A product manager's primary responsibility is to ensure the value and viability of the product
Recently, I came across an insightful episode on Lenny’s Podcast featuring an interview with Marty Cagan from SVPG, titled "Product Management Theater." Marty's perspectives are always enriching, but one particular aspect stood out to me.
The Role of the Product Manager
Marty delineated between the roles of a product manager and a product leader. Essentially, he emphasized the product leader's task of defining strategy, while the product manager focuses on upholding the product's value and viability within that strategy.
He also highlighted a prevalent issue where companies tend to over-hire product managers and overburden them with tasks beyond their core responsibilities because they forget their main role to deliver value. These additional tasks, ranging from project management to technical analysis, often lead to a scenario where product managers become overwhelmed, resulting in fragmented attention, diminished effectiveness, and less responsibility and accountability. This approach risks transforming product teams into mere feature factories, jeopardizing their ability to do both inbound and outbound and deliver substantial value.
The Role of the Product Leader
Marty underscored that the product leader's role encompasses strategic decision-making and mentoring product managers. Ultimately, effective strategy revolves around ensuring a product's value and viability.
Therefore, a competent product leader is first of all a product person, who prioritizes their product-oriented mindset over managerial duties, emphasizing what it takes to build a good team of product managers. They never forget what is needed to be a good product manager and they recognize the crucial importance of day-to-day product management tasks, even though they do not have time for this work and delegate it to their team.
This situation is exacerbated by the typically small size of product management teams and the inherent passion required for success in this domain.
The Hiring Process
In my recent interviews for product or product lead positions, I encountered a recurring question: "Aren’t you over-qualified?" Regrettably, in some instances, this question served as a conclusion rather than a query for clarification.
While acknowledging that certain roles might not have been the right fit for both parties, I contend that dismissing candidates solely on the grounds of being overqualified is misguided. From my experience, the risk of failure in recruiting lies more with underqualified candidates rather than seasoned professionals.
This dilemma becomes even more pronounced in startups seeking their inaugural product positions. In such environments, a product manager must seamlessly navigate between strategic planning and tactical execution. Opting for an underqualified candidate poses a significant risk to the company's trajectory, whereas an overqualified individual can elevate performance without issue, provided they possess a genuine passion for the product and alignment with the team's culture.
I do not believe there is such a thing as an overqualified product manager. There is only an under-qualifying product management position.
Summary
When scouting for a product manager, prioritizing qualities such as passion for the product and alignment with the team's ethos is paramount. Favoring candidates with extensive experience over those lacking in it tends to yield more favorable outcomes. However, exceptions may exist for individuals showcasing exceptional potential and motivation, albeit with less experience. In such cases, it's crucial to evaluate the investment required for their development and ensure adequate mentorship and guidance are available.
Never lose sight of the value proposition inherent in effective product management.
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