Does the Head of Product Need to Be the Best Product Manager on the Team?

March 11, 2024 by Jeff Martens in business

I’ve had this blog post in my head for a couple weeks now. I’ve been thinking about how to lay out a strong case for what I momentarily thought was a controversial topic. I figured the post would be long and go to great lengths to help readers come to the conclusion that I have.

But guess what? None of that is needed. there is such an easy answer to the question: “Should the head of Product Need to Be the Best Product Manager on the Team?”

No.

So why did I go on this journey? It was a moment of weakness that I don’t mind admitting to. Recently, I’ve had a bunch of great conversations with founders preparing to hire their first head of Product (VP, CPO, HoP). To my surprise, more than one has directly said or strongly implied that they expect their new Product leader to be “the best Product Manager on the team.”

In every leadership role I’ve been in, I’ve had at least one team member that I believe to be a better PM than I ever have been, and I have always seen that as a good thing. At the same time, I also believed myself to be the best and most capable of leading the functions I was responsible for. I guess these chats with talented CEOs made me start to doubt myself and I began pondering this question, assessing my own skills and abilities.

I don’t believe that anyone expects a CTO to be the best software developer on an engineering team. We don’t expect the CMO to be the best visual designer on the creative team. Why would we expect the CPO to be the best Product Manager on the team?

This may be cliche, but I used a sports analogy to help me put this question to rest: Steve Kerr, the Head Coach of the Golden State Warriors NBA team was not the best basketball player on any of his teams when he was a championship winning player (not even close). Yet, today he is recognized as one of the best coaches in the NBA over the past 10 years. Kerr will one day be inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame, and it will be because of his coaching career, not his playing career. He is a talented and effective leader of players that are all better than he was.

Conversely, LeBron James can arguably play all 5 basketball positions at a high level, and he is considered by many to be the best basketball player of all-time, but we have no idea if he’d be a good coach. In fact, he probably wouldn’t be. If you look at ESPN’s top 40 NBA players of all time, you’ll only find three that have had some notable success as a coach, and not a single one even close to being one of the best coaches in any given year, let alone the history of the NBA.

Why is this? The job is totally different! The skills needed to be a top tier coach are completely different from the skills needed to be a top tier team member.

If Steve Kerr thought that he was the best player, and didn’t try to “hire” players better than him, I suspect that the Golden State Warriors wouldn’t have any of their four championship titles in the last nine years, and Kerr would have been fired long ago.

Just as the jobs are different in sports, the jobs are also different in software product management. A highly talented head of Product is focused on building and up-skilling the best team they can assemble. They create an environment and playbook that allows each team member to be their best and play the role the team needs them. They are the expert when it comes to the customer and the competitors. The head of Product connects the organization’s goals to execution in the area by setting, owning, and championing a strategy to build the right products, for the right market, with the right investment, at the right time.

If you haven’t been a Product Manager, it will be much harder to be great at the things a head of Product needs to do. You don’t need to have been the best PM, but you better know the job inside and out, have witnessed it done well, and have recognized when it was done poorly (even if that was you).

That brings us to what I believe the head of Product does need to be the best at:

Setting vision & strategy: As a member of the company’s senior leadership group, you play a pivotal role in setting and guiding company vision, while owning a product strategy that guides the organization towards achieving that vision. Good strategy considers current customer needs, where the market is headed next, and what the company’s long term vision is. All packaged so that it is clear to all what the priorities are, why, and how we’ll act in order to reach defined goals.
Recognizing trends and opportunities: Product Managers and Engineers focus heavily on shipping products to satisfy a problem that exists today. While PMs are not exempt from seeing and planning for the future, I expect the head of Product to be the first to see where the market is going, to spot emerging trends, to find hidden opportunities, and then decide when and how much to invest today for big rewards tomorrow. Product leaders do this by being out in the market with customers (literally and figuratively), building user empathy, becoming a trusted advisor, and acting as a continuous student of the industry. The right team, in the right positions, with the right playcalling is a multiplying force that exceeds anything that a head of Product could ever be on their own.
Recruiting & nurturing talent: Product orgs operate at their best when they have the right people, in the right position, with the right coaching. It's not just about finding the best fit, it's also about convincing them to join the journey, coaching them to be their best, while fostering interest and excitement in the work. It’s not just about having the right people with the right skills, the head of Product needs to foster an environment and process that invites partnership from engineering through the Product Manager’s effective communication around the “what,” “why,” and “when” of their priorities.
Facilitating cross-team collaboration: Great product doesn’t mean much if it can’t be effectively marketed, sold, and supported. Engineering isn’t the only team that product managers must work well with. An effective product leader makes sure their team does not work in isolation. They expect their product managers to influence Marketing, Sales, Support, and other functions by partnering with the leaders of these functions and to set an example of collaboration and paving the way for two-way relationships that benefit customers and the business.
Communicating well: Absolutely everything in this list is dependent on being a fantastic communicator. I often say that product leaders really only do three deceivingly simple things: They listen (to customers, data, colleagues, etc), they think (about priorities, investment levels, timing, visions, strategy, etc), and they communicate (to win support, create understanding, set goals, etc). Being an effective communicator means winning support for strategy because it is clear, relatable, and powerful. Being a great communicator means selling the org on taking the right risks, at the right time. Being a stellar communicator means getting the best talent to jump in the boat with you and give it their all. A mastery of communication results in strong ties to customers where trust leads to openness and partnership.

Curious to see my thoughts on other aspects of Product Management? See those posts here. To see the conversations on this topic from the r/productmanagement Reddit sub, head over here.

Effective Corporate Leadership

May 12, 2020 by Jeff Martens in business

Leadership is a quality that society values. It can be seen early on in a person’s life. It benefits those that excel at it, in school, in sports, with friends, and in careers. Many believe that people are born leaders, that it comes naturally.

I believe that leadership is a quality that a minority of people are born with. I also believe that one’s environment will hone this quality for some, and not for others. I believe that if you aren’t born with it, you can learn much of it, but many of the best leaders start with a natural talent.

What I don’t believe is that leadership qualities alone will make you successful as a business leader. Leadership personality traits are not the same as being an effective leader of a company. Being a successful leader in a business means taking your personality traits and using them in specific ways to drive results. Results don’t just happen because someone is a natural leader. Results happen when leaders take action.

Leaders come in all shapes and sizes, so-to-speak. You don’t need a title to be a leader, but some titles require you to be a leader. You can be a great Business Analyst, a great Designer, a great Sales Executive, without being a leader, but you probably won’t be a great Chief Marketing Officer, or a great Vice President of Product, if you aren’t a great leader. It’s a choice, until it isn’t. If you weren’t born with it, you better start figuring it out.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what a great business leader is, and what a great business leader does. I say it that way intentionally, is and does. A definition and actions with outcomes. Below is what I’ve come up with. I am sure this is a far from a dictionary definition, probably because my take is less a reflection of business leadership itself, and more about what I personally strive to be as a business leader.

What a great business leader is:

Someone that inspires others, to act, to be great, and to grow
Someone that coaches and mentors their direct reports, bringing out the best in them
Someone that takes responsibility, seeking it out and rising up to it
Someone that puts the organization on their shoulders, not as a burden, but to carry others and raise them above the fray
Someone with vision for the organization and a course charted to reach it

The above is great, and impressive, but how do great leaders turn those qualities into action and results?

They see the bigger picture

Great, effective business leaders share a similarity with chess players: they see two, three, four moves ahead. They don’t stop at the obvious, they see what others don’t and can identify what really matters. With this vision, they can speak and act in a way that inspires others.

They have a positive outlook

Great, effective business leaders put energy into positives, rather than negatives. They don’t ignore challenges or concerns, but seek balance in their focus and how they communicate with others. They smile, show joy, recognize success, and lift-up the spirits of others. With this quality, they attract others to them and go into every opportunity or challenge leading people that believe in success is not only possible, but likely.

They say the right thing, at the right time

Great, effective business leaders know that listening is more powerful than speaking, and how to use their words for the greatest impact. They often don’t speak first, collecting the information they need to speak with authority later. What they do speak, their message is well thought out and organized. They have a way of knowing exactly what others need to hear, at any given time.

They are calm under pressure

Great, effective business leaders are the rock of an organization when pressure builds. They still worry, but they know that others will observe and mirror their behavior, so they remain clam in all they do, whether that be day-to-day work or a crisis. They don’t overreact or act too quickly, but instead they take a measured approach to challenges that is seen by others as well planned, organized, and thoughtful. They’ll never appear to be overworked or exhausted by the pressures of work.

They act and speak with confidence

Great, effective business leaders believe in themselves, their experience, and their ability to get the job done. When they speak, they believe it. When they act, they know it’s the right thing to do. They are confident, but not cocky. They may have doubts, but those doubts don’t hold them back, and instead drive them towards continuously growing and learning. This confidence inspires others to do the same.

They know the details that matter

Great, effective business leaders stay abreast of the details they need to know. They understand that they can’t lead while in the dark, and they seek to consume knowledge. They are properly informed on what their teams are doing, what their successes are, and what their challenges may be. They don’t micromanage and aren’t know-it-alls, but they recognize that information is the most important input they need to deliver the outputs their organization needs. Most importantly, they use this information to properly coach, mentor, and manage their team.

They show gratitude

A great, effective business leader recognizes the work of others and shows appreciation. They understand organization dynamics and that often teams accomplish greatness, rarely do individuals. They recognize the human side of work and understand the power of gratitude. They deliver that gratitude with heartfelt meaning and genuine appreciation. They deliver gratitude in big and small ways, not requiring a stage to deliver it on.

As I look back on what I just wrote, I see a common theme: Communication. Leaders and effective executives are great communicators. They communicate genuinely, thoughtfully, intentionally, and non-verbally.

I’m going to keep studying leadership and honing my abilities. I recently read a great book on leadership, What You Do Is Who You Are, and I may revisit my favorite book on communication, Crucial Conversations.

More on Product Management (Part 2)

July 03, 2017 by Jeff Martens in business

Recently, I published a post that outlined 9 principles that make for great product management (On Product Management; May 23rd, 2017). I enjoyed writing the post as it was helpful for me to get my beliefs in a single place, and I was lucky to attract a great audience. My readers had some valuable thoughts, insightful questions, and astute clarifications via LinkedIn comments, Slack discussion, and direct emails.

In this post, I want to address some of those points of discussion, clarify a few things from my original post, and explore a few more principles that make for great Product Managers.

If you haven't read my original post, take a moment to read it and come back to this one. Finally, thank you to everyone that contributed thoughts, counterpoints, questions, and praise...you've helped me become a better writer, and a better Product Manager!

More on the Product Manager's role with vision & strategy

I started my last post out by saying that the role of a Product Manager is to shepherd through a vision...the vision of a Founder, a CEO, or a Chief Product Officer. I went on to talk about the PM's role as a leader, rallying the team around a vision and strategy, and developing products that serve multiple stakeholders. A couple of my readers pointed out that my message might have contradicted itself, and could be taken as a statement that vision and strategy aren't the role of the Product Manager.

This topic gets at a phrase that is commonly thrown around around Product Management, that being a PM is like being the CEO of a Product. I like this statement because it alludes to the type of work that a PM does, and the level of leadership they must demonstrate. I dislike this statement because it implies that the PM is ultimately in charge, that they can do what they want and have no equal in the organization.

While I absolutely believe that Product Managers should influence and contribute to company vision and strategy, and they should set a vision and strategy for their area of responsibility, the truth is that most of us work as part of a larger organization. Most of us have a boss, have a leader we work with. Many of us work at the companies we do because we were attracted to the mission and vision that their leadership put in place. If the Product Manager is setting company vision and strategy, rather than the C-suite, there's a problem. Similarly, if a Product Manager isn't helping the C-suite refine, build on, and advance the vision, there's also a problem.

Effective Product Management orgs report through the CEO

Something I didn't touch on in my earlier post was the placement of Product Management in the org chart. There are a two common reporting structures for Product Management: Through the CEO or through the CTO. While both can work, I believe the best results come from Product Management organizations that report through the CEO.

This preference of mine stems from the idea that Product Management is about more than engineering. Engineering groups are singularly focused on technology, whether its the technology that customers interact with directly, or the backend and foundations that the product is built on. Conversely, Product Management is cross-functional by nature, working across pricing, customer support, sales, marketing, and more.

While the Office of the CTO can effectively lead Product Management, reporting through the CEO is a better fit. Like Product Management, a CEO's role spans the entire organization, influencing all aspects of delivering a product. Reporting through the CEO avoids potential conflicts of interest, where tough decisions must be made and priorities identified, and more easily allowing for a solution that might not be an engineering one.

Product Management is about more than code

In my last post, I may have ignored a principle which I feel is so important. The product is more than your software. The product is the entire experience that a customer or user has with your company. From how they first learn about your product, to how they are sold to, how they are on-boarded, how they use the product, how they are supported, and even how they are 'off-boarded", so to speak. Its all your product to the customer, they don't put walls between your marketing and your code, or between sales and support.

Effective product managers influence and lead all aspects of the product. They think of things like user documentation as part of the product. They know that interacting with customer support is part of the value being delivered. Sometimes the best way to move a product forward, to move the needle on sales or net promoter score, is to fine tune the non-software aspects of your product. If a Product Manager doesn't take responsibility for a cohesive product experience, its likely no one will and each customer touchpoint will remain silo'd.

Nike doesn't just sell shoes, they sell an identity. Blue Apron doesn't just sell meal kits, they sell time-savings and the joy of cooking. Software companies don't just sell access to code, they sell solutions to problems.

Am I living in a Product Management dreamland?

So am I crazy, or is my view on effective Product Management realistic? Truth is, its both. I have outlined a bit of a dreamland, a perfect world, but not a world that I've experienced at any single company or role I've held. That said, every philosophy that I've outlined is one that I've experienced personally or seen at other organizations. All of these philosophies are reasonable individually, and together they are a rare but special reality.

Some of these principles are ones that we can do on our own, as individuals seeking to be better at our jobs. Some of these principles require the mandate and support of our organizations and our bosses. If you desire more of a strategic and leadership role in your work as a PM, ask yourself two things. First ask if you are doing the things you can do with autonomy to be a more effective and efficient PM. Then, ask yourself if you are working for a company that wants and values leadership in a Product Manager.

This is part 2 of a 2 part series on effective Product Management. If you haven't read part 1, head on over to On Product Management for principles exhibited by great Product Managers.

On Product Management (Part 1)

May 23, 2017 by Jeff Martens in business

Update: Thanks to the huge response from readers, across LinkedIn, Twitter, Slack, and Email, I've written a follow up post to expand on the below thoughts and address reader feedback. You'll find a link to that post at the end of this one.

Recently, I've been asked a few times what my philosophy is on Product Management. I have to say, I've never thought about my philosophy on Product Management before being asked this question. Sure, I have thought about various issues and ideas related to Product Management, but I've never developed a holistic philosophy. As I thought about the question, I started to realize that I do have some solid beliefs, strong feelings, and best practices on this topic.

This blog post represents my personal philosophy on Product Management. It isn't perfect, it may change over time, and it isn't an exhaustive list. What you will get is a look into what I feel strongly about, how I work as a Product Manager, and what I believe leads to great products and thus, great businesses.

Product Managers are the shepherds of a vision

I believe that the fundamental job of a Product Manager is to turn a leader's vision into action. At a certain point, a Founder/CEO is no longer able to be day-to-day with product development. Product Managers exist to ensure that a Founder, a CEO, or a Chief Product Officer's vision is carried out. This is especially important as companies launch additional products or serve multiple use-cases.

Some may say that being a Product Manager is a "mini-CEO" or the "CEO of your product." I get the meaning of that statement, but it goes farther than I'm willing to go with a comparison. Instead, I like to think of myself as a shepherd. I'm overseeing an asset. Leading it to green pasture. Protecting it. Turning it into something more. Delivering.

When I worked at New Relic, the vision was that every Knowledge Worker would one day log into our products on a regular basis to inform their work. Our mission was to be the first, best place for companies to go to when seeking to understand their digital business.

We believed in that mission and worked towards that vision, but it wasn't exactly a roadmap to get there. Thats where Product Managers come in. They chart the course to that end goal, showing a team what they need to do in the short, medium, and long term in order to get to the destination.

Easier said than done, of course. Read on for more.

Product Managers work across a continuum

One thing I love about Product Management is the opportunity it gives me to work on so many different things. One day I am focused on Marketing, another day I am engaging with Customer Support, and most days I'm working directly with engineering. Similarly, Product Management offers the ability to be both strategic and tactical. One minute I'm setting a product vision for three years in the future, the next I'm working with a UX Designer to determine how to reduce friction for users of a single functionality in the product.

I've also found that some Product Managers gravitate towards certain areas of responsibility, while minimizing their efforts in others. This approach in itself isn't bad, but a good Product Manager understands where their time is best spent. I believe a good Product Manager knows when to let other's do what they do best. When to let Designers and Engineers work with freedom, and when to listen to company leadership for strategic direction. I stay out of the weeds and focus my efforts to the right of center on the continuum of tactical and strategic activities.

Product Managers are the voice of the customer

When most people think about Product Management, they probably think about serving customers. When I think about customers as they relate to Product Management, I like to to go a step further. I look at it as my job to represent the customer at every table I'm invited to. It doesn't stop with product features, its my job to ensure that Marketing delivers what the customer needs, that the support infrastructure offers the customer what the require, that the sales process meets customer expectations, and that pricing aligns with the value delivered.

Your product is more than just software. It's the entire experience a customer has with your organization. Don't just represent that customer with your roadmap, it's a Product Manager's job to represent them in every discussion that happens.

Product Management is a partner to Sales

Before I became a Product Manager for the first time, a friend asked me a trick question. He said "As a Product Manager, who do you think your customer is?" Easy question, I thought! The obvious answer is the end user.

My friend suggested I was wrong. He went on to make the case that Salespeople are the customer we serve as Product Managers. While I don't fully adopt this line of thinking (I struggle to think that anyone is more important than the end user), I have carried the spirit of this idea with me in my work.

The argument goes like this: If a Salesperson is excited about my product, educated on its benefits, equipped to sell it, and confident in what it will do for the customer, the Product will succeed. Ultimately, Product Managers are measured on their success of the Product. So, unless you work in an industry with self-serve products, you better have good relationship with the Sales organization.

Personally, I love working with the Sales. I find it to be a great way to get in front of customers, and an efficient way to collect feedback. I'm also a Salesperson at heart, and I love the feeling of winning someone's business!

Product Managers balance stakeholder needs

When I make product decisions, there are three key stakeholders I am thinking about. I'm constantly asking myself: what does my current customer base need from me, what does the industry/market of the future need from me, and what does my company/employer need from me? Rarely will I make a decision where one of these stakeholders is ignored, and never will I make a decision without considering all three of them.

Its obvious to say that the customer's needs are important, and its true. That said, be careful not to ignore customers you don't have yet, the customer of the future. When I meet an existing customer's needs, or the needs of a persona/market that I already serve, I'm likely optimizing for retention and incremental sales. When I think about the industry/market at large, I'm allowing myself to deliver what my existing users would never tell me they need. I'm opening up exponential opportunities, positioning my product to be an industry leader in the future. Finally, looking to my employer as a stakeholder isn't about ensuring I continue to get a paycheck. Rather, I'm looking at company strategy and ensuring that the decisions I make for my product, my user, my future market.

The best decision I can make is the one that serves my existing customer, positions my product to be a market leader in the future, and delivers towards the company strategy.

Product Managers are industry experts

As a Product Manager, I don't know everything and frequently my team is better than me at most things. The one thing I know I can do better than anyone is to be an expert in the industry my product serves. In fact, its my job to be an expert. No one within my organization should know more than me about the market I serve, the users I have, and the problems we solve. The beauty of this is that just about anyone can become an expert, with effort and time. The downside is that it will take time. No one becomes an expert overnight. We either bring it into the job from past experience, or we learn it on the job. Either way, a successful Product Manager is a respected authority on the industry.

Product Managers serve as Leaders & Coaches

Despite the title, often times Product Managers are not managers of people, they aren't the boss. Engineering doesn't report to them, nor does Marketing, Sales, or any other team involved in taking a product to market. Instead, Product Managers are leaders. They use influence to get things done. Effective Product Managers convince people to come along on a journey, working together to ensure success.

Additionally, my job as a Product Manager is also to be a coach. I'm sharing my industry expertise with others, removing obstacles so others can do their best work, and loudly praising the team's success.

Product Managers belong outside the office

There is a program called Pragmatic Marketing and its essentially Product Management school. If you take one of their courses, specifically the Foundations course, you'll likely hear the instructor make a lame but memorable joke. They'll tell you about something called NIHITO ("neh-he-toe"). Its an acronym that stands for Nothing Interesting Happens in the Office. As lame as the instructor will sound when they make that joke, the sentiment couldn't be more true.

Product Managers should spend a majority of their of time out of the building, or at least away from their desks. The more I am sitting at my desk, the less effective I am at my job. Rather, much of my time should be spent talking with customers and engaging with other teams within my organization. This is not to say that 100% of time spent away from your office is equal to 100% effectiveness, but how you split your time is an indicator of effectiveness. You also don't have to literally leave the building to achieve the figurative example...talking with customers in any way, even a simple phone call or studying user metrics qualifies.

If I had to boil it down, my perfect time-split would be this: 1/3 of my time talking with customers, 1/3 of my time working with other teams, and 1/3 of my time synthesizing what I've learned into a strategy, roadmap, and product requirements.

Product Managers are not JIRA Jockeys

You'll notice that in this entire blog post on Product Management, I haven't once mentioned JIRA Tickets or User Stories. There is no question that User Stories are an effective way to communicate product requirements and JIRA is a great tool for organizing and planning product development efforts, However, writing and moving around JIRA tickets is not the best use of a Product Managers time and expertise.

I believe a Product Manager's time is best spent being an industry expert, turning company vision into product strategy, developing a roadmap, making the user persona's and problems clear, removing obstacles so my teammates can do their best, work, and supporting them however else I can. Moving one JIRA ticket above another doesn't equal effectiveness. Ensuring others have everything they need to do great and the right work, that does result in being effective.

I've said a lot about Product Management, but in a way I feel like I've barely scratched the surface. This line of work is one of the most fun, rewarding, yet complicated and ambiguous around.

I'd love to hear your take. Did I get it right? Do you disagree with anything? Did I miss something? Join the conversation with me on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or wherever you found the link to this post.

For a follow up on this post and my response to comments and feedback, check out part 2: More on product management