Hello changemakers 👋

lately I’ve been binging videos on YouTube showcasing the day in a life of a product manager and in most cases I couldn’t really relate to what they were showing.

I’ve been working as product manager for the last 3 years in a Fortune 500 company and, while some of the advice given in those videos can be very useful for people who think about taking such a role, I also feel they showcase a romanticized version of the day-to-day reality of a PM role (it’s also fair to say that I work as a PM for hardware, and mostly what you see online are software PMs).

So I thought this week I’d show you 5 learnings I had in my PM role that are often missed in such videos.

Let’s dive into it!

I’ve been working at my company for almost 10 years. The first 6 years I was mainly in engineering roles, but I was always attracted by product management, especially seeing how on the internet it was often described as being the CEO of your product. Eventually an opportunity came in my company and I didn’t hesitate for a moment to take it. Three years later I’ve successfully managed the launch of a product generating +150M€ revenue, and currently I’m leading the most innovative product in our portfolio.

And, while I loved the journey that brought me hear and many aspects of the PM role, there’s also many that are often less talked about that would have been great to know when I started. Here are 5 of them:

1. You are the CEO of the product… partially: Unlike a CEO giving orders, a PM has limited authority over the teams that bring their vision to life. It’s like being a conductor in an orchestra – they lead, but they don't control each musician's fingers. A good PM needs to be a master hustler, influencing and motivating cross-functional teams like design, engineering, and customer support. This means clearly communicating the product vision, understanding each team's needs, and advocating for resources.
   
   Next to that, you have many stakeholders to satisfy who will try to push their view into your product. Your manager might be pushing for a flashy new feature that you don’t feel adds much value for your consumer. The quality team lead might push you to include a different feature that would mean de-prioritizing something you feel is more important.
   
   And that means sometimes you need to make compromises that you might not agree with, but not agreeing with them might bring you more problems further down the line.
   
   That doesn’t mean you need to agree with everyone. If you try to make everyone happy, you will be ready to compromise on anything at any time, and would achieve nothing. A PM should prioritize ruthlessly and say “no” when it needs to be said. However, that’s less easy when your manager pushes in a different direction, as eventually you also need to satisfy your manager to keep your job.
   

2. The art of persuasive storytelling is one of the most important skills to have: A PM's job is partly about convincing everyone from executives to designers of your product's potential. You need to be a master storyteller, able to craft clear, concise, and data-driven stories to convince them. Think of it like pitching a product to a group of investors.
   
   You need a compelling story to get the funding you need. In this case, your story needs to explain the problem you're solving, the solution your product offers, how you'll measure success, and why it will be a game-changer. By mastering the art of persuasive storytelling, PMs can effectively communicate their vision and rally everyone around a shared goal. This alignment across different teams is crucial for bringing a product from concept to a successful launch.
   

3. Know your stuff inside and out: Become a product domain rockstar: The best PMs aren't just managers, they're practically walking encyclopedias of their product area. They're constantly feeding their brains with the latest industry trends, just like a die-hard sports fan follows their favorite team. They devour industry blogs, reports, and publications to stay ahead of the curve. This deep knowledge helps them build a strong product roadmap that keeps your product innovative and competitive.
   

4. Speak the language of engineers – Build trust through tech fluency: Working hand-in-hand with engineers is key to bringing your product vision to life. But to do that well, you need to understand their world, at least to a basic level. Imagine trying to explain a complex house renovation to a builder who only knows how to use a hammer! A good PM can speak the language of tech – they understand core engineering concepts and can discuss potential trade-offs without shying away from complex issues.
   
   This doesn't mean you need to be a pro in engineering, but having a basic grasp of technical concepts goes a long way in building trust with the engineering team. Personally, as I came from engineering roles and I used to work with my current engineering team, that was quite easy for me. And when comparing myself to other PMs within my team, I feel that’s a clear advantage I have over them. When my engineering team talks tech with me, they see me as a valuable partner, not just someone throwing ideas over the wall. This collaborative environment fosters a smoother workflow and ultimately leads to a better product.
   

5. Embrace Data, But Don't Be Drowned by It: Data is a goldmine for PMs, but it's important to remember it's just one piece of the puzzle. Imagine navigating a treasure map – the data is your map, but it won't tell you everything about the hidden dangers or unexpected detours you might encounter. While quantitative data is crucial for measuring success and identifying trends, don't neglect qualitative factors like user feedback and market sentiment.
   
   A well-rounded PM uses data but must also use some intuition to make informed decisions that keep the product on the right track. Many times you won’t have all data available and you’ll have to take decisions based on your gut feel. And that’s ok, sometimes a decision is better than no decision and waiting for the perfect dataset to be there.

I think being a PM is one of the nicest roles one can have. However, is good to be aware of how the role actually is before taking it, and these YouTube videos are often portraying a picture that I feel is not fully real. But then again, might be because I work on hardware products instead of software.

In any case, hope you might find these tips interesting. And if you’d find interesting to see a video with a day-in-a-life of a PM from my point of view, let me know!

Cheers,

Ignasi 🚀

My latest videos 📼

✨ How To Type Faster On A Laptop (Step-By-Step Guide To 120 WPM) - Want to type faster on a laptop? In this video I will teach you everything you need to know, step-by-step from absolute beginner to pro. This skill alone can help you free up over 100 hours of work a year (yes, I was also surprised when I first did the math, but it’s correct). So make sure to give a look if you want to save some time in the office.

This week's recommendations 💡

📰 Article: Advice for the Unmotivated by Robin Abrahams and Boris Groysberg. I came across this article, and the points Robin and Boris make about feeling disengaged and burnt out at work are something that I can see in many of colleagues, and it’s something I try to avoid for myself. I found particularly interesting the idea of the DEAR method to help you regain motivation.

DEAR stands for Detach, Empathize, Act, and Reframe. Detach by taking a step back and reflecting to gain perspective. Empathize by being kind to yourself and building connections with colleagues. Act by tackling small tasks and finding productive outlets for your energy. Finally, Reframe your thinking about work by focusing on the bigger picture and how you contribute to it.

Question of the week 🤔

Is your work just a job, or is it a stepping stone to something bigger?

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