initiative and tailor your approach as you go along, it's essential to first gain clarity on the role's expectations and requirements.

Acknowledge the learning curve

The learning curve for this role is extensive. You'll be diving into a wide range of areas, from understanding the company’s dynamics, the product itself, the stakeholders, the market and customers, to familiarising yourself with the technology and development processes behind the product. It's a lot to absorb, and it’s natural to feel overwhelmed by the volume of information, but remember that this is a learning process that takes time.

Embrace this learning journey. Ask questions, lots of them, and give yourself the space to absorb all this new information. Within a few weeks, you may not become an expert in the product or its intricate technology, but you will acquire sufficient knowledge to operate successfully in your role. As you progress, you'll uncover the other layers of this learning pyramid, and you’ll expand your understanding and competence.

Grasp the big picture

While you may have specific responsibilities for one or a few products, it's important not to isolate your scope. Take the time to understand the broader context in which your product operates. Focus on understanding the company's overarching goals and how they align with your product's objectives, like the company's mission, vision, values, and strategic initiatives.

Recognise the boundaries within which your product operates and identify any dependencies with other teams or departments. By taking this holistic perspective you can effectively drive your product forward while ensuring alignment with the rest of the organisation.

Dive into the product and the market

Gaining comprehensive knowledge of your product and market will take time, especially if it is a complex product and a new industry to you. But it is time to start uncovering the first layers of the product and the market.

Who is the end user of the product, how does the competitive landscape look like? What’s the product’s value proposition, what are the unique selling points? What are the product features, how are they structured? And don’t forget to try using the product to get a feeling of its real value. This foundation will be invaluable as you navigate your product's journey.

Understand the implementation side of the product

Spend quality time with the engineers and familiarise yourself with the technical aspects of the product. Understanding how teams collaborate, how decisions are made, and how the entire process unfolds, starting from a new idea all the way through prioritisation, design, development, and code release.

If you have a tech-savvy background, you can delve into the finer details and gain a high-level insight into the product architecture, the coding practices employed, and the tools utilised. This will help you communicate effectively with the engineering team, understand their challenges, and identify opportunities for improvement.

Embrace adaptability and open-mindedness

Each company has its unique culture, processes, and ways of doing things. There is probably some history behind certain decisions. Ask Why instead of criticising. Embrace this diversity and be open to understanding the rationale behind existing practices.

Bringing fresh ideas to the table is great, but be mindful at the beginning and tailor these ideas to the specific context and needs of your company. Find the right balance between innovation and respect for the established practices.

Set your goals and priorities

Once you have gained a good understanding of the factors mentioned above, you can start setting your goals and priorities within the scope of your role. Define clear product goals that align with the broader company objectives, as they will serve as your main focus going forward.

Create a structure for yourself by identifying the specific tasks and key initiatives you are working on and how they relate to the overarching product goals. Developing this mental model is crucial as it allows you to navigate the complexity of your responsibilities more effectively. It will help you assess the importance of different tasks, making it easier to determine which ones require more immediate attention.

Plan your calendar

During the initial month, your calendar may be filled with various introduction meetings, onboarding sessions, and informal discussions. This is perfectly normal, as the key focus during this period is to gather input and learn.

However, once you have settled in, it's essential to structure your agenda effectively. Determine which regular meetings are crucial and prioritise them. Identify any meetings that you can skip or convert into offline updates to maximise your time.

It’s crucial to allocate dedicated time blocks of at least two hours in your calendar for focused work. This will allow you to dedicate uninterrupted time to strategic tasks, planning, and any necessary improvements.

Enjoy your journey!

Your first month is the beginning of an incredible journey. Embrace the challenges, stay curious, and most importantly, enjoy every step. This is your opportunity to grow, make an impact, and create a fulfilling career. Enjoy your adventure ahead!