What’s Product Management

- Hashim Alsharif

Everyone has supposedly heard about Product Management, but industry professionals don’t often talk about what they do. Here’s what I think:

Product management is different in every company. Elad Gill, author of the High Growth Handbook, describes it as being the CEO of the product, but without any authority over your team. The idea is to communicate efficiently with your team members and other colleagues. Your job involves meeting with people in the company to explain what you want to deliver, so strong communication skills are essential.

There are no universal fundamentals for product management. I’m one of those who doesn’t follow any “product fundamentals” because they are often useless. These processes create structure for those who don’t know where to start. If you’re confident in your ability to deliver and build things, you can leave them aside.

Different Types of Product Managers

  1. Technical Product Managers: These individuals have a solid understanding of building backends and infrastructure, driven by their passion for shipping and delivering new technologies. Most do not directly interact with customers. Personally, at Tamara, I fall into this category since I’m working on payments infrastructure-related tasks.
  1. Business Product Managers: These individuals have a strong grasp of monetizing products. Their main goal is to generate more revenue from customers, often working directly with them (B2B, B2C). They are typically metrics-driven, making decisions based on data.
  1. Shitty Product Managers: These individuals understand the product process and hide behind “product fundamentals.” They often lack technical or business understanding of their industry. They are usually found in large corporations such as Google, Meta, and other large companies. These individuals struggle in early-stage companies because they have little to offer.

How to Become a Good Product Manager (Outperforming Your Peers)

  1. Industry Knowledge: Those transitioning from Sales or Customer Success often have a good understanding of customer needs and what the company should improve to satisfy them.
  1. Build Things: Product managers should understand their products inside and out, both technically and business-wise. Spend time coding and shipping MVPs to accumulate technical knowledge.
  1. Network: Many product managers underestimate networking. In most industries, having a strong network is crucial. Without it, you won’t stand out. Use your network to deliver better results, as your goal is to ensure successful product delivery.

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© 2024 Hashim Alsharif