Product Manager Mindset — The Ultimate Cheat Sheet
The qualities that can take you from GOOD to GREAT ❗❗❗
Every job-role requires a specific mind-set that helps you deliver & achieve more. Ranging from an artist to a salesman, from a doctor to a technical architect, each one of them carries a 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗲𝘁 that helps them align their internal motivation to their skills & passion for the job.
Have you ever wondered that besides the technical competency and business acumen, what are those fundamental attributes that you should have as a competent Product Manager?
After ~5 years into PM space, reading myriad articles/blogs & conversing with product leaders and managers across industries, I came up with a cheat-sheet for the fundamental values that one should develop within to successfully venture onto the journey of product management.
The list, of course, is not exhaustive but have attempted to keep it short covering the 8 most important pillars.
𝟭. 𝗨𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 C𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆
Never assumes & absorbs information without validations. WH family of questions (what, why, where, how) are her best friends
𝟮. 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴
Always on the go to find a better way to do things, strive for better product/process efficiency and doesn’t shy to challenge the status-quo
𝟯. 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗛𝘂𝗻𝗴𝗿𝘆
Sincerely seeks feedback and genuinely takes them into considerations
4. 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵𝘆
Strong understanding of consumer/client, in terms of the happy/pain points, journeys, needs and wants. Act like a second mother to the consumer
𝟱. 𝗕𝗶𝗮𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗮𝗹
Ensures decision-making is not marred by subjective biases. Strives to attain objectivity by quantitative and qualitative ways
𝟲. 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲
Stay on top of market developments, industry movements, evolving consumer/client habits or needs, latest technologies and tools and novel work paradigms
𝟳. 𝗗𝗼𝗰𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 E𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴
Indite everything — what you accomplish, instruct, want, aspire, report. Be a sucker for documentation to not let ambiguity prevail in.
𝟴. 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽
Focus on the team and its needs first of all and not just on your own success. Remember, in product setups, you alone can’t pull the chariot to the finish line.
