🚀 Want to learn about Product Management? Check One Month PM. We run cohort-based Live-Learning on PM Foundations, Growth PM, Web3 PM, AI PM, No Code, UX Design and Data for PM. Every program starts at €99(+VAT).If you’re a PM, you’re probably wearing quite a few different hats. Personally, I believe every PM has its own hat story. Here are the ones I use the most 👇
🧠 Team psychologist - often your team will have to do stuff they don’t like, struggle with squad members, be disheartened with the roadmap, go through bad quarters. You gotta bring them up, listen to them, support them.
🎯 Performance Coach - Shipping takes time. Time wears people out. The last stretch is usually longer and everyone is tired. You have to keep everyone up and pumped. There is never a bad day to hit the target.
👨🚒 Firefighter- Sh*t happens. Planning doesn’t cover all edge cases. Some “things” are nobody’s role. It’s up to you to fill the gaps and put out the fires.
🏛 Small town mayor - Getting “the town” (aka eng/PM/PD/Data etc) aligned on what needs to get done. It’s about saying what needs to be said. It’s about rallying everyone to keep the “town” moving.
🗽 Union leader - your users/customers are members of your union. You need to keep them “enrolled”. You need to defend their interests. Especially regarding decisions that could leave them worst off.
🧹 School janitor - your role is about getting your team to run as fast as possible. Cleaning up the obstacles (and keeping a tidy environment) is on you, otherwise everyone either falls or walks slowly.
You won’t be rewarded if you do this (as it’s not part of the PM role job description) but you will be punished (as in failing outcomes/not delivering outputs, team unhappiness, etc) if you don’t wear them.