12 Traits That Transform Good Product Managers Into Great Ones
Every product role, whether Product Leader, Product Manager, Product Owner or Product Analyst requires it’s own unique set of skills and behaviors; but truly great product people share common traits and qualities that transcend titles.
I’ve grouped these qualities into three categories, and four traits within each for a total of 12 key traits:
Be Inspirational: Great product managers (PMs) inspire those around them with bold visions, thoughtful ownership, and an empowering leadership style. They think big, embrace responsibility, and cultivate empathy to motivate and guide their teams toward success.
Build Great Relationships: Building strong, collaborative relationships is fundamental to product management. Great PMs communicate effectively, build trust, and influence stakeholders by aligning shared goals and leveraging collective strengths.
Get Things Done: Delivering results requires action, adaptability, and determination. Great PMs wear many hats, make decisive choices, and stay reliable while embracing change to ensure forward momentum.
Be Inspirational
Think Big: Great PMs do not constrain their thinking or get bogged down by limited resources, time or budget. They seem big opportunities and develop actionable plans to take advantage of them
Take Ownership: Great PMs take ownership over what they, and their team, do. They feel a sense of responsibility over every aspects of their product. They don’t make all the decisions, but they take ownership over the decisions being made.
Empower the Team: Great PMs empower their team. They include their team in key discussions and decisions, and delegate autonomy to their team, all while staying committed and focused on the outcome.
Be Empathetic: Great PMs take time to genuinely understand their team members and stakeholders. They seek to deeply understand other perspectives by putting themselves in other’s shoes and use that perspective to make thoughtful decisions.
Build Great Relationships
Be a great collaborator: Great PMs collaborate with their team. They empower their team to have a voice at the table. They recognize their team’s strengths and leverage those where appropriate in solving problems and making tough decisions.
Communicate Effectively: Clear, concise, and frequent communication is the hallmark of a great PM. They are approachable and ensure stakeholders stay informed and aligned.
Influence Stakeholders: Great PMs know how to make a case that is hard to refute or ignore. They use data when appropriate and can compel others to buy into their vision and get onboard.
Earn Trust: Great PMs understand people and recognize the importance of building trust with their team and stakeholders. They do what is necessary to earn each person’s trust and turn them into an ally, instead of just a colleague.
Get Things Done
Wear Multiple Hats: Great PMs aren’t above any title — they execute and do whatever is necessary to ship their product. They recruit others, write documentation, conduct customer research, escalate, do sales and troubleshoot tickets, to get things done.
Be Decisive (Decision Maker): Great PMs are decisive, even in the face of incomplete information. They have good product instinct, good business judgement and aren’t afraid to take risks in making business decisions.
Embrace Change: Great PMs are adaptable and embrace change. They ask great questions, accept change that aligns with the goals and are willing to pivot. They have backbone and speak up if they do not agree with the change.
Be Reliable: Great PMs are reliable and can be counted on by their team members. They are available to their team and responsive in a timely manner.
You don’t need to excel at every one of these traits. Start with one. As you master these traits, you’ll be on your way to becoming a truly exceptional product manager. All the best.