Crucial to the success of a company, a product manager has a big influence over every step of a product’s journey. From idea inception up until delivery and beyond, their role is multifaceted. They are, at any one time, a leader, a creator, a problem-solver and a team builder.
Some say that we are living in the ‘golden age of product management’ and it’s easy to see why. Tech products and services are more popular than ever and companies are increasingly looking for a versatile all-rounder, who can take a 360-view of a product to make it as effective as it can possibly be.
If you’ve never even considered taking the career path into product management, here’s a few reasons why becoming a product manager might just be the right choice.
1-You get to come up with genius ideas
Product managers are the people who create that all-important spark that sets up new products. The creator, leader and moderator of first stage creative sessions, product managers are charged with striking gold. They devise and organise systems for generating and testing new ideas, vetting each idea for its potential and deciding what to produce and when.
Timing is everything. Product managers use extensive knowledge of their market to deliver the right product at the right time, keeping within the vision of the business and various different metrics. Their ideas will also be informed by their knowledge of the latest technologies within the industry.
2-You can drive strategy
A product manager must have a 360 perspective of each product. Every decision they make has an impact, whether at the beginning, middle or end of the product process. They need to think ahead in order to avoid problems, while always finding ways to discover solutions.
The product manager not only sets the strategy for individual products, but also has a great deal of influence over company strategy as a whole. While CEOs and senior leaders are ultimately responsible for leading a company, a lot of the strategic focus comes from the product manager. Deciding what to build, when to build it and how to build it are all product management decisions. These are the decisions that, ultimately, drive the strategic vision of the company.
3-You can unite a team with a common goal
To be a good product manager, you really need to like people. Being a misanthrope just isn’t going to work. A product manager must be able to get the best out of the team, bringing them together with a clearly defined vision and giving individuals the space to work to their strengths.
They also play a key role in recruitment, with the chance to build a team of passionate, hard working team players. By creating a harmonious, well-balanced team, product managers can cultivate the ideal space for innovation and collaboration, while minimising the chance of conflicts.
4-You can inspire, influence and innovate
Recruitment also gives you the chance to have a profound impact on each member of the team. A positive, entrepreneurial mindset rubs off and creating a culture of enthusiastic, passionate, forward-thinking positivity is something that all the best product managers are able to do.
This is part of what makes a great product manager so valuable. They have a massive influence not only over the things being made, but also the people making them. And by inspiring the team to go beyond expectations, they can lead the company to break new ground.
5-You can work on product from beginning to end
While many people within a company only work within a small segment of the product chain, a product manager has a complete overview. They understand every element of the process and have a perspective of the difference between success and failure within a wider context.
Having an influence over every step of a product’s lifecycle may come with added pressure. But for good product managers, the pride of knowing you wielded an influence over every stage makes the job all the more satisfying.
6-You get to experience the thrill of solving problems
A product manager needs to be a certain personality type. Those who rarely complain, but instead obsess over making things better, finding solutions in order to reach places, when no one else can.
Whether it’s through intuition in the moment or hard-earned experience, being able to see problems before they happen or conjuring up the right answer at the right time makes product managers an invaluable asset. Being able to have that kind of impact on a company is one of the best reasons to become a product manager.
