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Product Management in Practice

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Product Management in Practice

A Real-World Guide to the Key Connective Role of the 21st Century

O'Reilly,

15 min read
9 take-aways
Audio & text

What's inside?

Here’s everything you need to know to succeed as a product manager.

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Editorial Rating

9

Qualities

  • Applicable
  • Concrete Examples
  • Engaging

Recommendation

Consultant, coach and former product manager Matt LeMay’s engaging style, irreverence and humor make his writing so entertaining that even if you don’t manage products, you’ll enjoy this description of those who do. His blunt advice strips away any illusions about the prestige and power of the position. His wise prescription for success, including case vignettes and illustrations, will equip aspiring or current product managers with everything they need to prosper. For firms establishing product management practices, LeMay weighs in on what you can borrow from other companies and what you must craft to fit your culture.

Summary

A product manager’s responsibility is to do anything and everything necessary to make the product succeed.

No book, article or position description adequately describes the role of the product manager (PM). Being PM includes anything and everything that helps make your product successful. When you find yourself in the job, you’re likely to wonder what you’re supposed to do with your time. Asking your superiors won’t help; they can’t articulate the job requirements. They’ll probably tell you to figure it out for yourself. Even though you have no authority, you do have responsibility – lots of it.

Describing the job in terms of what you don’t do might make more sense. You don’t build anything; you don’t order anything to be done because no one reports to you; and you don’t wait for instructions from anyone because no one knows what you do. You bring people together, negotiate compromises, facilitate, soothe wounded egos, lobby senior management and clients, listen to developers’ complaints, and generally solve problems using persuasion.

Product managers need self-awareness, a contained ego and lots...

About the Author

Former product manager Matt LeMay, a top 50 influencer in the field, coaches product managers and consults with firms about their product management capabilities.

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