Q&AI: Why Leadership Matters
Adapted from https://www.linkedin.com/advice/1/why-leadership-competencies-critical-product
More about our Q&AI series: https://www.productteacher.com/articles/new-series-q-ai
Product management is a complex and dynamic role that requires a range of skills and abilities. Among them, leadership competencies are valuable for driving the vision, strategy, execution, and collaboration of a product team.
Below, we’ll explore what are the key leadership competencies for product managers, how to assess strengths and gaps, and how to develop and demonstrate leadership potential.
LinkedIn’s question on vision and strategy
As a product manager, you need to have a clear and compelling vision for your product, and align it with the business goals and customer needs. You also need to translate your vision into a coherent and realistic strategy, and communicate it effectively to your stakeholders.
Vision and strategy are leadership competencies that help you inspire and influence others, prioritize and focus your efforts, and navigate uncertainty and ambiguity.
Clement, what are your thoughts here?
Clement’s response on vision and strategy
In my experience, a high-impact product manager doesn't just craft a vision but also constantly refines it based on evolving customer needs and market dynamics. It's a dynamic process, not a static one.
Additionally, a robust strategy is more than a sequenced roadmap of initiatives; it involves making tough decisions on what not to build, considering trade-offs, and adjusting in real-time.
Leadership in this context means not only having a plan, but also the conviction to stick to the plan, and the agility to pivot when necessary.
So, while vision and strategy are critical leadership competencies, we have to leverage these skills dynamically and know how to adapt!
LinkedIn’s question on execution and delivery
Having a vision and strategy is not enough if you cannot execute and deliver your product to the market. You need to have the skills and discipline to plan, manage, and measure your product development process, and ensure that you deliver value to your customers and stakeholders.
Execution and delivery are leadership competencies that help you achieve results, solve problems, adapt to changes, and manage risks and quality.
Clement, what are your thoughts here?
Clement’s response on execution and delivery
The goal of every product is to drive behavior changes for their customers.
You can't drive behavior changes if your product isn't delivered!
As a product manager, you're the coach and the janitor. Yes, you're setting the strategy and you're running the playbook...
... but if stuff falls through the cracks, you're ultimately the one who has to make sure it gets done!
LinkedIn’s question on collaboration and communication
Product management is not a solo activity. You need to collaborate and communicate with a diverse and cross-functional team, as well as with external partners and customers.
You need to build trust and rapport, listen and empathize, negotiate and persuade, and provide feedback and recognition. Collaboration and communication are leadership competencies that help you foster teamwork, alignment, and engagement, and leverage the collective intelligence and creativity of your team.
Clement, what are your thoughts here?
Clement’s response on execution and delivery
Product managers are force multipliers:
A great PM supercharges their team to deliver 10x-100x more impact than they would have on their own.
A good PM aligns their team to deliver up to 10x more.
A mediocre PM causes their team to deliver less than they would have on their own.
A bad PM causes their team to deliver negative impact (e.g. damaged customer trust, lost revenue, lawsuits).
What's in common across all of these? Whether you're a great PM or a bad PM depends heavily on how well you can align your team through collaboration and communication.
LinkedIn’s question on self-awareness and growth
As a product manager, you need to be aware of your own strengths and weaknesses, your motivations and values, your emotions and biases, and your impact on others. You also need to be open to feedback, learning, and improvement, and seek opportunities to grow and develop your skills and competencies.
Self-awareness and growth are leadership competencies that help you enhance your performance, resilience, and well-being, and model the behavior you expect from others.
Clement, what are your thoughts here?
Clement’s response on self-awareness and growth
Leadership for product managers is not about projecting unwavering confidence and always having the right answers; it's about embracing vulnerability and self-awareness.
I can’t tell you the number of times that I’ve heard people say “the PM should be the smartest person in the room.” That’s just not true.
The PM is the person who brings out the best for everyone in the room, but they themselves don’t need to be the smartest!
As product managers, when we admit our limitations and acknowledge that we don't have all the answers, we create an environment of transparency and psychological safety. This, in turn, fosters a culture of continuous improvement, not just for ourselves but also for our teams, processes, and products.
By being self-aware, humble, and curious, we demonstrate that growth and learning are ongoing pursuits, setting an example for our colleagues. It's the humility to change our minds when necessary and the courage to seek feedback that truly defines effective leadership in product management.
In this way, leadership becomes a catalyst for innovation and progress, propelling both individuals and the organization forward.
LinkedIn’s question on assessment and development
How do you know if you have the leadership competencies you need to succeed as a product manager? How can you identify and address your gaps and areas of improvement? One way to assess and develop your leadership competencies is to use a framework or tool that helps you evaluate your current level of proficiency, set your goals and action plans, and track your progress and outcomes.
For example, you can use the Product Leadership Competencies Matrix, which is a tool that defines and measures the core leadership competencies for product managers across four levels of maturity.
Clement, what are your thoughts here?
Clement’s response on assessment and development
Try this framing: a product manager is also a product.
Products solve problems for their customers. As product managers, our colleagues are our customers.
Therefore, a powerful way to figure out whether you're headed in the right direction is to simply ask your colleagues.
A quick starting point is to ask these two questions:
1) "What am I doing well, and what would you like me to continue doing?"
2) "What could I be doing differently, and how would that change help you?"
Clement’s other thoughts
While leadership matters in product management, it's not mandatory to be the top leader.
Yes, it’s true that some PMs excel as leaders, guiding teams and setting the direction.
But, it’s just as true that some excellent PMs shine as followers, supporting their colleagues and amplifying their efforts.
When it comes to your own product management journey, recognize your strengths and embrace your personality; don’t force yourself to “be a leader” just for the sake of product management.
Remember, the point of a product manager is to create deep value for customers and then capture that value for the business. That means that both “leader PMs” and “follower PMs” are critical to have within any product org!
