First of all, what is a great product manager?
I believe it is someone who can create a great product.
What is a great product?
My definition of a great product is something that is actually in the market, and most people agree it is wonderful. And if it is accessible to millions, even more wonderful.
And what does it take to create a great product?
First of all, one needs to have the sense to sniff out what should be improved. Either for an existing pain point or a pain point that is waiting to be discovered. Take an example (for pain point to be discovered), before the iPad existed, not being able to surf the Internet on your sofa isn’t a problem!
This is what I called “Product sense“. The ability to sniff out improvement. And I believe this is basically being sensitive to details. Pay attention to details, and be intolerant to the slightest imperfection.
Are you a “be happy, don’t worry” type of person? Sorry, don’t send in your resume.
What happens next is to find the solution. A great product manager can find the problem, and know what should be the end state. The product manager must be able to describe the end result impeccably. And he should be able to evaluate if the solution is really helping to reach the desired end result.
And this is down to strong logic and analysis capability. “Common sense” is what I called it.
Knowing the problem and solution is still not enough. Today innovation means that most product is the work of thousands of people. I remember someone stated that no single person in the world is able to create a computer mouse single-handed from raw material, but millions (or billions?) existed due to combined intelligence!
Therefore, a great product manager knows it takes a team to deliver. Hence, you need to be able to convince people to deliver wholeheartedly. You need to ensure people fully understood and obtained their buy-in.
And this is “People sense“.
Product sense, common sense, and people sense. Easier said than done. Yet whoever delivers it will be half a great product manager.
What? Half a great product manager? Where is the other half?
Because a lot of time, for whatever reason, there will be obstacles. Whatever it is, get it out of the way.
Determination. Perseverance.
Do whatever it takes. Get your hands dirty.
But remember, always preserve your morality and humanity. Don’t do anything you are ashamed to announce in public. And never do anything you will be ashamed to face yourself in private, or worse still, with God.